4 Completing the

Accounting Cycle
Learning Objectives

1 Prepare a worksheet.

2 Prepare closing entries and a post-closing trial balance.

Explain the steps in the accounting cycle and how to

3 prepare correcting entries.

4 Identify the sections of a classified balance sheet.

4-1
LEARNING
OBJECTIVE
1 Prepare a worksheet.

Worksheet
◆ Multiple-column form used in preparing financial
statements.

◆ Not a permanent accounting record.

◆ May be a computerized worksheet using an electronic

spreadsheet program such as Excel.

◆ Prepared using a five step process.

◆ Use of worksheet is optional.

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 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet
Illustration 4-1

4-3
 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet Illustration 4-2

1. PREPARE A TRIAL BALANCE ON THE WORKSHEET

Adjusted Income
Trial Balance Adjustments Trial Balance Statement Balance Sheet
Account Titles Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr.
Cash 15,200
Supplies 2,500
Prepaid Insurance 600
Equipment 5,000
Notes Payable 5,000
Accounts Payable 2,500
Unearned Revenue 1,200
Common Stock 10,000
Dividends 500
Service Revenue 10,000

Salaries and Wages Exp. 4,000

Rent Exp. 900
Totals 28,700 28,700

Trial balance amounts come

directly from ledger accounts.
Include all accounts
with balances.

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 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet
Illustration 3-23
General journal
showing adjusting
entries

Adjusting
Journal
Entries
(Chapter 3)

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LO 1
 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet Illustration 4-2

2. ENTER THE ADJUSTMENTS IN THE ADJUSTMENTS COLUMNS

Adjusted Income
Trial Balance Adjustments Trial Balance Statement Balance Sheet
Account Titles Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr.
Cash 15,200
Supplies 2,500 (a) 1,500
Prepaid Insurance 600 (b) 50
Equipment 5,000
Adjustments Key:
Notes Payable 5,000 (a) Supplies Used.
Accounts Payable 2,500
Unearned Revenue 1,200 (d) 400 (b) Insurance Expired.
Common Stock 10,000
(c) Depreciation Expensed.
Dividends 500
Service Revenue 10,000 (d) 400 (d) Service Revenue Recognized.
(e) 200
Salaries and Wages Exp. 4,000 (g) 1,200
(e) Service Revenue Accrued.
Rent Exp. 900 (f) Interest Accrued.
Totals 28,700 28,700
Supplies Expense (a) 1,500
(g) Salaries Accrued.
Insurance Expense (b) 50
Accumulated Depreciation (c) 40
Depreciation Expense (c) 40
Accounts Receivable (e) 200
(f)
Enter adjustment amounts, total
Interest Expense 50
Interest Payable (f) 50 adjustments columns,
Salaries and Wages Payable (g) 1,200 and check for equality.
Totals 3,440 3,440

Add additional accounts as needed.

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 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet Illustration 4-2

3. COMPLETE THE ADJUSTED TRIAL BALANCE COLUMNS

Adjusted Income
Trial Balance Adjustments Trial Balance Statement Balance Sheet
Account Titles Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr.
Cash 15,200 15,200
Supplies 2,500 (a) 1,500 1,000
Prepaid Insurance 600 (b) 50 550
Equipment 5,000 5,000
Notes Payable 5,000 5,000
Accounts Payable 2,500 2,500
Unearned Revenue 1,200 (d) 400 800
Common Stock 10,000 10,000
Dividends 500 500
Service Revenue 10,000 (d) 400 10,600
(e) 200
Salaries and Wages Exp. 4,000 (g) 1,200 5,200
Rent Exp. 900 900
Totals 28,700 28,700
Supplies Expense (a) 1,500 1,500
Insurance Expense (b) 50 50
Accumulated Depreciation (c) 40 40
Depreciation Expense (c) 40 40
Accounts Receivable (e) 200 200
Interest Expense (f) 50 50
Interest Payable (f) 50 50
Salaries and Wages Payable (g) 1,200 1,200
Totals 3,440 3,440 30,190 30,190
Net Income
Totals Total the adjusted trial balance
columns and check for equality.
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 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet Illustration 4-2

