Basic Accounting Terms

Introduction

Chapter 2 of DK Goel Class 11 Accountancy introduces the fundamental terminology of accounting. These terms form the language of business and are essential for understanding financial transactions. Every business activity can be expressed using these standardized terms, making communication in the business world precise and universally understood.

Core Business Terms

Definition: An economic event that changes the financial position of a business and can be measured in monetary terms.

  • Must have: Monetary value, dual aspect (debit and credit), and documentary evidence
  • Types:
    • External Transactions: With parties outside the business (customers, suppliers)
    • Internal Transactions: Within the organization (depreciation, provisions)
  • Example: Purchase of goods for ₹10,000, Sale of goods for ₹15,000

Definition: The result or consequence of a transaction.

  • It is the outcome of one or more transactions
  • Not directly recorded but calculated from recorded transactions
  • Example: Calculating net profit or loss after considering all revenues and expenses

Definition: A summarized record of all transactions relating to a particular person, asset, liability, expense, or income at one place.

  • Shows both debit and credit effects
  • Maintains complete record under specific heads
  • Helps in determining the net position of any item
  • Format: T-shaped with debit on left and credit on right
  • Example: Cash Account, Salary Account, Ram's Account

Definition: The amount of money or money's worth invested by the owner(s) in the business.

  • Represents owner's equity in the business
  • It's an internal liability (business owes to owner)
  • Formula: Capital = Assets - External Liabilities
  • Increases with additional investment and profits
  • Decreases with drawings and losses
  • Example: Owner invests ₹5,00,000 to start business

Definition: Cash or value of goods withdrawn by the owner from the business for personal use.

  • Reduces owner's capital in the business
  • Not a business expense (personal withdrawal)
  • Recorded separately to track owner's withdrawals
  • Example: Owner takes ₹10,000 cash for personal expenses

Complete Assets Classification

ASSETS

Resources owned by business providing future economic benefits

Non-Current Assets

Held for long-term use (>1 year)

Long-term

Current Assets

Convertible to cash within 1 year

Short-term

Fictitious Assets

Deferred expenses (not real assets)

Non-realizable
Fixed Assets - Tangible

Physical assets that can be seen and touched:

  • Land & Building
  • Plant & Machinery
  • Furniture & Fixtures
  • Vehicles
Fixed Assets - Intangible

Non-physical assets with value:

  • Goodwill
  • Patents & Copyrights
  • Trademarks
  • Computer Software
Current Assets Examples

Assets easily convertible to cash:

  • Cash in hand/bank
  • Inventory/Stock
  • Trade Receivables (Debtors)
  • Bills Receivable
  • Prepaid Expenses
  • Accrued Income

Complete Liabilities Classification

LIABILITIES

Obligations to pay in future

Internal Liabilities

Amount owed to owners

Capital

External Liabilities

Amount owed to outsiders

Third Parties
Non-Current Liabilities

Payable after more than one year:

  • Long-term Loans
  • Debentures
  • Mortgage Loans
  • Long-term Provisions
Current Liabilities

Payable within one year:

  • Trade Payables (Creditors)
  • Bills Payable
  • Bank Overdraft
  • Outstanding Expenses
  • Unearned Income
  • Short-term Loans

Revenue, Expenses & Financial Results

Definition: Income of recurring nature from business activities.

  • Operating Revenue: From main business (Sales)
  • Non-Operating Revenue: From other sources (Rent, Interest, Commission)
  • Revenue Receipts: Regular/recurring nature
  • Capital Receipts: Non-recurring (Sale of fixed asset, Loan taken)

Definition: Cost incurred for generating revenue in an accounting period.

  • Related to current period's operations
  • Examples: Rent, Salary, Depreciation, Insurance, Utilities
  • Matched against revenue to determine profit

Definition: Spending of money or incurring liability for acquiring assets, goods, or services.

  • Revenue Expenditure: Benefit within one year (Rent, Wages)
  • Capital Expenditure: Benefit beyond one year (Machinery, Building)
  • Deferred Revenue Expenditure: Heavy expense, benefit over multiple years (Large Advertisement Campaign)

Income: The excess of Revenue over Expenses

Profit: Excess of total revenues over total expenses from regular business

Gain: Profit from irregular/non-recurring activities (Sale of fixed asset)

Loss: When Expenses exceed Revenue

Key Formula

Income = Revenue - Expenses

Trading Terms

Goods/Merchandise

Items purchased for resale or production. The primary items a business deals in.

Note: Term 'Goods' is specific to items for trade, not assets.

Purchases

Buying of goods (only) for resale or production.

  • Cash Purchases: Immediate payment
  • Credit Purchases: Payment later
Sales

Selling of goods or services - main revenue source.

  • Cash Sales: Immediate receipt
  • Credit Sales: Payment received later
Stock/Inventory

Unsold goods at the end of accounting period.

  • Opening Stock: Beginning of period
  • Closing Stock: End of period

Debtors vs Creditors

Aspect Debtors (Trade Receivables) Creditors (Trade Payables)
Definition Persons who owe money to the business Persons to whom business owes money
Arises from Credit sales of goods/services Credit purchases of goods/services
Classification Current Asset Current Liability
Also called Sundry Debtors, Trade Receivables Sundry Creditors, Trade Payables
Bills related Bills Receivable (formal promise to receive) Bills Payable (formal promise to pay)

Discounts & Vouchers

Trade Discount

Deduction from list price

  • NOT recorded in books
  • Given to all customers
  • Deducted before recording

Cash Discount

For prompt payment

  • IS recorded in books
  • Motivates quick payment
  • Shown as expense/income

Voucher

Source document

  • Invoice, Receipt
  • Cash Memo
  • Debit/Credit Note

Key Formulas Summary

Fundamental Accounting Equation

Assets = Capital + Liabilities
Capital Formula

Capital = Assets - Liabilities

Income Formula

Income = Revenue - Expenses

Gross Profit

GP = Sales - COGS

Net Profit

NP = GP - Indirect Expenses

Cost of Goods Sold

COGS = Op.Stock + Purchases - Cl.Stock

Working Capital

WC = Current Assets - Current Liabilities

Operating Cycle

The Operating Cycle is the time period between the acquisition of assets for processing and their final conversion into cash. This cycle helps determine whether an asset or liability is classified as "current" (within operating cycle or one year, whichever is longer) or "non-current".

Operating Cycle Flow

Cash → Inventory → Debtors → Cash

🧩 MCQ Practice

1. What is capital?

2. Which of the following is an asset?

3. A transaction must involve:

4. Which is a liability?

5. Personal accounts relate to:

6. Which of these is a real account?

7. Nominal accounts record:

8. Outstanding rent is classified as:

9. Which account does Bank A/c fall under?

10. Profit increases:

11. Which of the following is not an asset?

12. The amount invested by owner is shown as:

13. Which of these is a nominal account?

14. Liabilities are payable to:

15. Which of these represents expenses?

16. Which account records goods purchased?

17. Which of these is a fictitious asset?

18. Who is a creditor?

19. Debit the receiver, credit the giver applies to:

20. Debit what comes in, credit what goes out applies to: