How does budgeting work, and how is it useful? What are standard costs and how do they help in controlling production? How can a balanced scorecard improve control? ‘Accounting as control’ looks at some ways in which accounting can be used by managers to control their organizations. The two main high-level purposes of budgeting are to optimize the use of the economic resources within the firm in order to maximize profit, and to help the firm to achieve its overall strategic objectives. Six aspects of budgeting are considered: planning, motivation, delegation, communication/coordination, control, and performance evaluation. Cash flow forecasts, flexible budgeting, zero-base budgeting, standard costings, and balanced scorecards are also explained.