4. EXTEND AMOUNTS TO FINANCIAL STATEMENT COLUMNS

Adjusted Income
Trial Balance Adjustments Trial Balance Statement Balance Sheet
Account Titles Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr.
Cash 15,200 15,200 15,200
Supplies 2,500 (a) 1,500 1,000 1,000
Prepaid Insurance 600 (b) 50 550 550
Equipment 5,000 5,000 5,000
Notes Payable 5,000 5,000 5,000
Accounts Payable 2,500 2,500 2,500
Unearned Revenue 1,200 (d) 400 800 800
Common Stock 10,000 10,000 10,000
Dividends 500 500 500
Service Revenue 10,000 (d) 400 10,600 10,600
(e) 200
Salaries and Wages Exp. 4,000 (g) 1,200 5,200 5,200
Rent Exp. 900 900 900
Totals 28,700 28,700
Supplies Expense (a) 1,500 1,500 1,500
Insurance Expense (b) 50 50 50
Accumulated Depreciation (c) 40 40 40
Depreciation Expense (c) 40 40 40
Accounts Receivable (e) 200 200 200
Interest Expense (f) 50 50 50
Interest Payable (f) 50 50 50
Salaries and Wages Payable (g) 1,200 1,200 1,200
Totals 3,440 3,440 30,190 30,190 7,740 10,600 22,450 19,590
Net Income
Totals Extend adjusted trial balance amounts to
appropriate financial statement columns.
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 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet Illustration 4-2

5. TOTAL COLUMNS, COMPUTE NET INCOME (LOSS)

Adjusted Income
Trial Balance Adjustments Trial Balance Statement Balance Sheet
Account Titles Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr. Dr. Cr.
Cash 15,200 15,200 15,200
Supplies 2,500 (a) 1,500 1,000 1,000
Prepaid Insurance 600 (b) 50 550 550
Equipment 5,000 5,000 5,000
Notes Payable 5,000 5,000 5,000
Accounts Payable 2,500 2,500 2,500
Unearned Revenue 1,200 (d) 400 800 800
Common Stock 10,000 10,000 10,000
Dividends 500 500 500
Service Revenue 10,000 (d) 400 10,600 10,600
(e) 200
Salaries and Wages Exp. 4,000 (g) 1,200 5,200 5,200
Rent Exp. 900 900 900
Totals 28,700 28,700
Supplies Expense (a) 1,500 1,500 1,500
Insurance Expense (b) 50 50 50
Accumulated Depreciation (c) 40 40 40
Depreciation Expense (c) 40 40 40
Accounts Receivable (e) 200 200 200
Interest Expense (f) 50 50 50
Interest Payable (f) 50 50 50
Salaries and Wages Payable (g) 1,200 1,200 1,200
Totals 3,440 3,440 30,190 30,190 7,740 10,600 22,450 19,590
Net Income 2,860 2,860
Totals 10,600 10,600 22,450 22,450
Compute Net Income or Net Loss.
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 Steps in Preparing a Worksheet

Question
Net income is shown on a worksheet in the:

a. income statement debit column only.

b. balance sheet debit column only.

c. income statement credit column and balance sheet

debit column.

d. income statement debit column and balance sheet

credit column.

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 Preparing Financial Statements from a
Worksheet

◆ Income statement is prepared from the income statement

columns.

◆ Balance sheet and retained earnings statement are

prepared from the balance sheet columns.

◆ Companies can prepare financial statements before they

journalize and post adjusting entries.

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 Preparing Statements from a Worksheet

Illustration 4-3
Financial statements
from a worksheet

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 Preparing Statements from a Worksheet

Illustration 4-3
Financial statements
from a worksheet

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 Illustration 4-3

Illustration 4-3

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 Preparing Adjusting Entries from a
Worksheet

◆ Adjusting entries are prepared from the adjustments

columns of the worksheet.

◆ Journalizing and posting of adjusting entries follows the

preparation of financial statements when a worksheet is
used.

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 DO IT! 1 Worksheet

Susan Elbe is preparing a worksheet. Explain to Susan how she

should extend the following adjusted trial balance accounts to the
financial statement columns of the worksheet.

Cash Balance sheet (debit column)

Accumulated Depreciation Balance Sheet (credit column)
Accounts Payable Balance Sheet (credit column)
Dividends Balance sheet (debit column)
Service Revenue Income statement (credit column)
Salaries and Wages Expense Income statement (debit column)

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 LEARNING Prepare closing entries and a post-
OBJECTIVE
2
closing trial balance.

At the end of the accounting period, the company makes

the accounts ready for the next period.

Illustration 4-4
Temporary versus permanent accounts
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 Preparing Closing Entries

Closing entries formally recognize in the ledger the transfer of

◆ net income (or net loss) and
◆ Dividends

to Retained Earnings.

Companies generally journalize and post closing entries only at

the end of the annual accounting period.
Closing entries produce a zero balance in each temporary
account.

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 Preparing Closing Entries

Illustration 4-5
Diagram of closing
process—corporation

Retained earnings is a
permanent account.
All other accounts are
temporary accounts.

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 Preparing Closing Entries

CLOSING
ENTRIES
ILLUSTRATED

Illustration 4-6
Closing entries
4-20 journalized
 Posting
Closing
Entries

Illustration 4-7

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4-22 LO 2
 Preparing a Post-Closing Trial Balance
Purpose is to prove the equality of the permanent account balances
carried forward into the next accounting period. Illustration 4-8
Post-closing trial balance

Illustration 4-8

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 DO IT! 2 Closing Entries

The worksheet for Hancock Company shows the following in the

financial statement columns:
Dividends $15,000
Common stock $42,000
Net income $18,000
Prepare the closing entries at December 31 that affect stockholders’
equity.

Income summary 18,000

Retained earnings 18,000
Retained earnings 15,000
Dividends 15,000
4-24 LO 2
 LEARNING Explain the steps in the accounting cycle
OBJECTIVE
3
and how to prepare correcting entries.

Illustration 4-11
1. Analyze business transactions

9. Prepare a post-closing 2. Journalize the

trial balance transactions

8. Journalize and post

3. Post to ledger accounts
closing entries

7. Prepare financial
4. Prepare a trial balance
statements

6. Prepare an adjusted trial 5. Journalize and post

balance adjusting entries

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LO 3
 Correcting Entries—An Avoidable Step

◆ Unnecessary if accounting records are free of errors.

◆ Made whenever an error is discovered.

◆ Must be posted before closing entries.

Instead of preparing a correcting entry, it is possible to

reverse the incorrect entry and then prepare the correct
entry.

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 Correcting Entries—An Avoidable Step

CASE 1: On May 10, Mercato Co. journalized and posted a $50 cash
collection on account from a customer as a debit to Cash $50 and a
credit to Service Revenue $50. The company discovered the error on
May 20, when the customer paid the remaining balance in full.

Incorrect Cash 50
entry
Service Revenue 50
Correct Cash 50
entry
Accounts Receivable 50
Correcting Service Revenue 50
entry Accounts Receivable 50

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 Correcting Entries—An Avoidable Step

CASE 2: On May 18, Mercato purchased on account equipment

costing $450. The transaction was journalized and posted as a debit to
Equipment $45 and a credit to Accounts Payable $45. The error was
discovered on June 3.

Incorrect Equipment 45
entry
Accounts Payable 45
Correct Equipment 450
entry
Accounts Payable 450
Correcting Equipment 405
entry Accounts Payable 405

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4-29 LO 3
 DO IT! 3 Correcting Entries

Sanchez Company discovered the following errors made in

January 2017 .

1. A payment of Salaries and Wages Expense of $600 was

debited to Supplies and credited to Cash, both for $600.

2. A collection of $3,000 from a client on account was debited

to Cash $200 and credited to Service Revenue $200.

3. The purchase of supplies on account for $860 was debited

to Supplies $680 and credited to Accounts Payable $680.

Correct the errors without reversing the incorrect entry.

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 DO IT! 3 Correcting Entries

Sanchez Company discovered the following errors made in

January 2017 .

1. A payment of Salaries and Wages Expense of $600 was

debited to Supplies and credited to Cash, both for $600.

Correct the error without reversing the incorrect entry.

Salaries and Wages Expense 600

Supplies 600

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 DO IT! 3 Correcting Entries

Sanchez Company discovered the following errors made in

January 2017 .

