1. Alice established Travel Wise in January 2014 but noticed errors in the income statement she prepared for the quarter ending March 31, 2015. She failed to recognize key accounting principles like revenue recognition, matching, and accrual basis of accounting.
2. The consulting accountant will identify the principles Alice missed, such as unearned revenue that was incorrectly included as income. Adjusting entries will be made to record expenses incurred during the period but not paid.
3. It is recommended that Alice attend an accounting refresher course to learn the principles of adjusting and closing entries. This will allow her to correctly prepare financial statements going forward.
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Travel Wise Accounting Case
1. A Case Study on Travel Wise
ADJUSTING THE ACCOUNTS
SUBMITTED BY:
MICHAEL CORUA
MIKE HAROLD NARIO
ANNA DOMINIQUE ORTIZ
CHAMUEL MICHAEL JOSEPH SANTIAGO
BUS520M, Section KTC
Term 2, A. Y. 2015-2016
Submitted to:
Ms. Carmelita C. Clerigo
2. Synthesis
Alice HoestablishedTravel Wise onJanuary2014. Alice preparedanincome statementforthe
quarterended31 March 2015 from the trial balance preparedbya part-time bookkeeper.She
noticedsomethingwaswrongwiththe statementbecause profithadneverexceeded$20,000.00 in
any one quarterbefore.She isnowconsultingtofigure outwhatshe didwronginpreparingher
income statement.
Statement of the Problem
What generallyacceptedaccountingprinciplesdidAlice notrecognize inpreparingTravel Wise
income statement?
Point of View
We are takingthe pointof viewof the consultingaccountant.
Statement of the Objectives
1. Identifythe generallyacceptedaccountingprinciplesthatAlice failedtoconsider.
2. Prepare a correct income statement forthe quarterended31March 2015.
Areas of Consideration
Time PeriodAssumption
The time periodor periodicityassumptionassumesthatthe economiclife of abusinesscanbe
dividedintoartificial timeperiods generallyamonth,aquarter,or a year.In thiscase,Travel Wise
income statementispreparedquarterly.
Revenue RecognitionPrinciple
The revenue recognitionprinciplestatesthatrevenue shouldbe recognizedinthe accountingperiod
inwhichit isearned.Ina service business,suchasin thiscase,revenue isusuallyconsideredtobe
earnedat the time the service isperformed.
The Matching Principle
The matchingprinciple dictatesthatefforts(expenses)be matchedwith
accomplishments(revenues).Itisalsoreferredasthe practice of expense
recognition.
The Accrual Basis of Accounting
The accrual basisof accountingisthe conceptof recordingrevenueswhen
earnedandexpensedasincurred.Itadherestothe revenue recognition
principle andmatchingprinciple.Revenue isrecordedwhenearned,notonlywhencashisreceived.
3. Expensesare recordedwhenservicesorgoodsare usedor consumedinthe generationof revenue,
not onlywhencashispaid.
GAAP relationships in revenue and expense recognition
AdjustingEntries
Adjustingentriesmake itpossible toreportcorrectamountson the financial statements.Theseare
made to ensure that:a) expensesare recognizedinthe periodwhichtheyare incurred,b) revenues
are recordedinthe periodinwhichtheyare earned,andc) balance sheetandincome statement
accounts have correctbalancesat the endof an accountingperiod.
Types ofAdjusting Entries
Deferrals
1. PrepaidExpenses expensespaidincashandrecordedas assetsbefore theyare usedor
consumed.
2. UnearnedRevenues cash receivedandrecordedasliabilitiesbeforerevenue isearned.
Accruals
1. Accrued Revenues revenuesearnedbutnotyetreceivedincash or recorded.
2. Accrued Expenses expensesincurredbutnotyetpaidincash or recorded.
4. Adjustments
1. Bookingrevenue totaledto$90,000. Bookingfeesinclude advance rentalsforsummer
monthoccupancy $20,000. The adjustmentmade is forthe unearnedrevenue inorderto
record revenue forservicesperformed. The advance rental fee cannotbe included inthe
revenue because the clientshave notyetutilizedwhateverisbeingrented.
Booking Revenue Unearned Revenue
Debit Credit Debit Credit
$90,000
Adj. $20,000 Adj. $20,000
$70,000
2. In the ledger,there was$6,200 worthof supplies. Therewere $1,300 of suppliesonhandas
at 31 March. The adjustmentmade isdue to the consumptionof supplies.
Supplies (Asset) Supplies Expense
Debit Credit Debit Credit
$6,200
Adj. $4,900 Adj. $4,900
$1,300
3. In the ledger, prepaidinsurance amountsto $7,200. Prepaidinsurance resultedfromthe
paymentof a 1-year policyon1 January 2015. The adjustmentmade is forthe prepaid
insurance torecognize insurance expiredduringthe period.
Prepaid Insurance Insurance Expense
Debit Credit Debit Credit
$7,200
Adj. $1,800 Adj. $1,800
$5,400
4. The mail on 1 April 2015 broughtthe followingbills: advertisingforweek24March, $110;
repairsmade 10 March, $260; andutilities,$180. The adjustmentsmade isforthe accrued
expenses torecognize expensesincurredduringthe period.
