Importance and Utility of Accounting

Accounting is mainly concerned with recording financial transactions and events in accounting books, summarizing them, and communicating financial information to users, such as proprietors (shareholders in the case of corporations), lenders, creditors, debtors, investors, the government, banks, and employees. Accounting is referred to as the “Language of Business” since it is a form of communication. Accounting is essentially the process of recording, classifying, and summarizing financial transactions and events, as well as understanding and reporting the results to users.

Types of Accounting

1. Financial Accounting- Financial accounting data appears in financial statements that are primarily intended for stakeholders (but the management also use them for certain internal decisions). Outside parties who require financial accounting information include stockholders and creditors. These external parties make decisions that affect the entire firm, such as whether or not to invest further in a company or whether or not to give credit to a corporation.
2. Managerial accounting- Managerial accounting is for internal use only and gives detailed information to the company’s managers. Managers may utilise the data for a variety of uses ranging from broad, long-term planning to comprehensive explanations of why actual expenses differed from forecasts. Cost Accountants are the employees of a business who conduct these managerial accounting functions. Managerial accounting is more concerned with creating forward-looking estimates and making decisions that will affect the organization’s future unlike financial accounting that is concerned with historical recording and compliance.

Importance of Accounting

1. Financial Information about Business- Accounting determines financial performance during the accounting period, such as profit or loss, as well as the financial situation at the end of the period.
2. Assistance to Management It helps the management in developing business strategies, taking decisions, and maintaining control over the company’s activities.
3. Replaces Memory -The need to remember transactions is eliminated when transactions are recorded in a systematic manner. The accounting record provides managers with the information they need from time to time.
4. Facilitates Comparative Study – A systematic record allows comparison of one year’s results to those of previous years and thus the discovery of factors that contributed to the change, if any.
5. Facilitates Settlement of Tax Liabilities- Because accounting provides solid proof of the accuracy of transactions, a systematic accounting record greatly helps in the settlement of income tax, GST, and excise duty duties.
6. Facilitates Loans- Banks and financial organizations provide loans based on growth forecasts that are backed up by performance. Thus, accounting provides information about the performance of the entity.
7. Evidence in Court-Courts of law frequently consider a systematic record of transactions as evidence.
8. Facilitates Sale of Business- If anybody wants to sell their firm, the accounts they keep will help them determine the appropriate net worth and the buying price.
9. Financial Assistance in the Event of Bankruptcy -Many transactions from the past must be explained during insolvency procedures. Organised accounting records help a lot in this case.
10. Helpful in Partnership Accounts- The accounting record is critical at the time of admission, retirement, or death of a partner, or in the event of the firm’s dissolution, because it lays the basis for reaching a settlement.

Importance of Management Accounting

Management accounting is very beneficial and hence is being used widely now.  The benefits are as follows:

1. Planning-Financial and non-financial information is delivered to management at regular intervals, such as weekly or monthly, in management accounting. Forecasts, budgets, and in-depth analysis are included in this presentation. As a result, it helps management in organizing business activities.
2. Decision making-Management accounting is used for decision-making since it provides numerous charts, projections, and assessments.
3. Identify early signs of problems-Because the accounts are supplied at regular periods, management may detect if a product is doing poorly early on. This will assist in early resolution of limits and the avoidance of future losses.

Utility

A commodity’s utility refers to its ability to satisfy a want. It is a commodity’s ability or capacity to satisfy a human want. It is a characteristic or quality that all items purchased by customers share. Bread, for example, may fulfill hunger; books can satisfy our thirst for knowledge; television can satisfy our desire for pleasure, and so on. Utility may be defined as the amount of satisfaction received from the consumption of an item.

Conclusion

From the above we may deduce that accounting not only aids an organization’s day-to-day operations but also its future growth. Financial statements generated by diverse accounting systems are utilized by many stakeholders to make economic choices at the same time.