Matching Concept

This concept recognises that the determination of profit or loss on a particular accounting
period is a problem of matching the expired cost allocated to an activity period. In other words,
the expenses which are actually incurred during a specific activity period, in order to earn the
revenue for the said period must be matched against the revenue which are realised for that
period. For this pruposes, expenses which are specially incurred for earning the revenue of the
related period are to be considered. In short, all expenses incurred during the activity period
must not be taken. Only relevant cost should be deducted from the revenue of a period for
periodic income statement, i.e., the expenses that are related to the accounting period shall be
considered for the purpose of matching. This process of relating costs to revenue is called
matching process. It should be remembered that cost of fixed asset is not taken but only the
depreciation on such fixed asset related to the accounting period is taken (For the purpose of
matching, prepaid expenses are excluded from the total cost but outstanding expenses are
added to the total cost for ascertaining the cost related to the period). Like costs all revenues
earned during the period are not taken, but revenue which are related to the accounting period
are considered.
Application of matching concept creates some problems which are noted below:
(a) Some special items of expenses e.g. preliminary expenses, expenses in connection
with the issue of shares and debentures, advertisement expenses etc., cannot be easily
identified and match against revenues of a particular period.
(b) Another problem is that how much of the capital expenditure should be written off
by way of depreciation for a particulr period for matching against revenue creates
the problems of finding out the expected life of the asset. As such, accurate matching
is not possible.
(c) In case of long term contracts usually, amount is not received in proportion to the
work done. As a result, expenditures which are carried forward and not related to
the income received, may create some problems.