Advertising Expense Repair Expense
Debit Credit Debit Credit
$5,200 $4,000
Adj. 110 Adj. 260
$5,310 $4,260
Utilities Expense Liabilities
Debit Credit Debit Credit
$900 $110
Adj. 180 260
$1,080 180
$550
5. There are fouremployees,whoreceive wagestotaling$350 perday. Asat 31 March, 2 days
wageshave beenincurredbutnotpaid. The adjustmentmade isforthe 2 daysunpaidof the
4 employees.
5. Wages Expense Wages Payable
Debit Credit Debit Credit
$29,800
Adj. 700 Adj. $700
$30,500
6. In the ledger,notespayablecost$12,000. The note payable isa 3-month,10% note dated1
January2015. The adjustmentmade isforthe accrued expense orinterestpayable to
recognize interestaccruedbutunpaidonnotespayable.
Cash Notes Payable
Debit Credit Debit Credit
$12,000 $12,000
Face value of note * Annual Interest Rate * Time (in terms of one year) = Interest
$12,000 * 10% * 3/12 = $300
Interest Expense Interest Payable
Debit Credit Debit Credit
Adj. $300 Adj. $300
Before adjustment Afteradjustment
Travel Wise Travel Wise
Income Statement Income Statement
For the quarter ending 31 March 2015 For the quarter ending 31 March 2015
Income Income
BookingRevenue 90,000.00 BookingRevenue 70,000.00
Expenses: Expenses:
Advertising 5,200.00 Advertising 5,310.00
Wages 29,800.00 Wages 30,500.00
Utilities 900.00 Utilities 1,080.00
Depreciation 800.00 Depreciation 800.00
Repairs 4,000.00 40,700.00 Repairs 4,260.00
NetProfit 49,300.00 Supplies 4,900.00
Insurance 1,800.00
Interest 300.00
Total Expense 48,950.00
NetProfit 21,050.00
Alternative Courses of Action
AftershowingAlice where she made errorsinmakingTravel Wiseincomestatement,Alice cantake
three different coursesof actionstopreventcommittingthe same erroragain.
1) Alice shouldattendashortcourse or refreshercourse onaccounting.She shouldreview
accountingprinciplesandpractice adjustingandclosingthe entriesof the accounts
accordingly.She wouldbe able tolearnfromhererrors andcome upwitha correct financial
6. statement. Thisoptionis lesscostlythanhiringanotherstaff orbuyingacomputersystemto
handle businessaccounts.
2) Alice shouldacquire acomputer-basedaccountingsystemforTravel Wise. Alice oraclerk
can inputthe data intosystemwhichwouldautomaticallyrecordthem, thus,reducing
accountingerrors.However,thismaybe costly,time consuming,andrequiresupgrading
once the companygrows.Inaddition,the accountantshouldbe familiarwiththe system to
be used.
3) Alice shouldhire afull time bookkeeperoraccountant to manage the accountsof Travel
Wise.Thisisa more costlyoptionforthe businessbecause itincreaseswage expense;
however,the accountantcanfocuson bookkeepingandtrackingthe financesof the
businesswhile Alice canconcentrate onmanaging.Anotherdownsideisthattheymaystill
fail to adjustandclose entries.If Alice will notbe able torecognize hererrorsonaccounting,
she may endup beinghighlydependentonthe accountantand overlooksome accounting
inaccuracies.
Recommendation
Alice shouldattendashortcourse or refreshercourse onaccounting.She shouldreview the
accountingprinciplesandpractice adjustingandclosingentriespriortopreparingthe financial
statement.Anthony,Hawkins,&Merchant(2004, p. 9) explainedthe importanceof adjustingand
closingthe entriespriortopreparingthe financial statement:
The purpose of the adjustingentriesistomodifyaccountbalancessothat theywill
fairlyreflectthe situationasof the endof the period.Whereas,temporaryaccountsare
closedtoretainedearningsinordertodetermine the neteffectof all the revenueand
expense transactionsthe netincome orloss.
Afterall adjustmenttoentriesare journalizedandpostedthe companyshouldprepare anothertrial
balance fromthe ledgeraccountsto prove the equalityof debitbalancesandcreditbalances.
Implementation Plan
Action Plan Description Timeline Person Responsible
Resource
Requirement
Attend short course/refresher course After consultation Alice Training fee
Applying Basic Steps of the Accounting Cycle
Determine the General Accounting
Principleto be used
After training
Alice
GAAP, Supplies used
in accounting,
accounting program
Record transactions in thejournal
Every time a
transaction is made
Analyze transactions and postto
ledger
Prepare trial balanceand assemble
adjustment data
Quarterly
Prepare financial statements
Journalizeand post adjustingentries
Journalizeand post closingentries
Prepare a post closingtrial balance
Reversing entries
7. Learning Points
Adjustmentsandclosingof entriesshouldbe done priortopreparingthe financial
statements.
The Income Statementdeterminesthe resultsof operationsandindicatesreasonsforthe
companysprofitability.
Applicationof basicaccounting conceptswillhelponescompanytodetermine the
inconsistenciesinthe Income Statementtomake adjustmentsaccordingly.