ACCOUNTING TERMS - ACCOUNTING DICTIONARY - ACCOUNTING GLOSSARY
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MATERIALITY PRINCIPLE Definition
MATERIALITY PRINCIPLE requires accountants to use generally accepted accounting principles except when to do so would be expensive or difficult, and where it makes no real difference if the rules are ignored. If a rule is temporarily ignored, the net income of the company must not be significantly affected, nor should the readers ability to judge the financial statements be impaired.
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COLLECTION PERIOD (Period End) is used to appraise accounts receivable (AR).
This ratio measures the length of time it takes to convert your average sales into cash. This measurement defines the relationship between accounts receivable and cash flow. A longer average collection period requires a higher investment in accounts receivable. A higher investment in accounts receivable means less cash is available to cover cash outflows, such as paying bills. NOTE: Comparing the two COLLECTION PERIOD ratios (Period Average and Period End) suggests the direction in which AR collections are moving, thereby giving an indication as to potential impacts to cash flow.
AUDIT is the inspection of the accounting records and procedures of a business, government unit, or other reporting entity by a trained accountant for the purpose of verifying the accuracy and completeness of the records. It could be conducted by a member of the organization (internal audit) or by an outsider (independent audit). A CPA audit determines the overall validity of financial statements. A tax audit (IRS in the U.S.) determines whether the appropriate tax was paid. An internal audit generally determines whether the company's procedures are followed and whether embezzlement or other illegal activity occurred.
