General Motors Dealer Standard Accounting Manual and …

General Motors Dealer

Standard Accounting Manual and Handbook

? 2021 General Motors This manual cannot be reproduced in whole or in part without the expressed

written permission of General Motors.

TO THE GENERAL MOTORS DEALER:

Accounting, the process of properly recording and classifying business transactions, is an important factor, recognized as essential to the successful management of a business.

Control of capital and satisfactory profits are largely dependent upon the efficiency of management and its ability to direct the affairs of the business. Plans and decisions are necessary and these should be based on facts. Without facts, decisions may be made based on erroneous or unreliable information which, at worst, may jeopardize the business and, at best, may not utilize resources to their fullest extent to produce maximum profits.

Accounting itself will not correct mistakes and weaknesses which may exist in the operation of a business. However, it will assist in revealing them and thus contribute to sound understanding and intelligent action aimed at their correction.

Uniform accounting is necessary because it records the financial history of the business; but, more important, it provides the basis for meaningful comparisons.

There is, however, another important purpose of uniform accounting in dealerships.

If the most successful results are to be attained, a close relationship must exist between the dealers and the manufacturer. Dealership managers depend to an extent upon marketing policies established by the manufacturer for its products. It is essential that such policies be considered in the light of their effects upon the dealer organization. This fact is recognized by the manufacturer, but it must have factual information in order to make decisions and establish policies that are fair and equitable to the dealers and in the best interests of both parties. The Dealer's Standard Accounting, properly operated, provides these facts when the operating data is forwarded to the manufacturer each month.

Adherence to the provisions of this GM Dealer Standard Accounting Manual and Handbook will also enhance internal control within the dealership.

Your cooperation in this respect will do much toward the elimination of weaknesses and the building of a stronger and sounder dealer organization, capable of increasing sales at a satisfactory profit.

GENERAL MOTORS

TO THE DEALER'S ACCOUNTANT:

The General Motors Dealer Standard Accounting Manual and Handbook is not an explanation of the basic and fundamental principles or methods of bookkeeping, but is an accounting manual intended for use by an accountant.

It is our desire to have the dealer employ a skilled accountant who recognizes the importance of gauging the business and of assisting in the formulation of policies on the basis of facts rather than guesswork.

An accountant is one who understands the mechanics of bookkeeping and, in addition, has the ability to supervise the methods used in collecting the information to be recorded and to interpret and analyze the results disclosed by the operating data. Such an individual should be able to interpret:

The trends of the business

The results of changes in policies

The fluctuations in various accounts

The effect of such fluctuations

The accountant should be aware of changes in conditions of the business, which might prove detrimental to profits, be able to forecast the probable results of any contemplated actions or changes in policy, and be able to determine the number of vehicles, which must be sold to cover the unabsorbed overhead and produce a desired profit.

The value of the accountant is increased if he or she is able to furnish the dealer with the information outlined above.

The duties of a dealer accountant are: 1. Maintain the Dealer's Standard Accounting System in accordance with the

instructions contained in this manual and supervise all methods used in the business for the recording of transactions. 2. Submit required trial balance information to FACTS 2.0 on a timely basis. Prepare necessary supporting schedules of accounts. 3. Prepare sales and profit forecasts for future periods as a guide for the business and make comparisons between these forecasts and the actual results. 4. Use the FACTS 2.0 Compass Reports each month as a tool in managing the business.

Assets

Cash & Contracts

200 Cash On Hand (Petty Cash) 201 Cash On Hand 202 Cash in Bank 205 Contracts in Transit 260 Securities

Receivables 210 Notes Receivable - Customers 220 Accounts Receivable - Customers 225 Cash Sales 261 Factory Receivables 262 Due from Finance Companies 263 Warranty Claims 264 Ins. Commissions Receivable

Inventories 230 Demonstrators 231 New Cars 235 New Medium Duty Trucks 237 New Trucks 238 Other Automotive 240 Used Cars 241 Used Trucks 242 Parts & Accessories 243 Tires 244 Gas, Oil & Grease 245 Paint & Body Shop Materials 246 Sublet Repairs 247 Work in Process-Labor 252 Other 258 Miscellaneous Assets Received in Trade

Prepaid Expenses 270 Prepaid Taxes 271 Prepaid Insurance 274 Prepaid-Other

Working Assets 275 Driver Training Vehicles 277 Lease & Rental Vehicles

Fixed Assets 280 Land (Auto Business Only) 281 Buildings & Improvements (Auto Business Only) 282 Machinery & Shop Equipment 283 Parts & Accessories Equipment 284 Furniture & Fixtures 285 Company Vehicles 286 Leaseholds 287 IT - Hardware 288 IT - Software 289 Fixed Assets - Other

Other Assets 291 Life Insurance-Cash Value 293 Notes & Accounts Receivable-Officers 294 Notes & Accounts Receivable-Other 296 Other Investments & Miscellaneous Assets

Liabilities

Accounts Payable 300 Accounts Payable-Trade Creditors 305 Warranty Claims Advance

Notes Payable 310 Notes Payable-New Vehicle & Demos 311 Notes Payable-Used Vehicles 312 Notes Payable-Lease & Rental Units 314 Notes Payable-Other

Accrued Liabilities 320 Interest Payable 321 Salaries, Wages & Commissions Payable 322 Insurance Payable 323 Payroll Taxes Payable 324 Sales Taxes Payable 325 Other Taxes Payable 327 Income Taxes Payable 328 Employee's Incentives/Bonuses Payable 329 Owner's Bonuses Payable 330 Retirement Benefits Payable 331 Other Payable

Long Term Liabilities 332 Other Reserves 333 Deferred Taxes 334 Notes Payable - Capital Loans 335 Mortgages Payable & Facility Related Loans 336 Other Notes & Contracts 337 Other Notes - Owners 338 Note Payable - Affiliated Companies

Contra Assets 340 Allowance for Doubtful Accounts 347 Accumulated Depreciation Lease & Rental Units 351 Accumulated Depreciation Buildings & Improvements 352 Accumulated Depreciation Machinery & Shop Equip. 353 Accumulated Depreciation Parts & Accessories Equipment 354 Accumulated Depreciation Furniture & Fixtures 355 Accumulated Depreciation Company Vehicles 356 Accumulated Amortization of Leaseholds 357 Accumulated Depreciation IT - Hardware 358 Accumulated Depreciation IT - Software 359 Accumulated Depreciation Other

Owner's Equity

Net Worth 360 Capital Stock &

Additional Paid In Capital 370 Retained Earnings 375 Dividends 380 Investments 390 Drawings 399 Profit or Loss

New Vehicle Department

Sales & Cost of Sales 400 600 Thru Thru New Cars-Retail 418 618

420 620 421 621

New Cars-Fleet New Cars-Internal

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