Your plain-English guide to navigating a financial accounting course With easy-to-understand explanations and real-life examples, Financial Accounting For Dummies provides you with the basic concepts, terminology, and methods to interpret, analyze, and evaluate business financial statements. Whether you're a student taking an introductory course or a business owner who needs a financial accounting initiation, this hands-on, friendly guide can help. Financial Accounting 101 -- get acquainted with the world of financial accounting, from the responsibilities of financial accountants to the coursework, certifications, and career options available Book it -- discover the process behind financial accounting, which starts with booking a company's accounting transactions using journal entries and ledgers It's a balancing act -- get the lowdown on the different parts of a balance sheet (assets, liabilities, and equity) and how together they illustrate a company's financial position Search for profit (or loss) -- navigate an income statement to study a company's revenue, expenses, gains, and losses Follow the cash -- find out what the statement of cash flows tells you about how a business uses its money Open the book and find: The purpose of financial accounting Ethical responsibilities of financial accountants What financial statements tell you about a company Regulatory issues and agencies you need to know Accounting methods and concepts How to investigate income and cash flow Different ways to analyze financial statements The job (and income) outlook for financial accountants Learn to: Determine what each line of a financial statement tells you Identify the various accounting concepts and methods that companies can employ Recognize how investors and creditors use financial reports to make decisions.