Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
Suggested Study Notes for F3 ACCA Examinations
REVIEW OF SOME KEY FUNDALMENTALS
1 Accounting Matrix
Trial Balance

Debit

Assets

Liabilities L
(+Capital) C

Expenses E
$

Credit

Gains

< totals must equal >

Comparing assets and liabilities, this statement is called the balance sheet.
Comparing expenses and gains, this statement is called the profit & loss account.
Follow the rule of double entry on any transaction.
Buy a car for cash: Debt asset / credit bank
Buy stationary on credit: Debit expense (stationary) and credit creditor (name of supplier)
When you pay the supplier, you debit creditor account and credit bank account.
Pay wages: Debit wages and credit bank.
Make a sale on credit: Debit debtor (customer) and credit sales.
Make a cash sale : Debit bank and credit sales.
2 Know all accounting concepts and fundamentals terminology. E.G.
Going concern

Normal assumptions that entity will continue for next 12mths. If not, then
assets would then need to reviewed, show at "breakup value".

Materiality

Include all material items. If excluded, this could influence the decision
on the users viewpoint of the financial statements

Accruals

Entries to reflect when they are incurred as opposed recorded or paid.

Financial statement then report costs/revenues in the correct period.
Supports the matching concept.

Prudence

Exercise caution. Ensure all costs and liabilities are correctly stated.
If loss foreseen, it should be accounted for and provision made.

www.citycolleges.ie
Page 1 of 11

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
2 Typical entries
Ensure you know if A, E, L, G, C for each ledger account. This determines the accounting
treatment and where the ledger account is shown and disclosed.
Company XP Limited
Trial Balance
Year ending 31 December 20xx

KEY
Debit $

Sales
Discounts Received
Discounts Allowed
Opening Stock
p&l
Closing Stock
p&l
Purchases
Carriage Inwards
Carriage Outwards
Salaries
Rent
Rates
Insurance
Selling commission
Bad Debts
Bad Debts recovered
Sundry Income
Depreciation of equipment
Equipment - cost
Accumulated Depreciation - Equipment
Investments
Stock
Debtors
Bad Debts Provision
Bank Deposit
Bank overdraft
Creditors
Bank Loan
Preference Shares
Ordinary Share Capital
Reserves - Opening

Credit $

161950

190000 G
200 G
E
E
6000 G
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
1000 G
3000 G
E
A
6000 L
A
A
A
1500 L
A
15000 L
3000 L
37000 L
100000 C
100 C
C

362800

362800

50
5000
60000
2000
4000
40000
10000
1000
3000
3800
3000

3000
30000
10000
6000
15000
5000

www.citycolleges.ie
Page 2 of 11

<used for cost of sales

<used for cost of sales
<used for cost of sales
<used for cost of sales

Net total = p&l figure

= $65,350 profit
credits > debits

< PROVISION

< PROVISION

Loss b/f

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
4 Be familiar of entries in a sales & purchase account
Sales Account
Bank - cash sales
Debtor - T Murphy
(credit note issued)

Profit & Loss a/c

30000

2000
Debtor - T Murphy
Debtor - J Smith

100000
62000

190000
192000

192000

Purchases Account
Creditor - S Pierce
Creditor - B Hoey
Bank - cash purchase

35000
20000
5300

Creditor - S Pierce
(credit note received)

Profit & Loss A/c

60000

60300

60300

5 The system for looking after petty cash is also known as an imprest system.
Keep a pre-determined float and use vouchers to track costs and analysis.
The expense total is refunded later to reinstate the float or imprest amount.
6 Understand sales tax or VAT (value added tax)
Assume all cash transactions:
DR

CR

Sell $1000 goods + 23% VAT

Sales
Bank
VAT

300

1000
1230
230

Purchase $600 goods inclusive of 23% VAT

Purchases
Bank
VAT
488 x 23%

488
600
112

Therefore the net VAT due is $118 (230-112). When paid the entry will be:
VAT
Bank

118
118
www.citycolleges.ie
Page 3 of 11

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
7 Learn the gross profit / (Loss) statement
Sales

190,000

Less: Cost of Sales

Opening Stock
Purchases
Carriage Inwards
Less: Closing Stock

5,000
60,000
2,000
(6,000)

Gross Profit

(61,000)
129,000

Questions can be given to work out the missing entry. Follow the format to solve.
Note that carriage outwards (freight costs for selling and shipping goods out to customers)
is not part of this format. Carriage inwards is the freight cost for buying goods for resale, so
part of cost of sales.

8 Stock valuation
IAS2 states that inventory should be valued at the lower of cost and net realisable value (NRV)
In stock
item 1
item 2
item 3

cost

sales value

NRV

Stock Value

30
20
10

50
18
20

45
17
9

30
17
9

60

88

71

56 = Ans.

$56 is the answer and follows the rule.

