fields after GROUP BY clause constitute the basis of grouping for which summary results are obtained. Consider the following SQL statement: SELECT Debit, Sum( Amount ) FROM Vouchers GROUP BY Debit In the above SQL statement, the GROUP BY clause uses Debit account codes as the basis for computing the sum of amount of voucher. The total amount, by which every transacted account has been debited, is given by this SQL statement In this case, sum of amount is found for each group of records formed using GROUP BY clause. .
Generating Accounting Reports An Accounting system without reporting capability is incomplete as reporting is one of the main purposes for which an accounting system is designed and operated upon. The output of accounting system takes the form of accounting reports. Access offers a great flexibility in designing and generating customised reports. .
. Accounting Reports Every report consists of ‘information’, which is different from ‘data’. Data processing leads to data transformation and when this processing is in accordance with decision usefulness, it is called information. Information generation is the process of compiling, arranging, formatting and presenting information to the users.
A report is prepared with a definite objective. Every report is collection of related information for a particular need and purpose and must meet the twin objectives of reporting : one to reduce the level of uncertainty that is faced by a decision-maker; second to influence the behaviour (or positive actions) of the decision-maker. Accordingly, accounting information, generated by processing accounting data is gathered to generate an accounting report. An accounting report, therefore, is the physical form of accounting information.
Useful accounting information, regardless of its physical form, must have five characteristics: relevance, timeliness, accuracy, completeness and summarisation. An accounting report, in order to be useful, must display information content in such a manner as to give confidence to the user, influence his behaviour and prompt him to take positive actions. Reports, which do not meet the above stated objectives, lack or do not have sufficient information content, have no value. There are two broad classes of accounting reports: