Understanding Business Accounting for Dummies 3E

John A. Tracy is a former staff accountant at Ernst & Young. Colin Barrow was the Head of the Enterprise Group at Cranfield School of Management and is the author of more than 30 books including Starting a Business For Dummies, Business Plans For Dummies and Business Plans Kit For Dummies.

Introduction 1 Part I: Accounting Basics 9 Chapter 1: Introducing Accounting to Non-Accountants 11 Chapter 2: Bookkeeping 101: From Shoe Boxes to Computers 33 Chapter 3: Taxes, Taxes and More Taxes 51 Chapter 4: Accounting and Your Personal Finances 67 Part II: Getting a Grip on Financial Statements 85 Chapter 5: Profit Mechanics 87 Chapter 6: The Balance Sheet from the Profit and Loss Account Viewpoint 109 Chapter 7: Cash Flows and the Cash Flow Statement 131 Chapter 8: Getting a Financial Report Ready for Prime Time 153 Part III: Accounting in Managing a Business 173 Chapter 9: Managing Profit Performance 175 Chapter 10: Business Budgeting 197 Chapter 11: Choosing the Right Ownership Structure 219 Chapter 12: Cost Conundrums 241 Chapter 13: Choosing Accounting Methods 261 Part IV: Financial Reports in the Outside World 285 Chapter 14: How Investors Read a Financial Report 287 Chapter 15: Professional Auditors and Advisers 313 Part V: The Part of Tens 329 Chapter 16: Ten Ways Savvy Business Managers Use Accounting 331 Chapter 17: Ten Places a Business Gets Money From 345 Chapter 18: Ten (Plus One) Questions Investors Should Ask When Reading a Financial Report 355 Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Get a Better Handle on the Financial Future 367 Part VI: Appendixes 377 Appendix A: Glossary: Slashing through the Accounting Jargon Jungle 379 Appendix B: Accounting Software and Other Ways to Get the Books in Good Order 395 Index 399