Accounting 250: Accounting for Managers focuses primarily on how to provide managers with the management information they need for making informed decisions and introduces the role accounting plays in providing reports to external bodies such as the federal government, banks, and other lenders of money. The course emphasizes the importance of using advanced information systems such as the use of accounting software for small businesses and enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems for large companies in managerial accounting and decision making. Managerial accounting uses both financial and non-financial information; the financial accounting topics included in this course include basic financial accounting concepts and analysis of financial reports using online, interactive tools to facilitate learning. A distinction is made between external and internal reports. External reports are for information users who are external to the organization. Large corporations must prepare and file such reports for governmental and other organizations such as stock markets. An important feature of external reports is that they have a similar format, and those who prepare these reports must follow specific rules when compiling them. Internal reports, on the other hand, help managers make informed decisions in areas such as planning and controlling the organization’s resources. These reports are prepared according to the managers’ needs, and there are no set rules concerning their preparation. However, there is a set of principles that should be followed to ensure that these reports provide meaningful information.

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