Front pageThis website introduces the book Know Accounting Graphically.

Luca Pacioli's 1594 treatise on double entry was the first printed accounting text. Within a century accounting textbooks were including example pages from books of account. Since then the way accounting textbooks explain has barely changed. Until now.

Know Accounting Graphically (KAG) is a revolutionary textbook. It explains the basics of accounting (including bookkeeping, income tax and consumption tax where applicable) graphically so that readers who don't know accounting understand faster, and retain that understanding for longer. The graphical means KAG uses to explain is the balance chart.

 
Balance charts were invented by Mike Darlow. They are so powerful, versatile, and simple that they A typical pageshould have been invented decades ago. They can represent one or more transactions, account balances, trial balances, and financial statements. They can show trends and comparisons. And you can solve your own accounting problems by sketching them. They're introduced on this website's balance charts page.

KAG assumes that its readers know nothing of accounting. It therefore carefully explains all the accounting terms used. Its 58 balance charts and 32 other illustrations are complemented by clear text.

KAG is therefore the ideal book if you want to understand the basics of accounting. For those who wish to study accounting in more depth, KAG is an affordable introductory/supplementary text, and the understanding it provides will make further study far easier.

For those who already know accounting, balance charts provide a new and better way to communicate financial understanding and information. KAG is therefore essential reading for accountants, business people, analysts, regulators and educators.

Subjects covered

•  the chart of accounts
•  bookkeeping, processing transactions through the accounting cycle
•  general trust accounts
•  income tax, GST or consumption tax or retail sales tax according to the edition (there are three, see below), dividends and drawings
•  financial statements
•  financial (ratio) analysis
•  valuing and comparing businesses
•  budgeting

KAG editions

There are currently three editions: Australian; internation assuming retail sales tax is levied, but not consumption tax; and international assuming consumption tax is levied but not retail sales tax. The editions are further described below. It is hoped that as the benefits of understanding with balance charts become realised, more country specific editions will be published.

Australian edition of KAG

120 pages including index, A4 size (210 mm wide x 297 mm high) printed in full colour and with a soft laminated cover

Illustrated with 58 balance charts and 32 other illustrations

ISBN: 978-0-9589609-6-0

Rrp including GST: Aus$25.00. To buy please go to this website's Buy KAG page

International consumption (value added) tax edition of KAG

127 pages including index, quarto size (8.5 in wide x 11 in wide)

Illustrated with 60 balance charts and 34 other illustrations

ISBN: 978-0-9589609-7-7

Available from Amazon.com as a print-on-demand book with a soft laminated cover for US$25.30 and the equivalent in other currencies

International retail sales tax edition of KAG

127 pages including index, quarto size (8.5 in wide x 11 in wide)

Illustrated with 60 balance charts and 34 other illustrations

ISBN: 978-0-9589609-9-1

Available from Amazon.com as a print-on-demand book for US$25.30 and the equivalent in other currencies