Accruals are accounts used to track expenses and revenue that have accrued but not yet been billed or received, respectively. In simple terms, they are amounts owed to and by the company that are currently not reflected in the company’s books.

Here is a breakdown of accruals into their two main components:

1. Accounts payable: This account is used to track expenses that have been incurred but not yet paid to the supplier or vendor. Examples include accounts payable for rent, utilities, and purchases of materials.

2. Accounts receivable: This account is used to track revenue that has been earned but not yet collected from the customer. Examples include accounts receivable for sales of products or services to customers.

Accruals are important because they ensure that a company’s financial statements accurately reflect its obligations and assets at any given point in time. Failing to account for accruals can lead to misstated financial statements and inaccurate financial reporting.

Here are some additional points to remember about accruals:

• Accruals are temporary accounts and should be cleared out at the end of each accounting period.
• Accounts payable and accounts receivable are two of the most common types of accruals.
• Other examples of accruals include accrued salaries, accrued depreciation, and accrued taxes.
• Accrual accounting is a common type of accrual accounting method.