Which of the following is not a step in the accounting cycle?

Projecting income is not a step in the accounting cycle because the accounting cycle primarily involves the process of recording, summarizing, and reporting a company’s financial transactions within a specific period. The key steps in the accounting cycle include classifying and recording transactions, preparing trial balances, and eventually preparing financial statements.

Projecting income, on the other hand, refers to forecasting future revenue based on various analyses, trends, and assumptions. While projecting income can be an important aspect of financial management and planning, it does not fit within the structured sequence of steps that comprise the accounting cycle, which is focused more on historical data and the organization of actual financial activity. This operational distinction is crucial for understanding both accounting practices and future financial strategies within the context of business management.