Which one of the following is not a difference between management accounting and financial accounting?

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What is the Difference Between Financial and Managerial Accounting?

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December 27, 2019

Which one of the following is not a difference between management accounting and financial accounting?

The difference between financial and managerial accounting is that financial accounting is the collection of accounting data to create financial statements, while managerial accounting is the internal processing used to account for business transactions.

The certification for each of these types of accounting is different as well. People who have been trained in financial accounting have a Certified Public Accountant designation, while those with a Certified Management Accountant designation are trained in managerial accounting.

The perception that more training is required for financial accounting might be reflected in the higher pay rates of financial accountants over managerial accountants.

The following categories also show the differences between financial and managerial accounting.

SYSTEMS

Financial accounting only cares about generating a profit and not the overall system of how the company works. Conversely, managerial accounting looks for bottleneck operations and examines various ways to enhance profits by eliminating bottleneck issues.

REPORTING FOCUS

Financial accounting is focused on creating financial statements to be shared internal and external stakeholders and the public. Managerial accounting focuses on operational reporting to be shared within a company.

AGGREGATION

Financial accounting looks at the entire business while managerial accounting reports at a more detailed level. Managerial accounting focuses on detailed reports like profits by product, product line, customer and geographic region.

EFFICIENCY

A business’ profitability and efficiency are reported through financial accounting. Managerial accounting reports on what is causing a problem and how to fix that problem.

TIMING

Financial statements are due at the end of an accounting period, while managerial reports may be issued more frequently, to provide managers with relevant information they can act on immediately.

PROVEN INFORMATION

Considerable precision is needed to prove that financial records are correct. Financial accounting relies on this accurate data for reporting, while managerial accounting frequently deals with estimates opposed to proven facts.

STANDARDS

When managerial accounting is made for internal consumption there is no set of standards to compile that information. On the other hand, financial accounting must follow various accounting standards.

TIME PERIOD

Financial accounting looks to the past to examine financial results that have already been achieved, so it is historically focused. Managerial accounting looks to the future with forecasting.

VALUATION

Financial accounting is concerned with knowing the proper value of a company’s assets and liabilities. Managerial accounting is only concerned with the value these items have on a company’s productivity.

This article will also discuss:

Does Managerial Accounting Follow GAAP?

NOTE: FreshBooks Support team members are not certified income tax or accounting professionals and cannot provide advice in these areas, outside of supporting questions about FreshBooks. If you need income tax advice please contact an accountant in your area.

Does Managerial Accounting Follow GAAP?

Financial accounting reports are distributed inside and outside of a business and are governed by GAAP and IFRS. The external publication of financial statement makes it very necessary to follow regulation to provide correct information.

Managerial accounting reports are shared internally only and are, therefore, not subject to such rules and regulations and are not required by laws to follow any accounting standard.


RELATED ARTICLES

Financial accounting and management accounting are two terms we often hear in the financial world. Although both are branches of accounting, they are completely different in their function and scope. In this article, let’s discuss in detail the differences between the two, beginning with their broad meaning.

What is Financial Accounting?

Financial accounting is the systematic recording of financial transactions to prepare financial statements that show the position of a business at the end of a period. External stakeholders, mainly investors, creditors, etc., use this information to judge the financial health of the company and take informed decisions.

Table of Contents

  1. What is Financial Accounting?
  2. What is Management Accounting?
  3. Difference between Financial Accounting and Management Accounting
    1. Aim
    2. Regulatory Requirements
    3. Governing Principles
    4. Time Horizon
    5. Reporting Beneficiaries
    6. Outputs
    7. Relevance & Precision of Data
    8. Independent Audit
    9. Confidentiality
    10. Segment Reporting
    11. Perspective
    12. Nature of Input Information
  4. Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

On the other hand, management accounting assists an organization in making internal decisions. This accounting is useful for top-level managers like the CEO, CFO, and middle-level managers that include the General Manager, HR, etc. It is often confidential and limited to the company’s management, and it is utilized by management in bringing efficiency and effectiveness to the organization’s operations.

Which one of the following is not a difference between management accounting and financial accounting?

Difference between Financial Accounting and Management Accounting

Points of Difference Financial Accounting Management Accounting

Aim

The main aim is to provide information to outside parties to make informed decisions. Outside parties include creditors, investors, customers, etc. Generally, management accounting information is meant for management to make informed business decisions.

