What is the Time Period Principle?

The time period principle is the concept that a business should report the financial results of its activities over a standard time period, which is usually monthly, quarterly, or annually. Once the duration of each reporting period is established, use the guidelines of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or International Financial Reporting Standards to record transactions within each period.

Reasons for the Time Period Principle

The time period principle is rigorously enforced, because a high degree of consistency is needed in reporting financial statements. By following this principle, your organization can produce financial statements that are comparable to the results reported for prior years. This is needed by investors, lenders, and others who read the financial statements, and who may want to conduct multi-period analyses.

Presentation of the Time Period in Financial Statements

You must include in the header of a financial statement the time period covered by the statement. For example, an income statement or statement of cash flows may cover the "Eight Months ended August 31." However, the balance sheet is dated as of a specific date, rather than for a range of dates. Thus, a balance sheet header might state "as of August 31," because it contains asset, liability, and equity account balances as of August 31.