The document provides an introduction to accounting. It defines accounting as a systematic process of recording, measuring, and communicating financial information. It discusses the accounting equation and balance sheet, which show that assets must equal liabilities plus equity. Assets represent what is owned, and liabilities and equity represent who owns the assets. Debits and credits are used to keep the accounting equation and balance sheet in balance. The document also outlines accounting standards, functions, history, and some common myths.

1. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
1

2. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
An Overview of Accounting
You will learn what accounting is, its various
definitions, the information it provides, how
it is standardized, its many functions, its
history, and some accounting myths.
Accounting Equation and Balance Sheet
You will understand the accounting equation
and balance sheet and the two fundamentally
important pieces of information they provide.
Introduction to Debits and Credits
You will also begin to understand how the
accounting equation and the balance sheet use
debits and credits to keep the system in balance.
2
Learning Objectives

3. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
•Simply put, it is a way to communicate
the financial health of an organization
to interested parties.
•It is a systematic process of
identifying, recording, measuring,
classifying, verifying, summarizing,
interpreting, and communicating
financial information.
What is Accounting?
3

4. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
Activities that provide
Information for decision-
making, planning, controlling
resources and operations,
evaluating performance,
and financial reporting to
investors, creditors, regulatory
authorities, and to the public.
The MIT Press-Second Edition
Dictionary Definition
4
The art of recording,
classifying, and summarizing
- in a significant manner, and
in terms of money –
transactions and events which
are of a financial character, and
interpreting the results
thereof.
American Institute of CPAs
The action or process of
keeping financial
accounts; organizing,
maintaining, and auditing
of financial records; the
system of recording and
summarizing business and
financial transactions.
Various Dictionaries
CPA/Auditor Definition CFO/Academia Definition
Various Accounting Definitions

5. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
The RESOURCES
available to a business
or organization.
Accounting Provides Important Financial Information
The MEANS by
which to finance
those resources.
The net RESULTS
achieved through
the use of resources.
5

6. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
• Accounting operates under a standard
set of principles or concepts.
• These principles and concepts are called
Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles or GAAP.
• They apply to every size and type of
organization.
• They create unity and consistency in the
financial reporting for all organizations.
Accounting is Standardized
Administered by the
6

7. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
The Many Functions of Accounting
•Sales
Accounts Receivable: customer
invoicing for products sold
and/or services performed.
•Purchasing
Accounts Payable: recording of
vendor invoices for items and
services acquired.
•Cash Receipts
Bank Accounts: maintain control
over cash received from
customers and all other sources.
7
•Payroll
Employees: maintain employee
information and process payrolls
and payroll deductions and taxes.
•Cash Disbursements
Bank Accounts: maintain control
over cash payments to vendors
and all other payees.
•Other Transactions
Accountant valuations,
corrections, adjustments, and
other usual transactions.

8. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
•Accountants are math whizzes
Most are not expert mathematicians
working in the world of complex math.
They are, however, good at basic math.
•Every accountant prepares income
tax returns
The majority of accountants are not
qualified to do taxes or offer tax advice.
There are accountants, auditors, and tax
accountants, all having specialized skills.
•Technology will replace accountants
While technology fuels complexity, it
actually increases the demand for people
in the accounting field.
Some Accounting Myths
(Fallacies)
•Accounting is a male dominated field
60% of all accountants and auditors in
the US are female and the percentages
are even higher in the bookkeeping field.
•A business doesn’t need an accountant
Ask any failed business owner. Accountants
organize finances in a timely fashion,
allowing owners to make good financial
decisions based on valuable accounting
information and reporting.
•Accounting was discovered by a nerdy
guy with a pocket protector
It was actually invented by an Italian
Monk in the 15th Century.
8

9. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
• It began over 500 years ago in Italy.
• Signor Luca de Pacioli (1447-1517), an
Italian monk and mathematician, is
considered the father of accounting.
• Pacioli invented the Accounting Equation
in 1494.
• The Accounting Equation uses a double-
entry system of debits and credits to
record transactions into journals and
ledgers.
When and Where did Accounting Begin?
9

10. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
• An equation simply says that two
things are equal.
• A statement that says the values of
two mathematical expressions are
equal (indicated by the sign =).
• The thing or things that are on the
left side of the equal sign are equal
to the things on the right side of the
equal sign.
What is An Equation?
10
Common Business
Equations
Time = Money
Product Price – Cost = Markup/Margin
Sales – Expenses = Profit
Wages - Deductions = Net Pay

11. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
Similar to all equations, the
Accounting Equation has both
a left side and a right side.
The left side and the right side of
the Accounting Equation must
always equal.
What is the Accounting Equation?
11
- -
-ASSETS LIABILITIES EQUITY
The ‘KEY’ to understanding the
foundation of accounting.
The value of
everything the
organization
OWNS.
Total debt
OWED to
creditors and
others.
The NET
ASSETS or NET
WORTH of the
organization.
Left-Side Right-Side

12. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
• Moving the Liabilities to the right side
of the equation results in a Balance
Sheet form of equation.
• Both the left side and right side
must still equal.
• The left side of the Balance Sheet lists
the value of everything the organization
owns…its ASSETS.
• The right side of the Balance Sheet
tells us ‘who owns’ the assets.
12
Accounting Equation: Rearranged to Form the Balance Sheet
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
The value of
everything
organization
OWNS
Total debt
OWED to
creditors
NET ASSETS
NET WORTH
of the
organization.
BALANCE SHEET
Assets = Liabilities + Equity

13. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
13
BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
The value of
everything
organization
OWNS
Total debt
OWED to
creditors
NET ASSETS
NET WORTH
of the
organization
The Accounting Equation and
the Balance Sheet answer two
fundamentally important
questions:
One: What is the business
worth…what is its value?
Two: Who really ‘owns’ the
business…the creditors or the
owners?
Liabilities represent
the creditor’s
rights or
‘ownership’ of the
assets.
Owner’s Equity
represent the
owner’s rights or
ownership of the
assets.
The Purpose of the Accounting Equation and Balance Sheet

14. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
14
The value of everything
owned by a person or
organization.
The various categories of
items that constitute the
total value of an
organization.
What are Assets? What do they do?
They provide the resources
for the organization to
prosper.
Their primary purpose is to
generate income and create
wealth to the owners.
The Asset (Left-Side) of the Balance Sheet

15. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
Assets may consist of the following:
Cash and Savings $ 25,000
Accounts Receivable 75,000
Inventory 45,000
Prepaid Expenses 5,000
Land and Buildings 250,000
Machinery and Equipment 100,000
Furniture and Fixtures 60,000
Vehicles and Other 40,000
Total Assets $600,000
The Asset (Left Side) of the Balance Sheet - Continued
Over time, the value of the
business will grow and expand
if it operates at a PROFIT.
Conversely, the value of the
business will decrease and
shrink if it generates LOSSES.
15

16. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
16
The creditors’ rights
to the assets of the
organization.
What are Liabilities? What is Equity?
LIABILITIES
The owner’s rights
to the assets of the
organization.
The Liability & Equity (Right-Side) of the Balance Sheet
EQUITY
(Net Assets)
Debts and
obligations
owed to
vendors,
employees,
government,
banks, and
other
creditors.
Capital
investments
by the owner,
less draws,
plus or minus
accumulated
net income or
losses.

17. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
It reveals ‘who has rights’ or ‘who actually
owns’ an organization’s ASSETS.
A business has two groups ‘who owns’
or ‘has rights’ to the assets:
Creditors $300,000
Owners $300,000________________
Total Assets $600,000
In the above example, each group ‘owns’ or
‘has rights to half or 50% of the
organization’s assets.
The Liability/Equity (Right Side) of the Balance Sheet
Over time, if the business
operates at a PROFIT, the
owner’s percentage increases.
Conversely, if it generates
LOSSES, the creditors’
percentage increases.
17

18. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
18
BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
• The entrepreneur's goal is to
grow the business, keep
liabilities to a minimum, and
increase equity (wealth).
• Business owners strive to
increase both asset and
equity values while keeping
liabilities to a minimum.
• In this example, the Asset
value is $500,000. The
creditors ‘own’ 20% and the
owners ‘own’ 80%.
The creditors’
own 20% of
the assets.
The owners
own 80% of
the assets.
$500,000
$100,000
$400,000
As a rough rule-of-thumb, small
businesses tend to get in trouble
when liabilities exceed 50% of assets.
What the Balance Sheet Reveals

19. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
19
BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
If a business generates profits
over time, the Balance Sheet
reflects the following three
positive results:
1. The ASSET values increase.
2. The LIABILITIES decrease.
3. EQUITY increases.
The creditors’
own 10% of
the assets.
The owners
own 90% of
the assets.
$1,000,000
$100,000
$900,000
What the Balance Sheet Reveals - Continued

20. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
20
BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
If a business generates losses
over time, the Balance Sheet
reflects the following three
negative results:
1. ASSET values decrease.
2. LIABILITIES increase.
3. EQUITY decreases.
The creditors’
own 67% of
the assets.
The owners
own 33% of
the assets.
$300,000
$200,000
$100,000
What the Balance Sheet Reveals - Continued

21. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
21
BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
(Deficit)
If a business continues to generate
losses over time, the Balance
Sheet reflects the following three
very dismal negative results:
1. The value of the business drops
below outstanding LIABILITIES.
2. The creditors are owed more
than the business is worth.
3. Owner’s have negative EQUITY:
called a DEFICIT.
The creditors’
own 150% of
the assets.
The owner’s
deficit: 50% of
the assets.
$200,000
$300,000
$(100,000)
What the Balance Sheet Reveals - Continued

22. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
22
BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
The Accounting Equation + Double-Entry Accounting
Uses a System of DEBITS and CREDITS to Stay in Balance
Asset accounts are
defined as Debit
accounts.
Debits are defined as
the Left side of the
Accounting Equation.
DEBIT
ACCOUNTS
CREDIT
ACCOUNTS
CREDIT
ACCOUNTS
Liability and Equity
accounts are defined as
Credit accounts.
Credits are defined as
the RIGHT SIDE of the
Accounting Equation.
The Equation is always in balance:
DEBITS must always equal CREDITS.

23. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
23
BALANCE SHEET
ASSETS
LIABILITIES
EQUITY
The Accounting Equation + Double-Entry Accounting - Continued
Uses a System of DEBITS and CREDITS to Stay in Balance
Debit amounts
added to a Debit
account increases
Asset values.
Credit amounts
added to a Debit
account decreases
Asset values.
DEBIT
ACCOUNTS
CREDIT
ACCOUNTS
CREDIT
ACCOUNTS
The Balance Sheet is always in balance:
DEBITS must always equal CREDITS.
Credit amounts added
to a Credit account
increases Liability and
Equity.
Debit amounts added
to a Credit account
decreases Liability and
Equity.

24. INTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTINGINTRODUCTION TO ACCOUNTING
©2017 American Business College, Inc.
24
Double-entry, debit and credit,
accrual-based accounting will be covered
in great depth in subsequent sessions.
END OF SESSION