Accounting Tutorials

A quick glance at a specific topic or situation, using fictional higher educational institutions to illustrate. Currently, tutorials are listed alphabetically. We are in the process of arranging by subject.

• A New Name For Endowment Funds
• Account Classification and Corrections
• Accounting For Joint Costs
• Accounting For Pass-Through Grants By A Public Institution
• Accounting For Pensions By Public Institutions
• Accounting Information Qualities
• Accounting Information Usefulness Qualities
• Accounting Measurements
• Accounting Objectives For The Use And Disposal Of Capital Assets
• Accounts Receivable And Accounts Payable Interest Charges
• Activity-Based Costing Compared To Traditional Costing
• Adjusting Depreciation Estimates
• Agency Account Policy
• Agency Funds
• Annuity Accounting Entries
• Annuity Gift Recognition
• Annuity Gift Recognition - Revision
• Anticipated Public Institution Depreciation Recognition
• Arbitrage Update
• Are All Grants And Contracts Exchange Contracts?
• Art Gift
• Asset Classification
• Asset Definition
• Asset Measurements
• Athletic Statement--Equity In Athletics Disclosure Act
• Audit Standards: General versus Governmental
• Audit Terms And Their Definition
• Auditor
• Auditor's Responsibility
• Balance Sheet Classification
• Banking Services
• Believing Everything You Read
• Benefits Other Than Pension Footnotes
• Board Of Trustee Actions
• Bond Interest During Construction
• Bond Interest Recognition
• Bookstore Consignment
• Bookstore Operating Activities
• Budget Types And Preparation
• Business Procedures - Petty Cash Management
• Business-Type Activity Description
• Business-Type Activity Description
• Campaign Recognition
• Capital Budgeting Analysis - Part I
• Capital Budgeting Analysis - Part II
• Capital Lease Acquisition And Trade
• Capitalizing Leases
• Cash Flow Reconciliation-
• Cash Flow Statement Format: FASB vs. GASB
• Cash Flows From Operations Reporting Methods
• Cash Outflow Management
• Changing Depreciation Basis
• Chart of Account Corrections
• Classification Of Noncapital Cash Receipts And Cash Disbursements
• Classified Current Liabilities
• Classifying The Balance Sheet
• Collection Gift
• Comparative Financial Statements
• Compensated Absence Recognition Differences
• Compensated Absence Reporting Differences
• Composite Depreciation Method
• Comprehensive Income
• Conditions Versus Restrictions
• Contributed Services Financial Statement Disclosure
• Contributed Use Of Long-Lived Assets
• Contribution Transaction: Exchange Or Contribution
• Contribution Versus Exchange Transactions
• Cost Allocations
• Cost Principle Of Accounting
• Cost Reimbursement Or Prepayment
• Cost Terms Defined
• Current versus Noncurrent Assets or Liabilities
• Debt Refunding
• Deferral Versus Non-Deferral Of Revenues And Expenditures
• Deferred Compensation To Athletic Director
• Defined Benefit Pension Plan Definition and Reporting Criteria
• Definitions - Cost, Expense, And Loss
• Demutualization Of Insurance Provider
• Depreciable Fixed Assets
• Depreciation Methods, Techniques, And Procedures
• Depreciation Recognition
• Derivate Investments
• Derivative Update
• Derivatives
• Derivatives Embedded Within Split-Interest Agreements
• Difference Between Traditional And Derivative Financial Instruments
• Different Types Of Costs
• Disclosing Uncertainty
• Disclosure Of Financial Instruments
• Disclosures For Accounting Changes
• Donated Building With Permanent Restriction
• Donor Intent And Capital Appreciation
• Employee Related Tuition Recognition
• Employee Stock Options Impact On Investment Return
• Encumbrance Recognition And Disclosure
• Endowment Definitions
• Environmental Remediation
• Environmental Remediation II
• Equipment Construction Contract Revenue Recognition
• Equipment Lease And Related Issues
• Equity And Debt Securities - A Definition
• Estimate Disclosure
• Estimating Tuition And Fee Bad Debt Allowance
• Evaluating Capital Investment Proposals
• Evaluating Financial Management: Another Piece Of The Puzzle
• Evaluating Financial Statements
• Exchange Contracts
• Expense Allocation
• Extinguishment Of Debt
• Extinguishment Of Debt At A Public Institution
• Extinguishment Of Debt Disclosure
• Extinguishment Of Liabilities
• Fair Value Definition
• Financial Reporting Concerns When Reducing Staff
• Financial Reporting Objectives And Challenges
• Financial Statement Analysis
• Financial Statement Disclosures
• Financial Statement Display Questions
• Financial Statement Management Report
• Financial Statement Significant Policies - Disclosure Illustration 
• Fine Art Capitalization
• Fine Art Donation
• Fixed Asset Expense Or Capital Addition
• Fixed Asset: Purchase Versus Lease
• Fraudulent Financial Information Indicators 
• Function Classifications For Expenditure
• Funds Held In Trust By Others For Private Institutions
• Future Foundation Gift
• GAAP Pronouncements
• GASB 35 Current Versus Noncurrent Assets Or Liabilities
• GASB 35 Implementation Highlights
• GASB 35 Questions
• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Gift Recognition
• Gift Versus Contract Checklist
• Gifts-In-Kind
• Government College Or University : A Definition
• Government Contract Recording And Reporting
• Governmental Cost Allocation Guide
• How Much Are Those Securities Worth?
• Impairment Of Investment Value
• Impairment Or Disposal Of Long-Lived Assets
• Implementation Dates For GASB 35 Reporting Model
• Independent Contractor Or Employee
• Indirect Cost Recovery Recognition And Financial Reporting
• Infrastructure Modified Approach
• Interest - A Nonoperating Revenue?
