Under GAAP,research and development costs are capitalized once a product or process has been developed.

GAAP

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, a collection of commonly-followed accounting rules and standards for financial reporting.

Research and Development

Activities undertaken by a business to develop new products or improve existing ones, often involving innovation and technological advancement.

Capitalized

The process of recording an expenditure as an asset, rather than an expense, allowing a company to spread out the cost over time.