Sunday, 28 December 2014

Need for Good Relationship Between Finance and Accounts Fields

Finance and accounting are deeply interconnected business disciplines. While finance focuses on sourcing and managing corporate capital, accounting handles the systematic recording and tracking of funds secured or utilized. Because of this interdependence, seamless collaboration between both departments is essential.

The Finance Department relies heavily on data recorded by accounting personnel to prepare its financial statements and strategic reviews. Conversely, the accounting department utilizes the frameworks and guidelines established by financial managers to record transactions in a very concise format for the overall benefit of their company.

So, Finance and Accounts are the dual pillars of any organisation.

Better administration is possible through linking of Finance & Accounts
Finance and Accounts need to work together for better administration of the company. In many companies, the Finance Manager is entrusted with the responsibilities of both the Finance and Accounts departments, in which case he needs to be both an MBA and a Chartered Accountant. He will supervise or work alongside the Accounts Managers and Accounts Officers in controlling the Accounts and Finance wings. He will guide them in the proper maintenance of account books and records and in the preparation of the company's final accounts and financial statements. He can prescribe various formats for providing accurate information and work out the financial ratios and other inputs to the management for better governance of the business. So, a good relationship between Finance and Accounts is necessary.

Efficient management of Working Capital is possible
Finance professionals can manage the company's funds and working capital efficiently if they are closely linked to the accounts department. Because the accounts department maintains records of all expenses, it can provide the information in whatever form the finance manager may require, enabling finance professionals to gather accurate, concise information when preparing various statements for management. As a result, the finance department will be better positioned to determine how much funding each process and activity of the business requires and to procure the necessary working capital for the company in a timely manner.

Preparation of Budgets and Fund Flow Statements
The finance department needs to prepare budgets and Fund Flow/Cash Flow statements on a monthly and annual basis to better administer the Company's funds. To do this, they need to study past trends and determine the amount of expenditure incurred for each activity. This information is available with the accounts departments, as they keep the accounts. With proper cooperation from the accounts personnel, the finance department can prepare more accurate budgets and Fund Flow statements, thereby providing management with more accurate knowledge for governing the business.

Profit maximization and growth are possible
Improved relations and cooperation between Finance and Accounts lead to the growth of the company and profit maximization. By keeping accurate records, the accounts team can provide more reliable information at every stage of the business, across different time periods and under varying circumstances, as required by the finance team for their studies. Together, these departments can produce highly detailed and sensitive information for management to control expenses at every stage of the product, thereby identifying wastage and excessive spending. This helps remove bottlenecks in activities, leading to efficient production and growth of the company, yielding profits.

There can be many more areas where both accounts and finance need to cooperate in their functioning. For example, investments by the company or the issue of shares and debentures for the raising of working capital, valuation of company property for any purposes, or facing legal suits and litigations - all these areas require cooperation and a good relationship between the finance and accounts departments.

So, it is evident that a good relationship between finance and accounts is crucial for the financial health and growth of a company.

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