Tag: Cost Accounting
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QuickBooks in Construction Accounting – Transfer Work in Process to Cost of Goods Sold
QuickBooks does not have a seamless subroutine to transfer costs from construction in process control account to the profit in loss statement’s cost of construction section. Therefore, the accountant has to export data to a spreadsheet and then sum the respective functional costs of materials, subcontractors, labor, land etc. and then make a general journal…
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Implement Cost Accounting in Construction – Document Flow System
This is the second article in a series of articles walking the small business contractor step by step in implementing cost accounting in construction. This article focuses on designing and developing a document flow system for use in cost accounting. The next step after creating a document flow system is learning how to sort and process the…
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Implement Cost Accounting in Construction – File Structure
Taking a small construction company to the next level of financial success requires implementation of cost accounting. This article is one in a series designed to illustrate how you implement cost accounting in a small construction business. The first step in this process is design a file structure.
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Percentage of Completion Method for Accounting in Construction
In construction accounting, the percentage of completion method is the preferred tool to account for revenues and direct costs of construction. If you are an owner of a contracting business, this is the best method of accounting.
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Completed Contract Method of Accounting in the Construction Industry
The completed contract method of accounting recognizes revenue and the associated costs once the project is complete. This is one of the two popular accounting methods used in the construction industry. For residential contractors, the completed contract method may have a slight tax advantage by deferring revenue recognition but is generally not considered the best method of…
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Best Format for the Construction Profit and Loss Statement
As a construction company owner, you need a profit and loss statement that conveys information in a format that will identify how much you are truly making as a profit. The best format is a construction profit and loss statement identifying contract revenues, direct costs, indirect costs and the overhead expenses. This format most closely matches the…
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The Financial Truth about Flipping Houses
These two partners in Texas bought a house, fixed it up, and then sold the house. The show illustrated that they made $52,000 from the deal. Really? I have yet to see a deal like that in my accounting experience.
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Use Phase Accounting in Construction – Part I
The most effective form of a financial feedback loop in residential construction is phase accounting. Phase accounting is a subset of cost accounting and generates accurate information in the world of new home and residential additions for small contractors building up to 20 houses per year.
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A Model of Excellence
By using a concept of feedback and making changes to the business operation, a model of excellence can be achieved. This model allows the contractor to not get nickeled and dimed to the point of going out of business.
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Cost Accounting – Case Study
Cost accounting is an effective internal accounting process to evaluate company performance at the product/project level.