bokföringsjusteringar

Bokföringsjusteringar, often referred to as accounting adjustments or adjusting entries, are journal entries made at the end of an accounting period to correct or modify account balances. These adjustments are crucial for ensuring that financial statements accurately reflect the company's financial position and performance according to the accrual basis of accounting.

The primary purpose of bokföringsjusteringar is to allocate revenues and expenses to the correct accounting periods. They are made for transactions that have occurred but have not yet been recorded in the regular bookkeeping process, or for transactions that have been recorded but need to be updated to reflect their true value at the period's end. Common examples include recognizing accrued expenses, such as salaries owed to employees but not yet paid, and accrued revenues, like services rendered to customers but not yet billed.

Other typical bokföringsjusteringar involve deferrals. Prepaid expenses, such as insurance premiums paid in advance, are adjusted to reflect the portion that has been consumed during the period. Similarly, unearned revenues, where cash is received for services to be performed in the future, are adjusted to recognize the revenue earned as the services are delivered. Depreciation of tangible assets and the recognition of bad debt expense are also common adjusting entries.

Without these adjustments, financial statements could be misleading. For instance, expenses might be understated in the current period, and revenues overstated, or vice versa. Bokföringsjusteringar bridge the gap between the cash basis of accounting and the accrual basis, providing a more faithful representation of economic events. They are typically prepared before the preparation of the income statement and balance sheet.