What’s included in the profit and loss - standard report?
Description

The Profit and loss report, also known as an Income Statement, provides a summary of your business’s financial performance. It calculates total sales and deducts associated expenses.

It helps business owners, managers, and investors assess profitability and make informed decisions.


What’s on the Profit and loss - Standard report?

Expand the sections below to view more information.

▼ Sales

The Sales section includes all nominal accounts related to revenue. The accounts displayed vary depending on the business type:

  • Product-based businesses – Revenue from selling goods
  • Service-based businesses – Revenue from providing services (e.g., consultations)
  • Project-based businesses – Revenue from one-time projects, including transactional accounts
  • Recurring revenue businesses – Income from ongoing sales of goods or services, such as:
    • Subscription fees
    • Renting or leasing assets
    • Licensing content

Sales income includes both paid and outstanding invoices based on accrual accounting.

▼ Direct Expenses (Cost of Sales)

Direct expenses include costs directly related to producing goods or services. These may include:

  • Raw materials
  • Labour costs
  • Manufacturing overhead
  • Service-related costs such as employee wages and supplies

Managing direct expenses effectively helps maintain profit margins.

▼ Gross Profit or Loss

Gross profit is calculated as:

Total Sales minus Direct Expenses equals Gross Profit.

If expenses exceed sales, a Gross Loss appears.

▼ Percentage Profit (Gross Profit Margin)

Gross Profit Margin measures how much of your revenue exceeds direct expenses. It's calculated as:

(Gross Profit ÷ Total Sales) × 100

A higher percentage indicates efficient revenue generation, while a lower percentage suggests high production costs or pricing issues.

▼ Overheads (Indirect Expenses)

Overheads are costs not directly tied to producing goods or services. These may include:

  • Wages for non-sales employees
  • Rent and utilities
  • Advertising and marketing costs
  • Business travel expenses

Suspense accounts may also appear under overheads.

▼ Net Profit

Net Profit represents the overall profitability after deducting all expenses:

Gross Profit minus Overheads equals Net Profit.

A positive net profit indicates financial success, while a negative net profit signals a loss. Net profit is also used to calculate tax liabilities.

▼ Net Profit Margin

Net Profit Margin measures net income as a percentage of total sales:

(Net Profit ÷ Total Sales) × 100

This helps investors and business owners evaluate profitability.

▼ Totals and Year-to-Date (YTD) Tracking

Businesses can track their Net Profit as a cumulative YTD value, especially for tax purposes.

▼ Category Percentage Totals

Each category’s totals can be displayed as a percentage of their subsection.

Calculation:

(Ledger Account Balance ÷ Subsection Total) × 100

This feature is available when you select the Show Accounts option.


What’s not on the Profit and loss - Standard report?

The following items are not included in the report:

  • Draft and proforma invoices
  • Gratuities collected and paid
  • Sales and income taxes
  • Payments and receipts
  • Income such as grants or owner cash injections
  • Purchases of significant equipment or assets
  • Loans taken or repaid
  • Owner drawings
  • Investments

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