Thus, it is the act of sending the goods or receiving an inventory item that is important in determining when transactions are posted on financial statements. For example, using accrual accounting, sales are recorded as revenue when goods are shipped even though payment is not expected for days, weeks, or months.
Most firms use the accrual basis of accounting in recording transactions.
Compare Cash Basis Accounting . Case study Recording revenues that are used to calculate earnings before actually receiving those revenues can potentially misrepresent a firm's financial results and lead to financial difficulties down the road. For example, a company that ships substantial amounts of goods on credit may produce outstanding earnings in the current accounting period, but if customers who receive the goods fail to pay for the merchandise, future earnings are likely to suffer. Firms build an estimate for doubtful payments into the revenues and earnings they report, but the estimates may be understated and make earnings look better than they actually are. More than a few companies have been known to ship unusually large amounts of merchandise near the end of a fiscal year in order to make the year's sales and earnings appear favorable even though the extra sales produce an unrealistic picture of the firm's operations.