A change in accounting policy should be made in the following conditions:
(i) If the change is required by some statute or for compliance with an Accounting Standard.
(ii) Change would result in more appropriate presentation of the financial statement.
Change in accounting policy may have a material effect on the items of financial statements. For example, if depreciation method is changed from straight-line method to written-down value method, or if cost formula used for inventory valuation is changed from weighted average to FIFO, or if interest is capitalized which was earlier not in practice, or if proportionate amount of interest is changed to inventory which was earlier not the practice, all these may increase or decrease the net profit. Unless the effect of such change in accounting policy is quantified, the financial statements may not help the users of accounts. Therefore, it is necessary to quantify the effect of change on financial statement items like assets, liabilities, profit / loss.