Current Assets: Part I

This book is the third of fifteen books which introduces the basic principles of accounting, focusing primarily on liquid assets. It introduces enhanced income statements, details concerning cash and highly-liquid investments, cash management, controls for cash receipts and disbursements, and bank account reconciliations are discussed.

Part 1: Special Issues for Merchants

1. The Merchandising Operation - Sales
1.1 Sales
1.2 Sales Returns and Allowances
1.3 Trade Discounts
1.4 Credit Cards
1.5 Cash Discounts

2. Purchase Considerations for Merchandising Business
2.1 Merchandise Acquisition
2.2 Periodic Inventory System
2.3 Purchase Returns and Allowances
2.4 Cash Discount
2.5 Cross Recording of Purchases/Discounts
2.6 Net Recording of Purchases/Discounts Lost
2.7 Comparison of Gross vs. Net
2.8 Freight Charges
2.9 The Calculation of Net Purchases
2.10 Cost of Goods sold
2.11 Detailed Income Statement for Merchandise Operation
2.12 Closing Entries

3. Alternative Inventory System

4. Income Statement Enhancements
4.1 Analysis of a Detailed Income Statement

5. The Control Structure
5.1 Internal Control in the Merchandising Environment
5.2 Internal Control and the Purchasing Cycle
5.3 Generalizing About Control

Part 2: Cash and Highly-Liquid Investments

6. Cash Composition
6.1 Cash Equivalents

7. Cash Management
7.1 Strategies to Enhance Cash Flows

8. Blank Reconciliation
8.1 Comprehensive Illustration of Bank Reconciliation
8.2 Proof of Cash

9. Petty Cash
9.1 Replenishment of Petty Cash
9.2 Cash Short and Over
9.3 Increasing the Base Fund

10. Trading Securities
10.1 An Illustration
10.2 Rationale for Fair Value Accounting
10.3 Alternative: A Valuation Adjustments Account
10.4 Dividend and Interest
10.5 Derivatives

Larry M. Walther, Ph.D., CPA, CMA, is the Ernst & Young Professor and Head of the School of Accountancy at Utah State University. Dr. Walther has authored numerous accounting textbooks and articles, and has served as director and/or consultant to a number to a number of public and nonpublic companies. Dr. Walther obtained his Ph.D. in accounting from Oklahoma State University and has public accounting experience with Ernst & Young. He currently serves as the accounting accreditation committee of the AACSB and is past president for the federation of schools of accountancy.

Dr. Chris Skousen obtained his Ph.D. at Oklahoma State University. He earned MBA and BA degrees from Utah State University. Dr. Skousen gained public accounting auditing experience with KPMG in their Portland, Oregon office, and as an intern in their in Düsseldorf, Germany office, and at Squire & Co. Dr. Skousen has taught accounting at Utah State University, The University of Texas at Arlington, Oklahoma State University, and Brigham Young University-Idaho. He has published in Accounting Horizons, Behavior Research in Accounting, Accounting and the Public Interest, and other journals.