Introduction As we all know, information is power. Many of you may not think of accounting as a means to get key information and to stay in control of your business operation. You probably think of the world of accounting as a place with a language you don't understand. You view it as a necessary evil that you must have around in order to present the necessary reports to your investors and supporting financial institutions. We show you how much power you can have if you learn the language of accounting and use the information it generates to manage your business and control your assets and liabilities. In order to harness that power, you need to set up the proper road map for your accounts, enter your transactions into that road map in a logical way, and then use it to develop the routes for your business success. How We've Organized the Book You start your trip in the world of accounting by learning how to design that road map. Then we take you on a tour of how to use your accounting system as part of regular business operations. We review how to close your books and develop your reports. Finally we show you how to restart the cycle and begin a new year. We've organized the book into six parts: Part 1, Charting the Books, shows you how to structure your accounting system so you can manage your assets, liabilities, income, and expenses. Part 2, Doing Business, teaches you how to use your newly minted accounting