Suppose your company reports $210 of net income and $50 of cash dividends paid, and its comparative balance sheet indicates the following. Beginning Ending Cash $ 45 $ 255 Accounts Receivable 125 225 Inventory 295 185 Total $ 465 $ 665 Salaries and Wages Payable $ 20 $ 100 Common Stock 150 110 Retained Earnings 295 455 Total $ 465 $ 665 Required: Prepare the operating activities section of the statement of cash flows, using the indirect method. (Amounts to be deducted should be indicated with a minus sign.)

The Operating Activities Section of the Statement of Cash Flows, using the indirect method:

Net Income                                $210

Changes in working capital:

Accounts Receivable                 -100

Inventory                                      110

Salaries & Wages Payable           80

Net cash flow from operating $300

Explanation:

In preparing the operating activities section of the Statement of Cash Flows, two methods are used.  The direct method and the indirect method.

The indirect method starts with the net income as the base and converts the income into cash flow through the use of adjustments.  The net income is first adjusted with non-cash items (such as depreciation expense) as well as non-operating gains and losses.  The direct method only takes the operating cash transactions into account to produce the cash flow from operations.  However, it is required that the direct method must provide a reconciliation of net income to the net cash provided by operations.