• Interest Capitalization
• Internal Control Components And Activities
• Internal Controls
• Internal Controls For Cash Receipts And Disbursements
• Intra -Department Equipment Sales
• Inventory Accounting
• Inventory Accounting 2
• Inventory Cost Recognition
• Inventory Recognition And Reporting
• Inventory Terms And Recognition
• Investment Disclosure Requirements
• Investments, Including Repurchase Agreements
• Is It A Gift Or A Grant?
• Is It A Renewal, Replacement, Or Improvement?
• Junior College/Community College-Related Foundation
• Land Acquisition
• Lease Accounting And Reporting
• Lease Obligation Including Land
• Liability For Compensated Absences
• Liability Measurement
• Life Income Funds
• Lifting of Restrictions on Gifts to Acquire Long-lived Assets
• Loaned Equipment
• Lockbox - A Procedure To Increase Cash Collection
• Long-Lived Asset Impairment Recognition
• Long-Term Capital Asset Recognition
• Long-Term Construction Contracts
• Long-Term Construction Cost Recognition
• Mailing List And Affinity Card Revenue
• Maintaining Endowment Corpus Intact
• Management Of Cash Outflow
• Management's Responsibility for Ethical Reporting
• Matching Requirement Imposed By Donor 
• Matching Scholarship Gift  
• Netting Receivables And Liabilities 
• New Accounting System - Internally Developed Improvement
• New Transaction Types Not Covered By GAAP
• Non-Cash Donations
• Noncurrent Cash Designation
• Nonexchange Quid Pro Quo
• Nonmonetary Transactions
• Nonoperating Revenues (Public)
• Note Receivable Signed By Trustee
• Notes Payable Exchanged For Property, Goods, Or Services
• Objectives Of Accounting Information
• Off-Balance Sheet Debt Guarantee
• Offsetting Assets And Liabilities On The Balance Sheet
• Operating Cash Flow Ratio
• Operating Income And Cash Flows Differences 
• Operating Vs. Nonoperating Activity
• Operations According to GAAP
• Other Postemployment Benefit Liabilities
• Other Postemployment Benefit Obligations
• Other Postemployment Benefits Disclosure
• Other Sources Of Revenues
• Other Sources Of Revenues--Continued
• Output Definition And Measurement
• Pass-Through Grants
• Pension And Health-Care Benefit Obligation Differences
• Performance Measures
• Petty Cash Accounts
• Plant Capital Campaign Recognition
• Plant Improvement And Replacements
• Political Contribution
• Prepaid Expenses Display
• Problem Bequest Recognition
• Procedures For Controlling Cash
• Public College And University Segment Information
• Public Institution Operating Vs Nonoperating Classifications
• Public Institution's Resource Flow Measure
• Radio Or Television Station Reporting Standards
• Real Estate Gifts To The Foundation
• Real Estate Sale-Leaseback Of A Parking Lot
• Realization And Cost Recognition
• Recognition Of The Impairment Of A Note Receivable
• Recognizing A Risk Financing Liability  
• Recognizing Conditional Promises
• Recognizing Interest Earned By Perpetual Trust
• Recording A New Bond Issue
• Recording Bond Debt Transactions
• Release Of Restricted Funds
• Reporting Accomplishments
• Reporting Booster Club Financial Activity
• Reporting Changes In Accounting Principle
• Reporting Display For Loaned Securities
• Reporting Investments At Fair Value [SFAS 124]
• Reporting Liquidated External Investment Pool
• Reporting Market Value Of An Investment Fund
• Reporting Nonoperating Results
• Reporting Prepaid Research Contracts
• Reporting Risk Management
• Reporting Scholarships For Athletes Under GASB 35
• Reporting Student Aid Under GASB 35 Reporting Model
• Reporting Unrestricted Net Assets Under GASB 35
• Reporting Works Of Art And Historical Treasures Guidance
• Reserved Tickets And Passes
• Resources Raised And Held By Foundations
• Resources Reserved By External Party
• Retired Debt Disclosure
• Sabbatical Leave Reporting
• Sale And Leaseback
• Sale Lease Back Of Equipment
• Scholarship Discount Allocation
• Self-Constructed Assets
• SFAS No. 116 Disclosure Requirements
• Short List Of Financial Indicators
• Should Foundations Follow FASB Or GASB Standards?
• Silent Auction Donations Recognition
• Split Interest Agreement Authoritative Material
• Staff Developed Computer Software For Internal Use
•  Staff Developed Computer Software To Be Marketed
• Statement Of Cash Flows
• Statement Of Cash Flow Revisited
• Statement Of Cash Flows Worksheet
• Stock Dividend Recognition
• Strategic Financial Systems
• Subsequent Measurement Of Pledges
• Substantiation Of Gifts
• To Capitalize Or Not To Capitalize
• To Consolidate Or Not To Consolidate?
• Trading Securities
• Transactions Not Covered By GAAP
• Tuition Revenues
• Unexpended State Appropriations
• Unitizing Investment Pools
• Unrelated Business Income
• Unrelated Business Income - Revisted
• Unrelated Business Income Exceptions
• Unrelated Trade Or Business (IRC ? 513(A)) Conditions
• Unrestricted Vs. Restricted Funds
• Valuation Methods
• Valuing Uncollectible Accounts Receivable
• What Does 'Current' Tell The Financial Statement Reader?
• When Is An Expense Not An Expense?
• Why All The Colored Books?
• Why Do Not-For-Profits File Tax Returns?
• Why Must Financial Statements Be Audited?
• Working Capital Analysis and Its Use