Net current assets
12,000 ______
10,300 ______
10,400 ______
10,800 ______
Net assets
12,000
11,400
11,400
11,700
Jane: capital introduced
12,000
12,000
12,000
12,000
Profit/(loss) for month
- -
(600)
-
300
Profits/(losses) earlier months
-
(600)
(600) ____ (300) ____
____
____
____
Jane retained profits/(losses)
-
(600)
(600)
____
____
____
Total proprietor’s funds
12,000
11,400
11,400
11,700
2.21 The balance sheet has two sides: the conventional presentation in the UK (but not the only form of presentation) is to show the net assets (the assets less the liabilities) as the top half of the balance sheet; the bottom half of the balance sheet then records the interest that Jane has in the business. 2.22 We have shown the balance sheet at the end of December so as to demonstrate that the capital introduced by Jane was initially cash. When this cash was then largely spent in January, this did not reduce her capital: when some of the cash was exchanged for the initial stock of ten windsurfers, this did not reduce Jane’s capital: it just meant that it was represented by different assets. Jane’s capital was reduced by the loss that she made in January, and this loss was partly recovered by the profit made in March. 2.23 One of the greatest challenges faced in trying to understand the concept of the balance sheet is to understand the bottom half: whether the value in the business is described as capital, proprietor’s funds or reserves, this should not be confused with money in the bank or a large iron-bound chest full of treasure. The words capital, funds and reserves merely refer to the value that is represented by the net assets, in the form of the various assets and liabilities. A business can have very large amounts of proprietor’s capital or share capital and reserves, but have no cash at all. Some people find that they can unlock the meaning here by viewing these balances as the amounts that the business “owes” to the owners. 2.24 Some more accounting language that can cause confusion, even to accountants, are the two words “debtors” and “creditors”. In the context of the balance sheet debtors are the people who owe money to Jane - either customers, or the landlord in respect of the rental deposit. A less confusing word is receivables or amounts receivable. The creditors are the people to whom Jane owes money - the supplier of the windsurfers and the landlord in respect of the rent for the month. 2.25 The confusion that arises with the words “debtors” and “creditors” is due to the fact that the words have to be seen from a specific vantage point: the person whom Jane includes on her balance sheet as a debtor will show Jane as a creditor if he prepares accounts.
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