2. A collection of $3,000 from a client on account was debited

to Cash $200 and credited to Service Revenue $200.

Correct the error without reversing the incorrect entry.

Service Revenue 200

Cash 2,800
Accounts Receivable 3,000

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 DO IT! 3 Correcting Entries

Sanchez Company discovered the following errors made in

January 2017 .

3. The purchase of supplies on account for $860 was debited

to Supplies $680 and credited to Accounts Payable $680.

Correct the error without reversing the incorrect entry.

Supplies ($860 - $680) 180

Accounts Payable 180

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 LEARNING Identify the sections of a classified
OBJECTIVE
4
balance sheet.

◆ Presents a snapshot at a point in time.

◆ To improve understanding, companies group similar

assets and similar liabilities together.

Standard Classifications Illustration 4-16

Assets Liabilities and Owner’s Equity

Current assets Current liabilities
Long-term investments Long-term liabilities
Property, plant, and equipment Stockholders’ equity
Intangible assets

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 The Classified Balance Sheet
Illustration 4-17

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 The Classified Balance Sheet
Illustration 4-17

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 Current Assets

◆ Assets that a company expects to convert to cash or

use up within one year or the operating cycle, whichever
is longer.

◆ Operating cycle is the average time that it takes to

purchase inventory, sell it on account, and then collect
cash from customers.

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 Current Assets
Illustration 4-18

Usually listed in the order they expect to convert them into cash.

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 Current Assets

Question
The correct order of presentation in a classified balance sheet
for the following current assets is:

a. accounts receivable, cash, prepaid insurance, inventory.

b. cash, inventory, accounts receivable, prepaid insurance.

c. cash, accounts receivable, inventory, prepaid insurance.

d. inventory, cash, accounts receivable, prepaid insurance.

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 Long-Term Investments

◆ Investments in stocks and bonds of other companies.

◆ Investments in long-term assets such as land or buildings
that is not currently being used in operating activities.
◆ Long-term notes receivable.
Illustration 4-19

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 Property, Plant, and Equipment

◆ Long useful lives.

◆ Currently used in operations.

◆ Depreciation - allocating the cost of assets to a number

of years.

◆ Accumulated depreciation - total amount of

depreciation expensed thus far in the asset’s life.

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 Property, Plant, and Equipment

Illustration 4-20

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 Intangible Assets

◆ Long-lived assets that do not have physical substance.

Illustration 4-21

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 The Classified Balance Sheet

Question
Patents and copyrights are

a. Current assets.

b. Intangible assets.

c. Long-term investments.

d. Property, plant, and equipment.

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4-45 LO 4
 Current Liabilities

◆ Obligations the company is to pay within the coming year

or its operating cycle, whichever is longer.

◆ Usually list notes payable first, followed by accounts

payable. Other items follow in order of magnitude.

◆ Common examples are accounts payable, salaries and

wages payable, notes payable, interest payable, income
taxes payable, and current maturities of long-term
obligations.

◆ Liquidity - ability to pay obligations expected to be due

within the next year.

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 Current Liabilities

Illustration 4-22

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4-48 LO 4
 Long-Term Liabilities

◆ Obligations a company expects to pay after one year.

Illustration 4-23

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 The Classified Balance Sheet

Question
Which of the following is not a long-term liability?

a. Bonds payable

b. Current maturities of long-term obligations

c. Long-term notes payable

d. Mortgages payable

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 Stockholders’ (Owner’s) Equity

◆ Proprietorship - one capital account.

◆ Partnership - capital account for each partner.
◆ Corporation - Common Stock and Retained Earnings.

Illustration 4-24

4-51 LO 4
 DO IT! 4 Balance Sheet Classifications

The following accounts were taken from the financial statements of Callahan
Company.

Match each of the following accounts to its proper balance sheet

classification, shown below. If the item would not appear on a balance sheet,
use “NA.”
Current assets (CA) Current liabilities (CL)
Long-term investments (LTI) Long-term liabilities (LTL)
Property, plant, and equipment (PPE) Stockholders’ equity (SE)
Intangible assets (IA)

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 LEARNING
OBJECTIVE
5 APPENDIX 4A: Prepare reversing entries.

