Report comparison and analysis questions, answered
Comparison and analysis reports in fiscal50 put numbers side by side. The income statement can be compared with the prior year or split by location and special category, and historical balance sheets and comparisons show how your position changed over time. Common-size statements show each line as a percentage, and the financial ratios, cash position and working capital reports measure liquidity and performance. These questions explain what each report shows and how it is worked out.
- Income Statement by Location & Special Category
- Historical Comparison
- Historical Balance Sheets
- Income Statement vs Prior Year
- Common-Size Income Statement
- Common-Size Balance Sheet
- Financial Ratios
- Cash Position
- Working Capital
- Working Capital to Total Assets
Updated
Income Statement by Location & Special Category
Why can't I click some names?
Groups, totals and calculated lines aren't accounts. Account names are links only when the report is open inside fiscal50.
Why is a transaction missing from every location?
It has no location on its lines, or no item lines at all (such as a deposit straight to an income account), so it is in the All column only. Choose a location on the invoice or bill in fiscal50, then click Apply filter.
Can I compare a location and a special category together?
Yes. In the Columns box pick both for one column.
Why does the ledger show more than the column?
An account's name opens its whole ledger for the report's dates, every location included. Use the General Ledger's Location and Special Category filters to narrow it.
Historical Comparison
What does (Historical) mean?
The year is before your books start in fiscal50, so its figures come from the year-end snapshot uploaded in Historical Balance Sheets.
Why does a year show No data?
Your books don't cover it and no snapshot was uploaded for it. In the Income Statement view, a year whose snapshot holds balance sheet lines only shows No data too.
Can I see more than five years?
Choose Last 6 fiscal years, or Custom dates covering more years (with more than 6 years the change columns are left out).
Why is there no Display By choice?
This report always shows one column per financial year.
Historical Balance Sheets
What are historical balance sheets?
Year-end balance sheet snapshots for years before your fiscal50 books start date, kept in fiscal50 for reference and comparison.
Can I upload a year my fiscal50 books already cover?
No. Only fiscal years that ended before your books start date can be uploaded.
Can I upload several years at once?
No. Upload one fiscal year at a time, and repeat for each year.
Income Statement vs Prior Year
Which dates is my period compared with?
The same dates one year earlier. Choosing March 2026 compares it with March 2025.
Can I compare two different periods, such as March with February?
Use the Income Statement with Multiple columns and Display type Months; this report always compares with the same period last year.
Why does a line show New?
It had nothing in the same period last year, so no percentage can be worked out.
Can I show more than one period?
No — this report has one period and its prior year. For several years side by side use the Historical Comparison.
Common-Size Income Statement
Why is a line above 100 %?
Its amount is larger than total income — for example product sales when returns are negative. The groups and totals still add up.
What is my gross margin?
The percentage on the Gross Profit line.
Why are there no percentages in a period?
That period's Total Operating Income is zero, so nothing can be divided by it.
Common-Size Balance Sheet
Why are liabilities shown as a percentage of assets?
Assets = liabilities + equity, so both sides are shown against the same base: together they are 100 %.
What is my debt ratio?
The percentage on the Total Liabilities line.
Why is a percentage negative?
The balance is in brackets, such as accumulated depreciation.
Financial Ratios
Why does a ratio show —?
The figure it divides by is zero or below — for example no current liabilities, or no income in the period.
Why are the liquidity ratios missing?
None of your account groups is named as current (Current Assets, Current Liabilities …). A note under the report says so.
Are returns annualized?
No. For part of a year they are for that part only.
Where do the figures come from?
From the Balance Sheet and Income Statement for the same dates and method, and from the Cash Flow (worked out from the accrual books) for the cash ratios; they are listed at the end of the report.
Cash Position
Which accounts are listed?
The active bank accounts and credit cards set up in fiscal50, and petty cash.
Why is a credit card in brackets?
A card's balance is what you owe on it.
How is this different from the Cash Flow?
The Cash Flow explains the change in cash by activity; Cash Position shows each account's balance and movements.
Working Capital
What is working capital?
Current assets − current liabilities: what the business has to run on after paying the bills due within a year.
Why is my working capital negative?
Your current liabilities — bills, card balances and other debts due within a year — are more than your current assets on that date.
Which accounts count as current?
The balance sheet's account groups named as current: Current Assets, Bank, Accounts Receivable, Inventory and the like; Current Liabilities, Accounts Payable, Credit Card and the like.
Why aren't equipment or long-term loans included?
They aren't current: equipment isn't turned into cash within a year, and long-term loans aren't due within a year.
Working Capital to Total Assets
What is the Working Capital to Total Assets ratio?
Working capital (current assets − current liabilities) divided by total assets, as a percentage: how much of what the business owns is free working capital.
What does a negative ratio mean?
Working capital is below zero: the bills due within a year are more than the current assets.
Why did my ratio drop after buying equipment?
Cash went down and total assets went up, so working capital fell and the base grew.
What is included in total assets?
Every asset on the Balance Sheet — current assets, fixed assets and other assets — on the same date.
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