Inventory Systems

There are two systems to account for inventory: the perpetual system and the periodic system. With the perpetual system, the inventory account is updated after every inventory purchase or sale. Before computers became widely available, only companies that sold a relatively small number of high-priced items used this system. Under the periodic system, a careful evaluation of inventory occurs only at the end of each accounting period. At that time, each product available for sale is counted and multiplied by its per unit cost, and the total of all such calculations equals the value of inventory.

Cite this article

CliffsNotes for iPhone and iPod touch
CliffsNotes Apps
Literature reviews for the iPhone®, iPod touch®, and iPad® help you study anywhere, anytime.
Learn more now!
CliffsNotes AP Digital Flashcards
Prepare like a Pro with CliffsNotes AP Digital Flashcards
Get 100 AP Flashcards Cards Now — FREE!
Learn more!