7 The Accounting Cycle
7 The Accounting Cycle
7 The Accounting Cycle
The accounting cycle, also commonly referred to as accounting process, is a series of procedures in the
collection, processing, and communication of financial information.
As defined in earlier lessons, accounting involves recording, classifying, summarizing, and interpreting
financial information.
Financial information is presented in reports called financial statements. But before they can be prepared,
accountants need to gather information about business transactions, record and collate them to come up
with the values to be presented in the reports.
The cycle does not end with the presentation of financial statements. Several steps are needed to be
done to prepare the accounting system for the next cycle.
5. Adjusting Entries
Adjusting entries are prepared as an application of the accrual basis of accounting. At the end of the
accounting period, some expenses may have been incurred but not yet recorded in the journals. Some
income may have been earned but not entered in the books.
Adjusting entries are prepared to update the accounts before they are summarized in the financial
statements.
Adjusting entries are made for accrual of income, accrual of expenses, deferrals (income method or
liability method), prepayments (asset method or expense method), depreciation, and allowances.
7. Financial Statements
When the accounts are already up-to-date and equality between the debits and credits have been tested,
the financial statements can now be prepared. The financial statements are the end-products of an
accounting system.
A complete set of financial statements is made up of: (1) Statement of Comprehensive Income (Income
Statement and Other Comprehensive Income), (2) Statement of Changes in Equity, (3) Statement of
Financial Position or Balance Sheet, (4) Statement of Cash Flows, and (5) Notes to Financial Statements.
8. Closing Entries
Temporary or nominal accounts, i.e. income statement accounts, are closed to prepare the system for the
next accounting period. Temporary accounts include income, expense, and withdrawal accounts. These
items are measured periodically.
The accounts are closed to a summary account (usually, Income Summary) and then closed further to the
appropriate capital account. Take note that closing entries are made only for temporary accounts. Real or
permanent accounts, i.e. balance sheet accounts, are not closed.
*10. Reversing Entries: Optional step at the beginning of the new accounting period
Reversing entries are optional. They are prepared at the beginning of the new accounting period to
facilitate a smoother and more consistent recording process.
In this step, the adjusting entries made for accrual of income, accrual of expenses, deferrals under the
income method, and prepayments under the expense method are simply reversed.