Finance Flashcards
(64 cards)
Why is it important that an organisation monitors its cash flow
Cash is a vital resource for an organisation it is needed to run the business on a day to day basis from achieving long term objectives to paying staff wages making a profit and having good cash flow are two different things
What factors should be considered to determine poor cash flow
- Are sales generating enough money?
- Are they giving customers a long credit period
- Is the credit period from suppliers not long enough
- Significant increase in operating expenses
- Have they purchased assets recently
- buying fixed assets which are not needed
- Do they have too much money in stock
- too many credit sales
- too long a payment period for credit sales
- high amounts of spending on non-current assets
- too many drawings by owners
- not enough sales revenue
What are the different ways an organisation could use to improve on poor cash flow
- Introduce a JIT stock management system
- Offer discounts to customers as an incentive to pay on time
- Selling any fixed assets that are no longer required
- Increase promotional activities
- adopt saving methods
- negotiate cheaper prices with suppliers
What will introducing a JIT stock management system to improve poor cash flow mean that
It will prevent money being tied up in stock as it is ordered only when it is needed
What will offering discounts to customers in improving poor cash flow mean that
This will encourage quick payment from customers so money van be used to fund other activities
What will selling any fixed assets that are no longer required mean that
It will generate money quickly and easily and will not impact the production
What will increasing promotional activities to improve poor cash flow mean that
It will increase awareness of products and could increase sales and therefore cash flow
What is the purpose of cash budgets
Cash budgets give a forecast of the money expect to be received (receipts) and the money expected to be paid out (payments) over a given period of time
What is the role of the finance department in large organisations
monitoring and controlling expenses monitoring cash flow forecasting future financial information checking performance providing information for decision making \
Name the 5 roles of the finance department
To monitor cash flow
To control Costs and expenses
To forecast what might happen in the future
To monitor performance
To provide information for decision making
What are the 6 sources of finance to an organisation
Bank overdraft Trade credit Retained profit Government grant Bank loan Share issue mortgage venture capitalist
What is a bank overdraft and explain the advantages and disadvantages of it
Allows organisation to withdraw more money than available
It is quick and easy to set up
Usually only for a short period of time / daily charges interest may apply
What is trade credit and the advantages and disadvantages of it
Allows an organisation an extended period of time to pay for purchases
Can sell products and receive money before paying for materials
Credit is at suppliers discretion not always guranteed
What is retained profit and explain the advantages and disadvantages of it
Portion of the previous years profit which has been re invested into the organisation
Belongs to the organisation
Relying on profit can be risky as may not always be available
What is a government grant and the advantages and disadvantages of it
This is given to a new organisation to help them start up
A- does not have to be re paid
d- usually only a one off payment
What is a bank loan and the advantages and disadvantages of it
This is a sum of the money from the bank to be repaid over an agreed period of time
Quick and easy to set up
Can be repaid over a long period of time
Intrest is expensive
What is a share issue and the advantages and disadvantages of it
Extra sharer are sold to me or existing shareholders
A-large amounts of capital can be obtained
it is not repaid in the same way as a loan
D-dilutes existing share value
Share issues can be expensive
other than spreadsheets describe modern technology methods that be used in the finance department
word processor to send letters and invoices to customers
powerpoint to present information in a staff meeting for example
online banking saves having to go to the bank to manage finance
email- to message people within the finance department effectively or the organisations employees regarding finance
video conferencing - finance manager can hold meetings with employees without leaving the office (home working for example)
apps - allow for portable use of accounting software e.g. sage
what are the advantages of using spreadsheets within the finance department
you can create graphs and charts in order to present the financial information to the employees of an organisation
calculations can be performed electronically so reduces the chance of human error as these changes once imputed to budget are changed automatically
what if scenario functions can be added to make future predictions
what is the definition of an income statement
shows money which has gone in and out of an organisation over the past financial year and it calculates whether the business has made profit or loss.
what is gross profit
money made from buying and selling
what is profit for the year
money made from buying and selling taking away expenses
what is the definition of a statement of financial position
shows the value (worth) of an organisation at one given point in time and it shows what the organisation owns (assets) and owes (liabilities)
what are non current assets
items owned by the organisation that will last longer than 1 year for example vehicles