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Revenue is earned when goods are delivered or services are rendered. [1] The term sales in a marketing, advertising or a general business context often refers to a free in which a buyer has agreed to purchase some products at a set time in the future. From an accounting standpoint, sales do not occur until the product is delivered.
For example, sales returns and allowance and sales discounts are contra revenues with respect to sales, as the balance of each contra (a debit) is the opposite of sales (a credit). To understand the actual value of sales, one must net the contras against sales, which gives rise to the term net sales (meaning net of the contras). [34]
However, there are instances of accounts, known as contra-accounts, which have a normal balance opposite that listed above. Examples include: Contra-asset accounts (such as accumulated depreciation and allowances for bad debt or obsolete inventory) Contra-revenue accounts (such as sales allowances) Contra-equity accounts (such as treasury stock)
Revenues and gross profit are recognized each period based on the construction progress, in other words, the percentage of completion. Construction costs plus gross profit earned to date are accumulated in an asset account (construction in process, also called construction in progress), and progress billings are accumulated in a liability account (billing on construction in process).
In accounting, the revenue recognition principle states that revenues are earned and recognized when they are realized or realizable, no matter when cash is received. It is a cornerstone of accrual accounting together with the matching principle. Together, they determine the accounting period in which revenues and expenses are recognized. [1]
In financial accounting, reserve always has a credit balance and can refer to a part of shareholders' equity, a liability for estimated claims, or contra-asset for uncollectible accounts. A reserve can appear in any part of shareholders' equity except for contributed or basic share capital.
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In the case of a contra account, however, the normal balance convention is reversed and a normal balance is reported either as a negative number, or alongside its parent balance as an amount subtracted.