Bookkeeping for Small Businesses : Teach Yourself

Is this the right book for me?

Book keeping is neither dull nor mysterious - its rules are logical and straightforward and are readily mastered by practice. Successful Bookkeeping for Small Business is a substantial yet easy to follow introduction to the principles of bookkeeping and the practical skills of recording transactions, posting the ledgers and preparing final accounts.

Written by finance and accounting experts from the University of Birmingham this book:

- Explains the purpose and use of books of original entry as the basis of the double-entry system.

- Describes the processes of recording purchases, sales and cash transactions.

- Shows how these records are used to prepare the final accounts, the manufacturing, trading and profit and loss accounts and the balance sheet to provide accurate financial statements.

- Explores petty cash, depreciation, partnership, company law, business documents and the effect of changes in IT.

Worked examples throughout allow you to put the theory into practice. There is also a wide range of carefully graded questions and exercises with sample answers. In short, it demystifies the art of bookkeeping and gives you the confidence you need to tackle your books.

Successful Bookkeeping for Small Business includes:

Chapter 1: What is book keeping?

Chapter 2: Business documents

Chapter 3: The business transaction, purchases and sales

Chapter 4: Purchase and sales transactions and ledger accounts

Chapter 5: Cash transactions

Chapter 6: The bank reconciliation

Chapter 7: Petty cash

Chapter 8: The (general) journal

Chapter 9: Writing up the books

Chapter 10: The trial balance

Chapter 11: What is profit or loss?

Chapter 12: The revenue account: the trading, profit and loss and appropriation accounts

Chapter 13: The balance sheet

Chapter 14: Adjustments in the final accounts

Chapter 15: Depreciation

Chapter 16: Clubs, societies and charities book keeping

Chapter 17: Information technology and book keeping

Chapter 18: Partnerships

Chapter 19: Limited companies

Chapter 20: The analysis and interpretations of accounts

Learn effortlessly with a new easy-to-read page design and added features:

Not got much time?

One, five and ten-minute introductions to key principles to get you started.

Author insights

Lots of instant help with common problems and quick tips for success, based on the authors' many years of experience.

Test yourself

Tests in the book and online to keep track of your progress.

Extend your knowledge

Extra online articles to give you a richer understanding of bookkeeping.

Try this

Innovative exercises illustrate what you've learnt and how to use it.

About the Author

Andrew Lymer is Head of Department of Accounting and Finance at University of Birmingham. He also heads up Lymer & Associates, undertaking numerous research, consultancy and publishing projects. Nick Rowbottom is a lecturer in Accounting and Finance at Birmingham University.