Accountancy (profession)or accounting (methodology) is the measurement, statement, or provision of assurance about financial information primarily used by managers, investors, tax authorities and other decision makers to make resource allocation decisions within companies, organizations, and public agencies. The terms derive from the use of financial accounts.
Accounting (Definition) is a service activity. Its function is to provide
quantitative information primarily financial in nature, about economic entities, that is intended to be useful in making economic decisions, and in making reasoned choices among alternative courses of action. [2]
It is also the discipline of measuring, communicating and interpreting financial activity. Accounting is also widely referred to as the "language of business".[3]
Financial accounting is one branch of accounting and historically has involved processes by which financial information about a business is recorded, classified, summarised, interpreted, and communicated; for public companies, this information is generally publicly-accessible. By contrast management accounting information is used within an organisation and is usually confidential and accessible only to a small group, mostly decision-makers. Tax Accounting is the accounting needed to comply with jurisdictional tax regulations.
Practitioners of accountancy are known as accountants. There are many professional bodies for accountants throughout the world. Many allow their members to use titles indicating their membership or qualification level. Examples are Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA or FCCA), Chartered Accountant (FCA, CA or ACA),
International Accountant (FAIA or AAIA),Management Accountant (ACMA, FCMA or AICWA), Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified General Accountant (CGA or FCGA).
“Accounting is that discipline which measures, records, reports and interprets
financial and other information about an entity to interested parties to enable them to make appropriate decisions”
Accounting is essentially a system for showing what the financial state of a business is at any one time.
Accounting and financial information allows users to:
See how the business is going
See how aspects of the firm can be improved
Control your money
Plan for the future
Purpose of Accounting
1 Accounting can act as a form of communication
You can think of accounting as a form of language between owners of a business This language is not alphabetical letters but instead it is expressed in terms of dollars
Can be communicated to relevant users through graphs, reports and tables 2 Accounting can supply information for decision making
Decisions are made at all levels of management
Suitable information will reduce the uncertainty decision makers may face Accounting can aid users of information to make accurate decisions
3Accounting can assist a manager plan their business
incorporates decision making about the best course of action to take
Planning is essential for business success and requires regular revision in order to respond to change
Planning is a management activity that is supported by accounting information 4Accounting can act as a control device
Accounting information assists managers to have the ability to control their operations
Accounting also ensures that accurate and reliable information is provided Control involves ensuring events happen as planned
Comparison of actual results with planned
Corrective action and revision of plans
5Involves the following procedures:
identifying and capturing relevant economic information
recording the information systematically
analysing and interpreting the information
reporting appropriately to users
会计专业是研究企业在一定的营业周期内如何确认收入和资产的学问。会计师除了准备财务报表以及记录企业交易行为外，更重要的是能够参与企业间的合并、质量管理、信息技术在财务方面的应用、税务战略以及很多企业的管理决策活动。
以会计作为职业起点，你会获益很多。其中最重要的是，你可以了解企业到底是如何运做
的。会计领域为从业者提供了不断变化并富有挑战性的工作。所以很多商界成功人士最早都是从事会计工作的，同时，很多大企业的财务总监必须具有会计的背景。在英国的企业有70%以上的总裁是财务出身。
一个现代高水平的会计人才，准确的说应该是财务人才，未来的管理人才。在企业里，我们不仅仅要会收钱（干收钱的是出纳），会记帐（干记帐的是会计），会审计（企业内部审计－现在在中国才刚刚开始发展），我们更应该利用会计这个工具，学会管理，当然这个需要多年的实践经验。概括起来，就是我们要逐步的会核算，懂经营，善管理。所以，会计是一个好的起点，而不是一个终点，最终还得要上升到管理。
现在会计这行业，越来越强调学会计的要培养良好的职业判断能力，无论是在做题考试，还是在实践实务中。还有，持续的学习能力，丰富的工作经验，丰富的人力资源，和机遇对于一个人的成功也都是必不可少的。另外，美国一个权威职业评估机构分析得出，会计专业人才要用以下能力：Analytical ability，Leadership ，Written and oral
communication skills，Attention to detail，Ability to work independently，Team skills ，Work ethic，High ethical standards，Computer literacy
选择一个专业：最重要的是兴趣，然后结合个人对未来的规划。为什么会计是一个好专业呢？因为本科读完会计后，既可以去工作，也可以去读书。如果去工作，可以去会计师事务所，无论是去四大还是去本土会计师事务所；可以去所有的公司企业，哪个公司企业不需要会计呢，甚至会计的领域涉及从它的开业到破产清算；政府部门也需要会计，和政府审计；做老师教会计也是一个不错的选择。如果继续去读书，在美国，美国众多学校开设会计硕士博士培养人才，而且会计是商科中最好在美国找工作的专业；在澳洲，会计是最多中国留学生读的专业，因为它好移民；在英文，会计专业常常和金融合在一起。
会计专业领域涉及面广：鉴证，审计，税收，公司会计，管理会计，财务管理，破长清算，法务会计，预算制定，商业咨询等等都是会计专业将要涉及的领域。