Steps to Prepare a Business Financial Statement
1. Collect Source Documents:
- Gather invoices, receipts, bank statements, credit card statements, and other financial records.
2. Classify and Record Transactions:
- Use a chart of accounts to categorize transactions into assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses.
- Record each transaction in the appropriate journal (e.g., sales journal, cash receipts journal).
3. Prepare Unadjusted Trial Balance:
- List all account balances from the general ledger.
- Ensure that the total debits equal the total credits.
4. Make Adjusting Entries:
- Record transactions that do not have corresponding documents (e.g., depreciation, accrued expenses).
- Update the account balances based on these adjustments.
5. Prepare Adjusted Trial Balance:
- List the updated account balances after adjusting entries.
- Again, ensure that the total debits equal the total credits.
6. Prepare Financial Statements:
- Income Statement (Profit and Loss Statement): Presents revenues, expenses, and net income over a specific period.
- Balance Sheet: Shows the company's financial position at a specific point in time, including assets, liabilities, equity.
- Statement of Cash Flows: Summarizes the flow of cash and cash equivalents over a specific period.
7. Compile and Review:
- Gather all the financial statements and supporting documents.
- Review the accuracy and completeness of the information.
8. Disclose and Analyze:
- Include notes, disclosures, and schedules as necessary to provide additional information.
- Analyze the financial statements to identify trends, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.
9. Audit (Optional):
- Hiring an independent auditor to examine the financial statements and express an opinion on their accuracy and fairness.
10. File and Use:
- File the financial statements with relevant regulatory bodies (if required).
- Use the financial statements for decision-making, budgeting, and financial planning.