Finance and accounting are the backbone of any organization. Yet plenty of executives and businesspeople are befuddled and intimidated by number crunching. Now there's a complete, concise, non-technical guide to grasping all the essentials of accounting -- and directly applying financial data. Readers will learn how to: * pinpoint the most profitable products or sales regions * figure the rate of return from a capital investment * make internal management reports more useful * understand and prepare a statement of cash flows Its straightforward approach will appeal to all managers and executives who need a practical, comprehensible lesson in using financial analysis to set key business goals, measure results, and make smart decisions.