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Microlesson · 5-min read

Introduction and Scope of AS 7

## AS 7 – Construction Contracts: Introduction and Scope

### Who Does AS 7 Apply To?

AS 7 applies to the contractor's financial statements — not the contractee (customer). It governs how a contractor recognises revenue and expenses on long-term construction projects.

### What Qualifies as a Construction Contract?

Any contract specifically negotiated for the construction of:

  • Buildings, roads, highways, bridges
  • Towers, dams, multi-asset complexes

### Core Objective

Match revenue recognition to the stage of work completed each year — preventing front-loading or back-loading of profits.

### Two Types of Construction Contracts

TypeDescription
Fixed Price ContractContractor agrees to a fixed price; may include escalation clauses and incentive payments
Cost Plus ContractContractor is reimbursed for allowable costs plus a percentage fee on top

### Why the Complexity?

Construction contracts often span multiple accounting periods. The challenge is determining how much revenue and cost to recognise in each period's P&L — AS 7 solves this through the Percentage Completion Method.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Applying AS 7 to the customer's books — it only governs the contractor's financial statements.
  • Confusing fixed price contracts (agreed price, contractor bears cost risk) with cost plus contracts (customer bears cost risk).
  • Treating AS 7 as optional for long-term contracts — it is mandatory for all qualifying construction contracts.
Bare-Act text Objective and Scope (Para 1–5) · AS 7 – Construction Contracts · click to expand
AS 7 prescribes the accounting treatment of revenue and costs associated with construction contracts. Because of the nature of the activity undertaken in construction contracts, the date at which the contract activity is entered into and the date when the activity is completed usually fall into different accounting periods.
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