Understanding Business Accounting For Dummies, 3rd UK Edition

Get your head around company finance. Whether you're a small business owner or a corporate manager with budget responsibilities, having an understanding of your company's finances is crucial. This user-friendly guide takes you through all the key elements of UK business accounting, covering everything from evaluating profit margins and establishing budgets to controlling cash flow and writing financial reports. The third edition has been fully updated throughout and includes brand new content on the emergence of IFRS and dealing with foreign exchange. The book is organised into five Parts: Part I: Accounting Basics Part II: Getting a Grip on Financial Statements (Including cash flow, cash flow statements financial reports, profit and loss accounts) Part III: Accounting in Managing a Business (Including managing profit performance, budgeting, ownership structures, costs, and difference accounting methods) Part IV: Financial Reports in the Outside World (All about auditors and advisors, and how investors read financial reports) Part V: Part of Tens

Get your head around company finance.Whether you're a small business owner or a corporate manager with budget responsibilities, having an understanding of your company's finances is crucial. This user-friendly guide takes you through all the key elements of UK business accounting, covering everything from evaluating profit margins and establishing budgets to controlling cash flow and writing financial reports.The third edition has been fully updated throughout and includes brand new content on the emergence of IFRS and dealing with foreign exchange.The book is organised into five Parts:Part I: Accounting BasicsPart II: Getting a Grip on Financial Statements (Including cash flow, cash flow statements financial reports, profit and loss accounts)Part III: Accounting in Managing a Business (Including managing profit performance, budgeting, ownership structures, costs, and difference accounting methods)Part IV: Financial Reports in the Outside World (All about auditors and advisors, and how investors read financial reports)Part V: Part of Tens

Introduction 1Part I: Accounting Basics 9Chapter 1: Introducing Accounting to Non-Accountants 11Chapter 2: Bookkeeping 101: From Shoe Boxes to Computers 33Chapter 3: Taxes, Taxes and More Taxes 51Chapter 4: Accounting and Your Personal Finances 67Part II: Getting a Grip on Financial Statements 85Chapter 5: Profit Mechanics 87Chapter 6: The Balance Sheet from the Profit and Loss AccountViewpoint 109Chapter 7: Cash Flows and the Cash Flow Statement 131Chapter 8: Getting a Financial Report Ready for Prime Time153Part III: Accounting in Managing a Business 173Chapter 9: Managing Profit Performance 175Chapter 10: Business Budgeting 197Chapter 11: Choosing the Right Ownership Structure 219Chapter 12: Cost Conundrums 241Chapter 13: Choosing Accounting Methods 261Part IV: Financial Reports in the Outside World 285Chapter 14: How Investors Read a Financial Report 287Chapter 15: Professional Auditors and Advisers 313Part V: The Part of Tens 329Chapter 16: Ten Ways Savvy Business Managers Use Accounting331Chapter 17: Ten Places a Business Gets Money From 345Chapter 18: Ten (Plus One) Questions Investors Should Ask WhenReading a Financial Report 355Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Get a Better Handle on the FinancialFuture 367Part VI: Appendixes 377Appendix A: Glossary: Slashing through the Accounting JargonJungle 379Appendix B: Accounting Software and Other Ways to Get the Booksin Good Order 395Index 399