Accounting Tutorials
This library of accounting tutorials has been created for NACUBO members only to address frequently asked questions that have been brought to our attention. Each tutorial below cites relevant FASB and GASB guidance and also provides reference points to NACUBO’s Financial Accounting and Reporting Manual (FARM), the searchable, web-based, and free accounting guidance and advice manual for NACUBO members.
Login using your NACUBO credentials to access these tutorials.
Members Only
Tutorials |
Description |
|---|---|
Restricted FundsBenefits and Accruals |
Whether for internal budget assessment or having the general ledger agree with financial reporting, questions and differences occur when campus units can not spend funds for purpose restrictions.
Benefits and accruals tutorials address topics such as sabbatical leave, deferred compensation, and benefit types.
|
Contributions |
These tutorials cover donations, pledges, collections, and split interest agreements.
|
Expenses |
This category covers functional, natural, inter-departmental expenses, and inter-departmental expense / revenue eliminations.
|
Financial Reporting |
Tutorials address financial statement presentation and reporting decisions. Topics covered include leases, endowment roll-forward, component units, and fiscal year changes. |
IPEDS Finance Survey |
This tutorial is designed to assist institutions with their calculation of the four ratios in the 2020-2021 IPEDS finance survey: primary reserve, viability, return on net assets (or net position), and net operating revenues ratios. |
Liabilities |
This topic covers Perkins Loan liabilities and closeout, accruals, payables, bonds, and conditional asset retirement obligations.
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Property, Plant, and Equipment |
Physical plant topics include capitalization, depreciation, land, equipment, building components, and distinguishing between renewals, replacements, and improvements.
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Cloud Computing Arrangements |
This category addresses cloud-based software agreements and the types of internal costs that can be capitalized. |
Policies |
This category addresses the need for policies in areas such as art collections and use of restricted funds.
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Sales and Services |
Discusses the costs and benefits of establishing and maintaining inventories for both public and private colleges and universities.
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Endowments and Investments |
This area is dedicated to endowment and investment accounting and covers topics such as investment types, appreciation, shares or units, spending, and loans. |
