Management accounting

Written by Fmi.Online Friday January 6, 2023
Management accountants (also called managerial accountants) look at the events that happen in and around a business while considering the needs of the business. From this, data and estimates emerge. Cost accounting is the process of translating these estimates and data into knowledge that will ultimately be used to guide decision-making. The main difference between financial and managerial accounting  is whether there is an internal or external focus. Financial accounting  focuses on creating and evaluating financial statements that will be reported externally, like creditors and investors. In contrast, managerial accounting analyses and results are kept in-house for business leaders to use to drive decision-making and run the company more effectively. Managerial accountants handle many facets of accounting. These include margins, constraints, capital budgeting, trends and forecasting, valuation and product costing.    

In a nutshell :

  • Management accounting is the process of preparing reports about business operations that help managers make short-term and long-term decisions. 
  • It helps a business pursue its goals by identifying, measuring, analyzing, interpreting and communicating information to managers
  • Managerial accounting involves the presentation of financial information for internal purposes to be used by management in making key business decisions.
  • Techniques used by managerial accountants are not dictated by accounting standards, unlike financial accounting.
  • The presentation of managerial accounting data can be modified to meet the specific needs of its end-user.
  • Managerial accounting encompasses many facets of accounting, including product costing, budgeting, forecasting, and various financial analysis.
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