Accounting for Dummies [Paperback]

John A. Tracy (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0764550144 | ISBN-13: 978-0764550140 | Publication Date: January 15, 1997 | Edition: 1st

Are you frustrated by confusing financial reports? Have you acquired a million dollar budget to manage but don't know where to begin? Would you like to start your own business but are intimidated by the bookkeeping involved? Don't stress!

Whether you're a seasoned manager, a first-time investor, or a small business owner, you need a grasp of basic accounting when making crucial business decisions. With Accounting For Dummies at your fingertips, you'll find expert techniques and advice, so you'll be crunching numbers and maintaining budgets with ease!

Inside, you'll discover how to Understand income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow Identify the financial strengths and weaknesses of your business Apply proven management accounting techniques to establish a budget, control profit and cash flow, stem losses, manage inventory, and more Assess your profit margin and find out how you can make more money Make wise financial decisions that will keep your investors, creditors, and managers satisfied Read and understand every aspect of financial reports Survive an audit and use the results to improve your current accounting system Weigh the pros and cons of using "creative" accounting methods Use the latest computer technology to manage the bottom line

Editorial Reviews

Review

“…insightful and well-reasoned…” (Money Matters, October 2004) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Back Cover

Become a better manager by speaking your accountant's language

Use smart accounting to maximize profits and minimize confusion

Whether you're a small business owner or a manager responsible for keeping your company profitable, this new edition of Accounting For Dummies helps you get a handle on all those numbers your accountant gives you. Accounting basics for business and personal finances help you balance your books and stay in the black.

Discover how to

• Make sense of bookkeeping basics
• Read a financial statement
• Manage budgets for a better bottom line
• Analyze business strengths and weaknesses
• Evaluate accounting methods and business structures

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 356 pages
• Publisher: Hungry Minds Inc; 1st edition (January 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764550144
• ISBN-13: 978-0764550140
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #253,491 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John A. Tracy is an award-winning Professor of Accounting, Emeritus, at the University of Colorado at Boulder. His other books include The Fast Forward MBA in Finance, Second Edition, Accounting For Dummies, Fourth Edition, and Accounting Workbook For Dummies, all published by Wiley.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

236 of 244 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not abt Accounting, September 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Accounting for Dummies (Paperback)

While the book does have an excellent layout and has been thoroughly and professionally edited, like almost all of the "for Dummies" books, it lacks content where it needs it most. There is surprisingly little about accounting. There are no examples of how to create any of the three basic accounting reports, the balance sheet, income statement, and the cash flow statement. Double-entry accounting, the foundation of modern accounting, is only given three short pages with, again, no examples. It is not written for those who want to know how to do accounting or how to assist their accountant with their own company's books, but for those who want to have a functional understanding of a small set of reports. This makes it wholly inadequate for someone who wants to learn about accounting. On the other hand, this could make it a good resource for the middle-level manager who needs to know a little about how to read a small group of reports.

140 of 144 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for you if your looking for a bookkeeping treatise., October 2, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Accounting for Dummies (Paperback)

This book is great (I mean great) if you need to understand what is profit, whats in a balance sheet, how to understand it, whats in an income statement. What are assets, etc, etc. This book will open your eyes. Like others have said its not about double entry bookkeeping, or how to prepare your balance sheet. Find that elsewhere. This book addresses what the numbers mean and how to follow them to come to conclusions and how to use that information.

Let me put it this way. If you have a small business, or are put into a position where you need to manage money for a business, or need to buy a business. This book will help you if your not accountant savy.

Its a great book, and is very well written. Another five star success for the dummies series.

64 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Adequate as a non-accountants' everyday reference, February 4, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Accounting for Dummies (Paperback)

The content is simple with material presented in the usual 'dummie' tradition. It works great as a quick way to understand hard concepts, without going into too much distracting detail. A good reference for people who interface with accountants or accounting departments, but accounting students will find that the material is not detailed enough for cases covered in a typical accounting course. Is it the 'feel good accounting book of the year?' I dunno...but like any other dummies book, buy it for the funny cartoons.