Assets are a critical part of your financial picture. Assets may be used in several ways, from boosting sales to securing a loan, depending on your company’s needs.
Over time, your small business’s assets grow due to purchasing goods and services that provide value to your organisation. A crucial part of your business, these assets may help generate revenue and improve the value of your organisation. A company’s assets are the valuable items it owns, creates, or gains through its operations. An asset is everything that has a monetary value. It includes cash, raw materials and stock, office equipment, structures, and intellectual property. Having the right resources to produce or provide your product or service is essential to running a successful business. A lawnmower, weed trimmer, leaf blower, fertiliser, and a pair of gloves are all necessary tools if you own a home with grass. Like a business, a company must have the appropriate resources to run efficiently and successfully.
The net worth of a firm is strongly dependent on the value of its assets. Lenders may consider a company’s assets when approving loans. However, there are several different types of assets, and many people aren’t aware of the distinctions.
What are Assets?
People, businesses, and governments all have assets that they own or control, and these assets are used to generate a profit. A company’s or a person’s assets might be tangible or nonphysical, but they all have value. Financial institutions may also employ these as leverage.
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) define an asset as “a resource owned by the organisation as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are predicted to flow.”
Businesses buy these items, as well as a variety of others, to maintain production and expand. Furthermore, assets can be rapidly converted to cash. With 82% of small businesses failing due to cash flow problems, having valuable assets on hand may assist in averting this.
Assets and Liabilities- How Do They Relate
Assets and liabilities are two of the key components of a company’s financial statements and balance sheets. A liability is a company’s financial responsibility to other parties. The most common corporate and small-business obligation is monetary debt, categorised as accounts payable on a cash flow statement. There is monetary value in assets that may be used to improve a company’s operations, increase the value of a business, or increase an individual’s wealth. While commercial assets are those owned by a business or organisation, personal ones belong to an individual.
All of a business’s liabilities, including short-term liabilities (also known as current liabilities), long-term liabilities (commonly known as non-current liabilities), and contingent liabilities, must be paid in the future if the firm fails to meet its financial obligations. A company’s liabilities encompass anything from long-term loans to credit card debt to depreciating assets like equipment.
Liabilities rise in value as assets improve in value. To estimate a company’s worth, investors utilise an accounting formula that compares the total assets with the total liabilities. Balance sheets show total assets on the left side. According to accounting rules, present and long-term assets may be included in this asset list. Liabilities of all kinds, short-term and long-term, may be found on the right side of the page.
For public firms, leased property and equipment are assets and liabilities on the balance sheet (the present value of future lease payments). All assets are liquidated, all obligations are paid, and equity is the amount of money distributed to the company’s owners or shareholders. All three of these variables are connected in an accounting equation. Positive equity or shareholder value describes a corporation with greater assets than liabilities, and negative equity occurs when its assets are less than its liabilities.
Types and Classification of Assets
A company’s ability to earn cash and grow is bolstered by its assets. Classification is based on various factors, including the ease with which they may be converted to cash (in the case of company-owned assets) and the nature of their business. They help accountants and lenders assess a company’s ability to repay its debts and its ability to repay its debts.
If your assets aren’t categorised appropriately, you might run into problems. It is vital to distinguish between physical and intangible assets when evaluating the risk and solvency of your organisation, which may be accomplished via accounting’s right categorisation of fixed assets.
Convertibility
The word “liquidity” is used to describe the ability to convert an asset into cash. A current asset is expected to be converted into cash during the following fiscal year or operating cycle. Even though an asset can be changed into cash within a year, current assets only include assets that will be converted into cash within a year of purchase. Assets are divided into two groups based on their ability to be converted into cash: current and fixed assets.
- Current Assets: Current assets are liquid and may be sold and turned into money instantly. The term “current assets” refers to those that may be easily converted to cash or cash equivalents (typically within a year). Current assets such as cash, bonds, mutual funds, stocks, and other marketable instruments are considered the most liquid, which means they can be swapped easily and quickly without affecting their price. Current assets include cash, accounts receivable, inventory, and prepaid charges.
- Fixed Assets: Fixed assets are also known as hard assets or long-term assets. They often require a long time to generate financial worth and are sometimes regarded as low-liquid. Hence, they cannot be sold instantly at their intended value.