Regulatory Requirements

It is a mandatory requirement for every public organization to disclose its financial statements. Thus, they are governed by accounting standard boards, companies’ laws & government. It is at the discretion of management. There is no mandatory requirement for its maintenance, but institutes like CIMA, ICWAI, etc., still provide some frameworks and formats.

Governing Principles

Financial accounting statements are prepared based on ‘Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).’ This GAAP is different for different countries with more or less the same features. There is no standard basis for preparing management accounting statements, and hence, they are designed based on the requirements of the management team.

Time Horizon

The time horizon for financial accounting is ‘past, and generally, it is one accounting year. It has no specific time horizon, but the main focus is on estimating the future using the past data.

Reporting Beneficiaries

It is prepared for outside or external parties, such as shareholders, suppliers, customers, government, banks, etc. Reports prepared here are helpful to internal parties like CEO, directors, promoters, higher-level managers, etc.

Outputs

Financial accounting reports consist of profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Management accounting reports are the monthly, weekly, or yearly analysis of products, geographies, functions, etc.

Relevance & Precision of Data

Data of financial accounting are 100% verifiable and precise. Here, everything has evidence to support it. Data of management accounting isn’t necessarily 100% verifiable. So, the data should be relevant, timely, and logical. For instance, sales can’t be forecasted perfectly.

Independent Audit

Independent audit of financial accounting reports is mandatory in most countries. For instance, CPA conducts such audits in the USA, and CA conducts such audits in India. There is no specific requirement for an independent audit. But, management, at its discretion, can take the initiative to conduct an independent audit for the sake of efficient & effective management.

Confidentiality

Financial accounting statements are publicly published and meant for the public only. So, there is no question of confidentiality. Management accounting statements are meant for management & confidentiality of the statements is the key concern as they contain business secrets.

Segment Reporting

It is concerned with the whole business & it is an end in itself. Accounting standards in some countries bind companies to do such reporting in defined formats. It is concerned with a specific area or segment for their analysis. Hence, segments may be a product line, geography, manufacturing unit, etc.

Perspective

It has a historical perspective. It has a futuristic perspective.

Nature of Input Information

Information required for financial accounting statements is financial in nature. Both financial and non-financial information is utilized in preparing management accounting reports.

Also read – Cost Accounting and Management Accounting

Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)

1. Which of the following is a characteristic of managerial accounting?
A. It is not mandatory by any statutory authority.
B. MA statements are for internal use by management.
C. It has no specific time horizon.
D. All of these.

D. All of these.

2. What is the principal reason for preparing managerial accounting reports?

The principal reason for preparing managerial accounting reports is to inform the management about the health of the business and suggests improvements to make informed decisions.

3. Who are the external users of accounting information?

Following are the external users of accounting information:
a) Suppliers.
b) Customers
c) Shareholders.
d) Government.
e) Banks.
f) Investors

4. Which of the following statements does not describe a characteristic of management accounting?
A. There is no specific requirement for an independent audit.
B. Management accounting statements are required for public use only.
C. It uses both financial and non-financial information.

B. Management accounting statements are required for public use only.

  • Branches of Accounting
  • Cost Accounting vs. Financial Accounting – All You Need to Know
  • Importance of GAAP
  • GAAP vs IFRS – All You Need To Know
  • Accounting Vs Finance
  • Types of Accounting

Which one of the following is not a difference between management accounting and financial accounting?

Sanjay Borad is the founder & CEO of eFinanceManagement. He is passionate about keeping and making things simple and easy. Running this blog since 2009 and trying to explain "Financial Management Concepts in Layman's Terms".

What are differences between management accounting and financial accounting?

Managerial accounting focuses on an organization's internal financial processes, while financial accounting focuses on an organization's external financial processes. Managerial accountants focus on short-term growth strategies relating to economic maintenance.

How many of the following are differences between management and financial accounting?

There are two primary differences between financial and management accounting. The first difference is that management accounting is presented to a company's internal community, while financial accounting is prepared for an external audience.

What is the difference between financial accounting and cost and management accounting?

Cost accounting involves the preparation of a broad range of reports that management needs to run a business. Purpose: The readers are exclusively internal management. Financial accounting involves the preparation of a standard set of reports for an outside audience.