What year should it be in?
Discussion
Hopefully just a quicky!
Fees were accrued for work done in the previous financial year, cheque was issued in the previous financial year but not deposited in the bank until the new financial year.
Company is Ltd what year should the income show in?
BTW an accountant will be sorting this out but would just like to know for my own benefit.
Cheers all, John
Fees were accrued for work done in the previous financial year, cheque was issued in the previous financial year but not deposited in the bank until the new financial year.
Company is Ltd what year should the income show in?
BTW an accountant will be sorting this out but would just like to know for my own benefit.
Cheers all, John
I presume you are talking about your company's Income (not expenditure).
On that assumption - no Sale/Fee invoice has been raised yet so the sale is not included as a sale in the accounts of the year in which the work was actually done. Obviously, with no sale invoice issued there will be no debtor for a corresponding amount owed to you by the customer as he wasn't billed until the following financial year.
The normal way to account for this type of transaction (i.e. work done in one financial year but not actually billed until the next) is to make a provision for "Work in Progress" (WIP).
Although WIP is an adjustment caused by after year end Sales Invoicing, the actual adjustment is shown as an adjustment against the Direct Costs of your business. WIP is essentially an attempt to postpone the costs incurred in carrying out the work covered by these after year end Sales invoices. Therefore, when the invoices show up in next years accounts, they are matched against the corresponding costs incurred in generating those sales invoices.
It's all part of the "matching" concept beloved by accountants - and something Enron were particularly adept at ignoring
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 24th May 07:38
On that assumption - no Sale/Fee invoice has been raised yet so the sale is not included as a sale in the accounts of the year in which the work was actually done. Obviously, with no sale invoice issued there will be no debtor for a corresponding amount owed to you by the customer as he wasn't billed until the following financial year.
The normal way to account for this type of transaction (i.e. work done in one financial year but not actually billed until the next) is to make a provision for "Work in Progress" (WIP).
Although WIP is an adjustment caused by after year end Sales Invoicing, the actual adjustment is shown as an adjustment against the Direct Costs of your business. WIP is essentially an attempt to postpone the costs incurred in carrying out the work covered by these after year end Sales invoices. Therefore, when the invoices show up in next years accounts, they are matched against the corresponding costs incurred in generating those sales invoices.
It's all part of the "matching" concept beloved by accountants - and something Enron were particularly adept at ignoring
>> Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 24th May 07:38
As ever Eric, many thanks for your reply.
Does it make a difference if there is no invoice raised?
If it helps the income received is from Google so we are basically told how much we have earnt for a given period, they then send payment for that period.
In this instance the payment period and the date of the cheque were in last years financial period, just that we didn't receive the cheque until the new financial period and hence didn't bank it until the new financial period.
I'm guessing it will go down as last years income.
Cheers, John
Does it make a difference if there is no invoice raised?
If it helps the income received is from Google so we are basically told how much we have earnt for a given period, they then send payment for that period.
In this instance the payment period and the date of the cheque were in last years financial period, just that we didn't receive the cheque until the new financial period and hence didn't bank it until the new financial period.
I'm guessing it will go down as last years income.
Cheers, John
In a simple world, income is "booked" into the accounts in the year in which the invoice is raised. However, in lots of circumstances, invoices aren't actually raised. In a retail business, for instance, income is usually based on cash banked. In businesses where Sales invoices are normally raised, sometimes the customer actually raises a "Self Billing" invoice (as Google seem to be doing in this case) and they let you know how much they are going to pay you - rather than you telling them.
Based on what you say, the Google "self billed" invoice is actually dated before the year end and the cheque they paid you is also dated before the year end. All that happened is that it entered your bank account AFTER the year end date. Therefore, the Sale and Banking should all be accounted for in last year's accounts. The only way in which the "lateness" of the banking will manifest itself will be in the Bank Reconciliation in which the after year end banking will show up as an "Outstanding Banking".
Hope this helps.
Based on what you say, the Google "self billed" invoice is actually dated before the year end and the cheque they paid you is also dated before the year end. All that happened is that it entered your bank account AFTER the year end date. Therefore, the Sale and Banking should all be accounted for in last year's accounts. The only way in which the "lateness" of the banking will manifest itself will be in the Bank Reconciliation in which the after year end banking will show up as an "Outstanding Banking".
Hope this helps.
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