6 4 Analyze and Record Transactions for the Sale of Merchandise Using the Perpetual Inventory System Principles of Accounting, Volume 1: Financial Accounting

The inventory increase will not update, we only use the temporary account (purchase). The cost of goods sold will not be recorded as well, we only calculate it at the month-end. In the first entry on October 1, Accounts Receivable increases (debit) and Sales increases (credit) by $19,250 (55 × $350), the sales price of the printers. Accounts Receivable is used instead of Cash because the customer purchased on credit. In the second entry, COGS increases (debit) and Merchandise Inventory–Printers decreases (credit) by $5,500 (55 × $100), the cost of the sale. Any business can use a periodic system since there’s no need for additional equipment or coding to operate it, and therefore it costs less to implement and maintain.

Let’s say you spot a great turnkey deal to take over a footwear store with an inventory of shoes and accessories that is worth $100,000. Everyone who operates in retail footwear knows that physical stock counts are crucial because this sector is notorious for shrinkage. Physical stock counts are absolutely necessary because they can shine a light on shrinkage and how to mitigate it as much as possible.

2 Compare and Contrast Perpetual versus Periodic Inventory Systems

First, you add the inventory amount at the beginning of the year to the amount reflected on the Purchases account, to figure out the total cost of goods available for sale. If your business doesn’t have a clearly defined beginning inventory amount, you can use the remaining stock number from the end of the previous period. Small merchandising businesses https://turbo-tax.org/amended-tax-return/ can track their inventory with an inventory management approach known as the periodic inventory system. The chart in Figure 6.10 represents the journal entry requirements based on various merchandising purchase transactions using the perpetual inventory system. The adjusting entry is based on the formula to calculate the cost of goods sold.

Inventory refers to any raw materials and finished goods that companies have on hand for production purposes or that are sold on the market to consumers. Both are accounting methods that businesses use to track the number of products they have available. Periodic inventory is one that involves a physical count at various periods of time while perpetual inventory is computerized, using point-of-sale and enterprise asset management systems.

Perpetual LIFO

See the same activities from the FIFO and LIFO cards above in the weighted average card below. Cost flow assumptions are inventory costing methods in a periodic system that businesses use to calculate COGS and ending inventory. Beginning inventory and purchases are the input that accountants use to calculate the cost of goods available for sale.

Accounts Payable decreases (debit) for the original amount owed of $4,020 before any discounts are taken. Since CBS paid on May 10, they made the 10-day window and thus received a discount of 5%. Merchandise Inventory-Tablet Computers decreases (credit) for the amount of the discount ($4,020 × 5%). Merchandise Inventory-Tablet Computers increases (debit) in the amount of $4,020 (67 × $60). Accounts Payable also increases (credit) but the credit terms are a little different than the previous example.

Periodic vs. Perpetual Inventory Systems

On June 8, CBS discovers that 60 more phones from the June 1 purchase are slightly damaged. CBS decides to keep the phones but receives a purchase allowance from the manufacturer of $8 per phone. Both Merchandise Inventory-Phones increases (debit) and Cash decreases (credit) by $18,000 ($60 × 300). Learn more about how you can manage inventory automatically, reduce handling costs and increase cash flow. On October 10, the customer discovers that 5 printers from the October 1 purchase are slightly damaged, but decides to keep them, and CBS issues an allowance of $60 per printer.

• On the other hand, in a periodic inventory system, inventory reports and the cost of goods sold aren’t kept daily, but periodically, usually at the end of the year.
• After subtracting the ending inventory from this total, the remaining balance represents the cost of the items sold.
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• That’s why, by comparison, the periodic inventory system is way more tiresome, time-consuming, and prone to error than the perpetual inventory, as everything is done manually.
• Merchandise Inventory-Tablet Computers decreases (credit) for the amount of the discount ($4,020 × 5%).

There are advantages and disadvantages to both the perpetual and periodic inventory systems. Notice that there is no particular need to divide the inventory account into a variety of subsets, such as raw materials, work-in-process, or finished goods. A perpetual inventory system is a method that records each sale or purchase of inventory in real-time, through automated software. So, instead of keeping track of the decrease or increase in merchandise every time a financial transaction occurs, businesses using periodic inventory do it at different time intervals. Note that Figure 6.10 considers an environment in which inventory physical counts and matching books records align.