Feature Articles

Tag Archives: expenses

What is an account? A beginner’s guide

ALICE: Simplifying account types.

An account is a structured record used in a ledger to track the increases and decreases of a specific financial item within a business or organisation. This foundational element of the accounting cycle allows stakeholders to categorise transactions into manageable groups, ensuring that every exchange is documented with precision. The …

Read More »

Understanding discounts allowed: A guide for bookkeepers

Discounts Allowed

The primary keyword discounts allowed refers to the price reductions offered by a seller to a customer to encourage early settlement of an outstanding debt. This technical guide explains the critical distinction between cash discounts and trade discounts, providing clear instructions on double-entry recording within the nominal ledger. For parents …

Read More »

ALICE: Assets, Liabilities, Income, Capital, Expenses

ALICE: Assets, Liabilities, Income, Capital, Expenses

The ALICE acronym serves as a foundational mnemonic for students and small business owners to categorise financial transactions into five core account types: Assets, Liabilities, Income, Capital, and Expenses. This framework simplifies the double-entry bookkeeping system by associating each category with a direct action—owning, owing, earning, investing, and spending—to ensure …

Read More »

Expenses: Spending that’s direct, indirect, operating and non-operating

Expenses

Accounting expenses represent the costs of goods and services a business incurs during its functional lifecycle, appearing as debit balances in ledger accounts. Understanding the distinction between direct, indirect, operating, and non-operating costs is vital for accurate financial reporting and determining the gross and net profitability of an entity. This …

Read More »