Common U.S. GAAP Issues Facing Accountants, 2nd Edition

Accounting and Auditing Glossary

Account

Formal record that represents, in words, money or other unit of measurement, certain resources, claims to such resources, transactions or other events that result in changes to those resources and claims.

Account payable

Amount owed to a creditor for delivered goods or completed services.

Account receivable

Claim against a debtor for an uncollected amount, generally from a completed transaction of sales or services rendered.

Accountants’ report

Formal document that communicates an independent accountant’s (1) expression of limited assurance on financial statements as a result of performing inquiry and analytic procedures (Review Report); (2) results of procedures performed (type of Attestation Report); (3) non-expression of opinion or any form of assurance on a presentation in the form of financial statements information that is the representation of management (Compilation Report); or (4) an opinion on an assertion made by management in accordance with the Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements (Attestation Report). An accountant’s report does not result from the performance of an audit.

Accounting

Recording and reporting of financial transactions, including the origination of the transaction, its recognition, processing, and summarization in the financial statements.

Accounting change

Change in (1) an accounting principle; (2) an accounting estimate; or (3) the reporting entity. The correction of an error in previously issued ...