Percentage-of-Completion Method

The Percentage-of-Completion (POC) method is an accounting technique used to determine the degree of completion of a long-term contract for the purposes of revenue recognition. It is often used in the construction and real estate industries, where long-term projects are common.

Purpose and Role: The primary purpose of the POC method is to recognize revenue in proportion to the progress of a long-term project, rather than waiting until the project is complete to recognize all of the revenue at once. By recognizing revenue over the course of the project, the POC method provides a more accurate representation of the company's financial performance.

Components: The POC method requires the estimation of the total revenue to be earned from a project and the total costs to be incurred. The revenue and costs are then allocated over the period of the project based on the degree of completion, which is typically determined by the ratio of actual costs incurred to estimated total costs.

Importance: The POC method is important because it provides a more accurate representation of a company's financial performance. Without the POC method, a company would recognize all of the revenue from a long-term project at the end of the project, which could lead to misleading financial statements in the interim.

History: The POC method has been in use for many years and is an accepted accounting practice in many countries, including the United States. It was first introduced as a standard by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) in the 1980s.

Benefits: The benefits of using the POC method include providing a more accurate representation of a company's financial performance, reducing the risk of overstatement or understatement of revenue, and improving transparency in financial reporting.

Pros and Cons: The pros of using the POC method include improved accuracy in revenue recognition, while the cons include the complexity of estimating total costs and revenue, and the potential for manipulation of financial statements through the manipulation of estimated costs.

Examples: An example of the POC method in action would be a construction company that has been contracted to build a new office building for a client. The project is expected to take two years to complete, with total estimated costs of $10 million and a total estimated revenue of $12 million. At the end of the first year, the company has incurred $4 million in costs. Using the POC method, the company would recognize 40% of the total revenue ($4.8 million) and 40% of the total costs ($4 million) in the first year, with the remaining amounts to be recognized in the second year as the project progresses.

See Also

• IT Strategy (Information Technology Strategy)
• IT Governance
• Enterprise Architecture
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)
• IT Sourcing (Information Technology Sourcing)
• IT Operations (Information Technology Operations)
• E-Strategy