So if accounts are prepared using the wrong valuation, the auditor must adjust
and ensure a provision is made to reflect the stock value per IAS2.

Important to know the methods of stock valuation.

FIFO

first in first out

(latest prices will value stock)

LIFO

last in last out

(older prices will value stock)

Weighted Average

weighted average based on the stock inventory balance

www.citycolleges.ie
Page 4 of 11

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
9 Depreciation
Method of writing off the cost of tangible fixed assets (or non current assets) to the
profit and loss account.
Example:
Motor car purchased for 30,000
Expected life 3 yrs
Residual value expected in year 3 is 3,000
What is the depreciation charge?
Ans:
30,000 less 3000 = 27,000. Divide by 3 = 9000 per annum

If at end of year 2 the car was sold for 10,200, what is the profit / (loss) on disposal ?

Disposal A/c - Motor Car

Motor - cost

30000 Bank
Accum. Deprec.
Profit & Loss a/c

10200
18000 9k x 2
1800 loss to P&L

30000

30000

Note: Net book value (NBV) of car in yr 2 is 12,000 (30k less 18k)
Check Ans: 10,200 less 12,000 = 1,800 loss.
Extract Trial Balance:
Debit
Disposal of Motor Vehicle

Credit

1800

Review period of accounting and dates. If purchased or sold mid year, then you will need
to time apportion values.
Ensure you know different methods:
Straight line
Reducing balance

If an asset is revalued, depreciation is calculated on the revalued amount. (IAS 16)

Depreciation is a non cash item. Relevant to cash flow statement, where always added back.
www.citycolleges.ie
Page 5 of 11

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
10 Accruals
You use electricity for your business. You know the cost will be about 500 per year. You never
got a bill until year 3 for 1600. Show the entries and p&l and balance sheet extracts.
(assume all entries happen at end of year)
Debit
yr1

yr2

yr3

Light & Heat

Accruals

500

Light & Heat

Accruals

500

Light & Heat

Bank

1600

Accruals
Light & Heat

1000

Credit

500

500

1600

Pay
bill

1000

reverse
accrual

P&L Extracts:
Yr 1
Yr 2
Yr 3

Light & Heat

Light & Heat
Light & Heat

500
500
600

Balance Sheets Extracts:

Yr 1
yr 2
Yr 3

Accruals
Accruals
Accruals

500
1000
0

Ensure you know accounting for prepaids also.

Prepaids are an asset and shown under current assets.

www.citycolleges.ie
Page 6 of 11

i.e. 1600 less 1500

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
11 Know the entries for bad debts
Bad Debts Account
Increase in bad debts prov.

500
Profit & Loss

Debtors
(bad debts written off)

3000

Bad Debts Provision (BDP)

Bal b/f
Bad Debts Increase

shown in B/S, under debtors

1000
500

1500
1500
Bal b/f

Bad Debts Recovered

Bank
Profit & Loss Account

3000

2500

3000

Bal c/f

shown in the P&L A/c

1500
1500

shown in the P&L A/c

1000

1000

1000

1000

Where a trade debtor will not pay or you assume the debt is doubtful to be received, you can
1) clear the account be writing off the ledger balance or 2) leave the ledger balance put make
a provision in another account - called BDP above. The BDP a/c can be general say 10% of
the debtors total or specific to individual debtors. Any movement in the BDP a/c is shown in
the bad debts account in the P&L account.
Where a debt was written off (ledger balance = 0) and later received. We setup a new
account called bad debts recovered. The entry goes straight there and shown separately in the
p&l. This account highlights the fact that it was recovered after a decision was made to
write off.
www.citycolleges.ie
Page 7 of 11

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
12 Bank Reconciliation Statement
Understand format and what are debit and credit balances for the ledger and the bank.

Balance per ledger

(15,000) Cr

Less: bank charges not posted

credit balance
in ledger=overdraft

(100)
Incl adj needed to
our books

Revised ledger balance

(15,100)

Balancer per bank statement at 31/12/xx

(10,000) Dr

Add: outstanding lodgements

2,000

Less: outstanding cheques

(also called unpresented cheques)

chq no.
00501
00502
00505

If Cr bal. then no
brackets.

2,100
1,000
4,000

(7,100)

Any adj here are

normally timing.
Delay in making
lodgement or
payee going to bank
an presenting the
cheque to their bank.

(15,100)
Typically the bank is normally right and our books would need to be adjusted for omissions etc.
Rarely will the bank be wrong, if so, you show the error under the bank statement line
noting it is an bank error and due to be reversed in the future.
NB:
Dr for bank statement = overdraft
Cr for bank statement = in funds, you have money

=>
=>

Our books = Cr balance

Our books = Dr balance

In any bank reconciliation, important to check if opening balances agree. If not you may need
to follow though this reconciliation first, so you can then finish the closing reconciliation.
Some entries may still be outstanding and so you will need to c/f again on your closing
reconciliation.

www.citycolleges.ie
Page 8 of 11

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
13 Share Capital - a few key points:
New shares

Debit Bank and Credit Share capital

Issue of new shares

Rights Issue

Asking existing shareholder for money in exchange

of some discount of the market value.

