Research and Course Guides: ACCT 601: Financial Accounting: Checkpoint Database & Accounting Standards

Thomson Reuters Checkpoint

Thomson Reuters Checkpoint is UST's premier resource for locating, interpreting, and finding out how to apply auditing and accounting standards. Within this resource you can search AICPA, FASB, and GASB materials, both current and historical, as well as many editorial resources that assist in defining and interpreting the standards. Particularly useful are Checkpoint's features that allow you to print out, cite, and contextualize its material.

Checkpoint Edge This link opens in a new window
Accounting standards research materials, including primary source documents from FASB & GASB Codifications, AICPA Professional Standards, and secondary source handbooks and manuals. Please note that sections of this resource have a limit on the number of simultaneous users, so you may see a message to that effect.
Simultaneous user limits include FASB = 10, GASB = 5, AICPA = 2, Electronic Tax Library = 1.

Direct link to FASB Codification
This links directly to the FASB Codification, allowing you to drill directly into the structure or search within it.

Supplemental Materials

U. S. GAAP Financial Statements - Best Practices in Presentation and Disclosure by American Institute of Certified Public Accountants
Call Number: HF5681.B2 U453
Publication Date: Annual
This reference book summarizes each major topic in the codification and provides examples of 10K/financial statement displays of how to treat the topic, taken from actual company financials. Print book at the OSF (St. Paul) and Keffer (Mpls) libraries.

Use Mergent Online, the SEC website, or individual company websites to find 10K annual filings to find examples of disclosure issues.

Mergent Online This link opens in a new window
Use the "Government Filings" tab to select a date range, filing type (e.g. 10K), and company/industry (and or search by keyword) to search for 10K reports illustrating your accounting disclosure issue.
Use of the Mergent data and service are intended for non-commercial academic purposes only.

SEC Filings via EDGAR
EDGAR is the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's filings database. You may search individual companies by name or multiple companies via SIC or NAICS code. You may also choose which filing you would like to pull up.

FASB Codification Materials

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) produces an Accounting Standards Codification (referred to as ASC or "the codification") of the authoritative literature and rules issued by the relevant bodies that govern Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) in the United States.

PWC FASB Codification Quick Reference
A 2 page PDF from PriceWaterhouseCoopers that explains the structure of the codification.
FASB/ASC's "About the Codification"
A document explaining the scope and structure of the codification (46p, PDF)
FASB/ASC's "How to Use the Codification"
A longer, lesson-based document on the structure of and techniques for working with the codification (note, while the document is based on FASB's licensed version, it will be equally valuable for those using Checkpoint or another's version).

Websites of Standards-Creating Bodies

FASB: Financial Accounting Standards Board
FASB: Financial Accounting Standards Board is the designated private sector organization in the U.S. that establishes financial accounting and reporting standards. UST students, faculty, and staff can access the entire FASB codification through our subscription to Thomson Reuters Checkpoint database.
American Institute of CPAs
The AICPA is the national professional association for CPAs in the United States. It communicates the profession's code of professional conduct and is the authoritative body that issues national standards for the conduct of audits
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
The PCAOB is a private sector, nonprofit corporation, created by the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, to oversee the auditors of companies in order to protect the interests of investors and protect the public interest in the preparation of independent audit reports.
GASB: Governmental Accounting Standards Board
GASB is the official body responsible for communicating authoritative accounting standards for state and local governments in the United States.
IFRS Foundation and the IASB
International Financial Reporting Standard's auditing standards, published by the International Accounting Standards Board.