Accounting Made Simple

How to Calculate Cost of Goods Sold (CoGS)

When using the periodic method of inventory, Cost of Goods Sold is calculated using the following equation:

Beginning Inventory
+
Inventory Purchases
-
Ending Inventory
=
Cost of Goods Sold
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Periodic Method of Inventory vs. Perpetual Method of Inventory
Under GAAP, there are two primary methods of keeping track of inventory: the perpetual method and the periodic method.
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How to Calculate Amortization Expense
Intangible assets are real, identifiable assets that are not physical objects. Common intangible assets include patents, copyrights, and trademarks.

Amortization is the process—very analogous to depreciation—in which an intangible asset’s cost is spread out over the asset’s life. Generally, intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of:

  • The asset’s expected useful life, or
  • The asset’s legal life.
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How to Calculate Depreciation Expense
When a company buys an asset that will probably last for greater than one year, the cost of that asset is not counted as an immediate expense. Rather, the cost is spread out over several years in a process known as depreciation.
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