Classification of Accounting

Accounting is classified into 3 categories:-

i) Financial Accounting: The process of recording, summarizing and reporting the myriad of transactions from a business, so as to provide an accurate picture of its financial position and performance. The primary objective of financial accounting is the preparation of financial statements - including the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement - that encapsulates the company's operating performance over a particular period, and financial position at a specific point in time. These statements - which are generally prepared quarterly and annually, and in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) - are aimed at external parties including investors, creditors, regulators and tax authorities.

ii) Cost Accounting: A type of accounting process that aims to capture a company's costs of production by assessing the input costs of each step of production as well as fixed costs such as depreciation of capital equipment. Cost accounting will first measure and record these costs individually, then compare input results to output or actual results to aid company management in measuring financial performance. While cost accounting is often used within a company to aid in decision making, financial accounting is what the outside investor community typically sees. Financial accounting is a different representation of costs and financial performance that includes a company's assets and liabilities. Cost accounting can be most beneficial as a tool for management in budgeting and in setting up cost control programs, which can improve net margins for the company in the future.

iii) Management Accounting: Management accounting or managerial accounting is concerned with the provisions and use of accounting information to managers within organizations, to provide them with the basis to make informed business decisions that will allow them to be better equipped in their management and control functions.

In contrast to financial accountancy information, management accounting information is:

·         primarily forward-looking, instead of historical

·         model based with a degree of abstraction to support decision making generically, instead of case based;

·         designed and intended for use by managers within the organization, instead of being intended for use by shareholders, creditors, and public regulators;

·         usually confidential and used by management, instead of publicly reported;

·         computed by reference to the needs of managers, often using management information systems, instead of by reference to general financial accounting standards