Instructions ACTG 381 Pre-Requisite Knowledge Assessment
Instructions ACTG 381 Pre-requisite Knowledge Assessmen
This take-home assessment reviews prerequisite accounting knowledge necessary for ACTG 381, focusing on recording basic transactions, understanding T-accounts, creating financial statements, and practicing Excel functions. It assumes familiarity with prior financial accounting coursework. The assessment includes journal entries, posting to T-accounts, preparing financial statements, and performing year-end adjustments.
Students should record transactions in the provided Excel general journal, ensuring of balanced control totals after each entry. Transactions include issuance of stock, collections, purchases, service provisions, sales, expenses, and adjustments. All entries must be labeled with corresponding numbers.
Post journal entries to the T-accounts in Excel using formulas so that balances update automatically. The process includes updating balances after each transaction, ensuring control totals match, and preparing year-end financial statements (balance sheet and income statement) with formulas linking from the T-accounts. Closing entries are to be prepared but not posted to T-accounts. The net income from the income statement should flow into the retained earnings calculation, which in turn feeds into the balance sheet.
The financial statements should be prepared without additional accounts beyond those given in the trial balance, and all calculations should use Excel formulas for accuracy and efficiency. The due date for submission is 10 pm on Friday, April 3rd, via D2L. Late submissions will be assigned a score of zero, as solutions will be posted the next day.
Paper For Above instruction
This assignment serves as a comprehensive review of essential accounting skills crucial for success in ACTG 381. It emphasizes the accurate recording of transactions, understanding of T-accounts, and the construction of financial statements, combined with proficiency in Excel. The task involves detailed journal entries, systematic posting to T-accounts, and the preparation of year-end financial reports that conform to GAAP standards, with special attention to year-end adjustments.
The initial step requires recording a series of transactions reflecting real-world business activities: issuance of stock, cash inflows from receivables, purchase of equipment, service revenues, expenses, sales, and adjustments such as depreciation, insurance, and accrued expenses. Each transaction must be properly debited and credited in the general journal, with labels corresponding to numbered transactions for clarity and tracking.
Next, these journal entries are to be systematically posted into designated T-accounts within Excel, employing formulas that automatically calculate ending balances. This automation ensures transactional integrity and supports efficient updating after each entry. Control totals at the top of the spreadsheet facilitate ongoing verification that debits equal credits after every transaction, reinforcing accuracy.
Following the posting, the financial statements—balance sheet and income statement—must be constructed using Excel referencing formulas that extract data from the T-accounts. This ensures that the reports reflect the latest balances, with the balance sheet as of December 31, 2019, and an income statement for the fiscal year. The process includes making necessary adjustments: recording accrued revenue, expenses, depreciation, and amortization, and recognizing revenue for services performed but not yet billed.
Further, the assignment involves preparing closing entries: closing revenue and expense accounts into retained earnings, with the net income calculated and updated via formulas. These entries are not to be posted to T-accounts but are essential for accurate reporting in the next fiscal period. The final retained earnings balance should properly incorporate net income and dividends, and it must be linked back to the balance sheet, ensuring consistency and correctness.
The entire task underscores the integration of accounting principles with spreadsheet skills, fostering precision, automation, and clarity. The final deliverable is a well-documented, formulas-driven Excel file that demonstrates understanding of practical accounting processes and proficiency in financial statement preparation. This comprehensive review consolidates foundational knowledge essential for advancement in accounting coursework and professional practice.
References
- Weygandt, J. J., Kimmel, P. D., & Kieso, D. E. (2019). Financial Accounting (11th ed.). Wiley.
- Heising, B. (2017). Accounting Principles. McGraw-Hill Education.
- Needles, B. E., & Powers, M. (2017). Financial Accounting. Cengage Learning.
- Schroeder, R. G., Clark, M. W., & Cathey, J. M. (2019). Financial Accounting: A Business Process Approach. Wiley.
- Harrison, W. T., Horngren, C. T., & Thomas, C. W. (2019). Financial & Managerial Accounting (11th ed.). Pearson.
- Libby, T., Libby, R., & Short, D. (2020). Financial Accounting (10th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
- Garrison, R. H., Noreen, E. W., & Brewer, P. C. (2018). Managerial Accounting (16th global ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
- Krishna, M. T., & Edvinsson, L. (2017). Excel for Accountants. Wiley.
- Choi, F. D. S., & Meek, G. K. (2019). International Accounting. Pearson.
- Hilton, R. W., & Platt, D. E. (2018). Managerial Accounting: Creating Value in a Dynamic Business Environment. McGraw-Hill Education.