What exactly do accountants do?

Answer 1

Accounting Department

Accounting (accountability) = Artistic presentation of an entities financial picture created by gathering information and organizing it in a sensible manner.

Small details: products sold, $ per rep per month per week per day.

Big picture: sales, profitability, assets, liabilities

Decision makers / Users
Banks
Government
Owners
Employees
Vendors
Customers


Ingredients for useful information
Understandable
Relevant/Reliable
Comparable/consistent

Why?
1)Compliance
a.Contracts
b.Laws
c.Regulations
2)Billing – Cash flow (in)
3)Accounts Payable – resources – Cash Flow (out)
4)Paychecks
5)Assist company decisions in direction and allocation of resources


Who provides the information…….the details

Answer 2

We be countin!!!! No seriously, it is a very multi-tasked job.
You run financials, do projections, budget forcasts, cash reconcilliations, balance the general ledger, reconcile your accounts, file taxes, pay the bills, payroll, payroll taxes....and the list goes on.

I like it because it is a principle based job. At the end of the day, it still all adds up ....

Answer 3

Taxes, bookkeeping, etc...
I'm an accountant and I strongly suggest that if you are considering it as a profession that you second guess yourself. It's very stressful and tiring. I wish I had chosen another major when I was in college.

Answer 4

Count