Physical Existence
A physical asset is tangible and has economic, commercial, or trade worth. The fundamental activities are determined by its assets, which are recorded on the balance sheet. The assets of a business are equal to the sum of its total liabilities and shareholders’ equity. Physical assets are the most prevalent asset in most industries, and physical assets have a monetary value that a firm uses to generate revenue. When assets are classified according to their physical characteristics, they are tangible or intangible.
- Tangible assets: Tangible assets are normally held by the owner, such as products, real estate, equipment, cash, or furniture. The bulk of physical assets also falls under the category of current assets. Physical assets depreciate over time. When you depreciate an asset, you spread out the cost over time.
- Intangible assets: Intangible assets are the polar opposite of physical assets. Unlike tangible assets, intangible assets cannot be easily converted to cash. Amortisation of intangible assets is possible, and amortisation is the process of spreading the cost of an intangible asset across time. Intangible assets are goods or commodities that exist only in principle, not in physical form. Permits, intellectual property, patents, brand reputation, and trademarks are all examples of intangible assets that rise in value when used effectively. Since intangible assets are not physical property or commodities, assessing their value may be challenging.
Usage
Assets are operational or non-operating assets based on their intended purpose or function.
Assets used in the day-to-day operations of a business, such as a machinery and equipment, are referred to as “operating assets.” Working assets include things like copyrights, licenses, inventory, and equipment.
Non-operating assets are not required for day-to-day business operations but may nevertheless generate revenue. Unoccupied land or short-term investment, for example.
It is necessary to classify the assets of a business. To figure out how much money a company has, you need to know which assets are current and long-term. Assessing a company’s solvency and risk is made easier by knowing which assets are tangible and which are not in the setting of a high-risk industry. Assets that are operational and non-operational must be defined to determine how much of a company’s income comes from its principal business activities.
Examples of Assets
A well-capitalised company is better able to respond quickly in the event of a setback. Long-term, intellectual property may prove to be a worthwhile investment. High-quality patents and copyrighted material put a company in a strong position for future growth. In the long run, real estate may be a very versatile asset. Over time, the value of real estate often rises. Owning one’s buildings provides a source of future income if the company chooses to sell the property. While a short-term bank loan may be possible, it will have a long-term impact on its finances. Intangible assets have the potential to contribute to the retention of employees. Corporate culture can’t be bought or sold openly, but it may help keep employees around longer.
- Cash and cash equivalents
- Accounts Receivable
- Inventory
- Investments
- Mineral rights
- Equipment
- Inventory
- Mineral rights
- Equipment
- Inventory
- Software
- Computers
- Furniture and fixtures
- Software
- Computers
- Furniture and fixtures
Properties of Assets
Ownership
Assets represent ownership in the form of cash and cash equivalents that may be turned into cash and cash equivalents in the future. A company must own or control the asset. It is worth noting that not all right of use assets are convertible, and lease contracts often include clauses prohibiting the lease from being transferred or sold. The ownership characteristic is crucial when contrasting an asset’s colloquial and technical definitions.
Economic Value
Assets have monetary value and are capable of being exchanged or sold. Except for some assets with a right of use, such as lease agreements, all assets may be sold or converted to cash. The assets may then be used to boost output and expand the business.
Resource
Assets are resources that may be used to provide economic benefits, and it often indicates that the asset can create positive cash flows in the future.
NetSuite Asset Management
As an organisation’s assets grow in number and diversity, it may become even more difficult to keep track of them. NetSuite automated asset management solutions enable you to assess, categorise, and monitor assets in real-time, allowing you to understand their value better and plan operations. Additionally, NetSuite asset management systems may aid in monitoring and planning an asset’s operational life cycle, from acquisition through disposal, which includes asset management and maintenance. Additionally, it may aid a business in adhering to changing regulatory or industry norms.
Conclusion
Assets include almost everything a business owns and controls that is monetary in value and can generate future revenue. They are classified according to their ability to be converted to cash quickly, their physical or intangible nature, and their intended purpose by a business. Moreover, account for a significant portion of a business’s net value and serves as a barometer of its overall financial health. The NetSuite Asset Management Solution enables businesses to achieve success. Get in touch with Folio3, Certified NetSuite Partners, to assist you with seamless integration, implementation, and customisation of the NetSuite system and make asset management easier and less of a hassle for yourself.