Share Premium

Price paid over the par value of the shares

Receive $5 for 1 share of 50c each.
entry:
Debit bank $5
Credit share premium $4.5
Credit share capital $.50

Bonus Issue

No cashflow involved.
Moving other reserves to share capital.
No dilution of existing shareholders.
Sometimes known as "free shares". However, as everyone
gets them on the same basis, the market value adjusts per
share to reflect the change.

Important to understand terminology and accounting entries.

14 Cashflow Statement
Understand format. To show cashflow movements only, thus explain the bank movement.
If you buy an asset this is a use or application of funds, so deduct.
Increase in debtors (an asset), is therefore deducted as a working capital adjustment.
An increase in creditors (a liability), gives you extra funds. You are getting more credit. So
you add to working capital adjustment.
The opposite is true for both debtors and creditors.
Depreciation and the disposal account is not a cashflow item, so you add back.
(if profit on disposal you deduct, if loss on disposal you deduct)
Do "T accounts" for the following balance sheet accounts to get the cash flow item for:
Purchase of fixed assets (non current assets)
Taxation paid
Dividends paid

=>
=>
=>

www.citycolleges.ie
Page 9 of 11

Fixed Assets Account

Taxation Account
Dividends Account

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper
15 Consolidation

IAS27

Own over 50% or deemed to have control of an entity. You then consolidate results.
Understand the adjustments for the combined entity:
1) Inter-trading
2) Inter-trade debts
3) Remove unrealised profit from inter-trading
and:
Calculation of goodwill
Calculation of non controlling interest (NCI)

=>
=>
=>

Consol adj P&L

Consol adj B/S
Consol adj P&L & B/S

Review acquisition date as you may need to apportion the profit figures in various
workings.
In a combined entity the holding company share capital is always stated in
the consolidated balance sheet.
Add 100% of the subsidiary P&L results, you then deal with the non controlling interest
share of profits at the end.
Important to understand mark-up and margin. As you may need to work out the unrealised
profit element for the stock adjustment.
Mark-up is on cost
Margin on sales

500 over 1000 = 50% mark-up

500 over 1500 = 33% margin

Note same profit figure so question can be phrased in may ways.

sales
purchase
Profit

1,500
(1,000)
500
33%

100%
67%
33%

Note relationship of the profit between sales and purchase (cost).

Equity Accounting IAS 28
Investment in associate companies
Owing 20% or more and not more than 50% (i.e. control)
P&L: Add group share of profit and loss.
B/S: Cost of investment plus group share of profit (profit after tax)
If investment in a company is less than 20%, there is no consolidation of that company.
Show investment in the balance sheet at cost / fair value.
E.& O. E.

www.citycolleges.ie
Page 10 of 11

Suggested Study Notes

ACCA F3 Paper

The next course commences on Monday, 27th August 2012. Lectures are delivered from our
City Centre location (South Great Georges Street, D2), Templeogue (Dublin 6W), and are streamed
online live and are recored for online review.

Exam question and solution bank

Dedicated exam review and preview classes
End of course tutorials, as well as memory and study technique classes
City centre location in Dame Street, convenient for bus, LUAS, DART, etc.
Southside Dublin location in Templeogue
Study rooms and library in both locations
Limited class size
Live lectures which are also streamed live on Moodle, and are recorded for review

DAY
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday

PAPER
F6
F2
F1
F3

PAPER2
F9
F8
F5
F7

PAPER3
P4
P3
P2
P1

PAPER4
P7
F4
P5
P6

Course Fees:
Wednesday

Full course

Revision

350

199

F1

Accounting in Business

F2

Management Accounting

Tuesday

350

199

F3

Financial Accounting

Thursday

350

199

F4

Corporate & Business Law

Tuesday

650

295

F5

Performace Management

Monday

650

295

F6

Taxation

Wednesday

650

295

F7

Financial Reporting

Thursday

650

295

F8

Audit & Assurance

Tuesday

650

295

F9

Financial Management

Tuesday

650

295

P1

Governance, Risks & Ethics

Thursday

795

325

P2

Corporate Reporting

Wednesday

795

325

P3

Business Analysis

Tuesday

795

325

P4

Advanced Financial Management

Monday

795

325

P5

Advanced Performance Management

Wednesday

795

325

P6

Advanced Taxation

Thursday

795

325

P7

Advanced Audit & Assurance

Monday

795

325

The most up-to-date course materials are included in the course fee.
Apply online at www.citycolleges.ie or call 1850 25 27 40
Dublin City Centre (Dublin 2), Templeogue (Dublin 6W) and Online
www.citycolleges.ie
Page 11 of 11