Reversing Entries
◆ It is often helpful to reverse some of the adjusting entries
before recording the regular transactions of the next period.

◆ Companies make a reversing entry at the beginning of the

next accounting period.

◆ Each reversing entry is the exact opposite of the adjusting

entry made in the previous period.

◆ The use of reversing entries does not change the amounts

reported in the financial statements.

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 Reversing Entries Example

Illustration: To illustrate the optional use of reversing entries for

accrued expenses, we will use the salaries expense transactions for
Pioneer Advertising Inc.

1. October 26 (initial salary entry): Pioneer pays $4,000 of salaries and

wages earned between October 15 and October 26.

2. October 31 (adjusting entry): Salaries and wages earned between

October 29 and October 31 are $1,200. The company will pay these
in the November 9 payroll.

3. November 9 (subsequent salary entry): Salaries and wages paid are

$4,000. Of this amount, $1,200 applied to accrued salaries and
wages payable and $2,800 was earned between November 1 and
November 9.

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 Reversing Entries Example
Illustration 4A-1

With Reversing Entries

(per appendix)

Initial Salary Entry

Oct. 26 Same entry

Adjusting Entry
Oct. 31 Same entry

Closing Entry
Oct. 31 Same entry

Reversing Entry
Nov. 1 Salaries and Wages Payable 1,200
Salaries and Wages Expense 1,200

Subsequent Salary Entry

Nov. 9 Salaries and Wages Expense 4,000
Cash 4,000

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 Reversing Entries Example
Illustration 4A-2
Postings with
reversing
entries

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 LEARNING Compare the procedures for the closing
OBJECTIVE
6 process under GAAP and IFRS.

Key Points
Similarities
◆ The procedures of the closing process are applicable to all
companies, whether they are using IFRS or GAAP.
◆ IFRS generally requires a classified statement of financial position
similar to the classified balance sheet under GAAP.
◆ IFRS follows the same guidelines as this textbook for distinguishing
between current and noncurrent assets and liabilities.

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 Key Points
Differences
◆ IFRS recommends but does not require the use of the title
“statement of financial position” rather than balance sheet.
◆ The format of statement of financial position information is often
presented differently under IFRS.
◆ Although no specific format is required, many companies that
follow IFRS present statement of financial position information in
this order:
◆ Non-current assets ◆ Non-current liabilities
◆ Current assets ◆ Current liabilities
◆ Equity
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 Key Points
Differences
◆ Under IFRS, current assets are usually listed in the reverse order
of liquidity. For example, under GAAP cash is listed first, but
under IFRS it is listed last.
◆ Both GAAP and IFRS are increasing the use of fair value to report
assets. However, at this point IFRS has adopted it more broadly.
As examples, under IFRS companies can apply fair value to
property, plant, and equipment , and in some cases intangible
assets.

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 Looking to the Future
The IASB and the FASB are working on a project to converge their
standards related to financial statement presentation. A key feature of
the proposed framework is that each of the statements will be organized
in the same format, to separate an entity’s financing activities from its
operating and investing activities and, further, to separate financing
activities into transactions with owners and creditors. Thus, the same
classifications used in the statement of financial position would also be
used in the income statement and the statement of cash flows. The
project has three phases. You can follow the joint financial presentation
project at the following link: http://www.fasb.org/project/
financial_statement_presentation.shtml .

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 IFRS Self-Test Questions
Companies that use IFRS:

a) may report all their assets on the statement of financial position at

fair value.

b) may offset assets against liabilities and show net assets and net
liabilities on their statements of financial position, rather than the
underlying detailed line items.

c) may report non-current assets before current assets on the

statement of financial position.

d) do not have any guidelines as to what should be reported on the

statement of financial position.
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 IFRS Self-Test Questions
A company has purchased a tract of land and expects to build a
production plant on the land in approximately 5 years. During the 5
years before construction, the land will be idle. Under IFRS, the land
should be reported as:

a) land expense.

b) property, plant, and equipment.

c) an intangible asset.

d) a long-term investment.

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 IFRS Self-Test Questions
Current assets under IFRS are listed generally:

a) by importance.

b) in the reverse order of their expected conversion to cash.

c) by longevity.

d) alphabetically.

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