Revenue Is Recognized for Accounting Purposes When a Performance Obligation

question 24

Essay

Revenue is recognized for accounting purposes when a performance obligation is satisfied. In some situations, revenue is recognized over time as the fair values of assets and liabilities change. In other situations, however, accountants have developed guidelines for recognizing revenue at the point of sale.
Required:
Explain and justify why revenue is often recognized at the time of sale.

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Definitions:

Downstream

Refers to the stages in the production process where processed materials are transformed into final products, or in distribution and supply chain models, the points closer to the end consumer.

Distribution

The process of making a product or service available for the consumer or business user that needs it, through direct or indirect means.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Integrated management of main business processes, often in real-time and mediated by software and technology.

Data Management Systems

Systems that acquire, validate, store, protect, and process required data to ensure the accessibility, reliability, and timeliness of the data for its users.