Financial Statements: Definition & 3 Main Types | QuickBooks (2024)

How to prepare a financial statement

Using accounting software can be the simplest way to generate financial statements.QuickBooks Onlinealso gives you access toLive Bookkeepers, who can answer your questions about financial statements and your underlying bookkeeping.* If you're preparing financial statements manually, visit our articles about thebalance sheet,income statement, andcash flow statementfor preparation details.

Each type of financial statement requires different information to prepare, but they're created using the same three accounting principles. Because financial statements serve as fundamental sources of financial information, you need to apply basic accounting principles to ensure accuracy and consistency.

1. Recorded facts

An original or historical cost of accounts can help you prepare financial statements. Typically, you record prices and assets you purchase at different times at the original cost.

2. Accounting conventions

Usingaccountingconventions makes your financial statements comparable and realistic. For example, the principle of consistency requires accountants to apply standards consistently year after year.

3. Personal judgments

Your financial statements are based on personal judgments and estimates to avoid overstatingassets and liabilities.

You can maintain accurate financial statements by choosing your accounting conventions and sticking to them over time. Ultimately, the best way to create an accurate, dependable financial statement is to automate the process wherever possible. Using accounting software, for example, leverages technology to handle all the number crunching and avoid manualaccounting errors.

Financial Statements: Definition & 3 Main Types | QuickBooks (2024)

FAQs

Financial Statements: Definition & 3 Main Types | QuickBooks? ›

Financial statements include the balance sheet (which shows assets, liabilities, and equity), income statement (provides revenue and expenses and net income for a set period) and cash flow statement (shows how well a business generates revenue in order to pay operating expenses, fund investments and pay any outstanding ...

What are the 3 types of financial statements? ›

The income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows are required financial statements. These three statements are informative tools that traders can use to analyze a company's financial strength and provide a quick picture of a company's financial health and underlying value.

What is a 3 statement financial statement? ›

A three-statement financial model, also called the 3 statement model is an integrated model that forecasts an organization's income statements, balance sheets and cash flow statements. It is the foundation on which we can build additional (and more advanced) models.

What is the definition of a financial statement? ›

A financial statement is a report that shows the financial activities and performance of a business. It is used by lenders and investors to check a business's financial health and earnings potential.

What are the 4 types of financial statements explain the purpose of each? ›

They are: (1) balance sheets; (2) income statements; (3) cash flow statements; and (4) statements of shareholders' equity. Balance sheets show what a company owns and what it owes at a fixed point in time. Income statements show how much money a company made and spent over a period of time.

What are basic types of financial statements? ›

For-profit businesses use four primary types of financial statement: the balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of cash flow, and the statement of retained earnings. Read on to explore each one and the information it conveys.

What is the 3 statement model? ›

What is a 3-Statement Model? The 3-Statement Model is an integrated model used to forecast the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement of a company for purposes of projecting its forward-looking financial performance.

Which 2 of the 3 financial statements is most important? ›

Another way of looking at the question is which two statements provide the most information? In that case, the best selection is the income statement and balance sheet, since the statement of cash flows can be constructed from these two documents.

Which of the three financial statements is the most important? ›

A financial statement segments into three divisions; Balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Among these 3 major financial statements, the most important financial statement is the income statement.

Which of the 3 financial statement should be prepared first? ›

Income statement: This is the first financial statement prepared. The income statement is prepared to look at a company's revenues and expenses over a certain period, such as a month, a quarter, or a year.

Is a bank statement a financial statement? ›

A financial statement records financial activities and position, including income, expenses, assets, and liabilities. A bank statement, issued by a bank, shows transactions and balances within a customer's account.

What is a basic income statement? ›

An income statement is a financial report detailing a company's income and expenses over a reporting period. It can also be referred to as a profit and loss (P&L) statement and is typically prepared quarterly or annually. Income statements depict a company's financial performance over a reporting period.

Is a balance sheet a financial statement? ›

A balance sheet is a financial statement that contains details of a company's assets or liabilities at a specific point in time. It is one of the three core financial statements (income statement and cash flow statement being the other two) used for evaluating the performance of a business.

What are the 4 key financial statements? ›

There are four basic types of financial statements used to do this: income statements, balance sheets, statements of cash flow, and statements of owner equity.

What is the summary of financial statements? ›

The income statement illustrates the profitability of a company under accrual accounting rules. The balance sheet shows a company's assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity at a particular point in time. The cash flow statement shows cash movements from operating, investing, and financing activities.

What is the balance sheet also known as? ›

Overview: The balance sheet - also called the Statement of Financial Position - serves as a snapshot, providing the most comprehensive picture of an organization's financial situation.

What are the three 3 most common financial statements? ›

The balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement each offer unique details with information that is all interconnected. Together the three statements give a comprehensive portrayal of the company's operating activities.

What are the three financial statements and how they are related? ›

The income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow all connect to create the three-statement model. How? Changes in current assets and liabilities on the balance sheet are reflected in the revenues and expenses that you see on the income statement.

Which of the 3 financial statements is most important? ›

A financial statement segments into three divisions; Balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement. Among these 3 major financial statements, the most important financial statement is the income statement.

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