The Trial Balance and its Significance in the Accounting Process
Trial Balance is a list of closing balances of ledger accounts on a certain date and is the first step towards the preparation of financial statements. It is usually prepared at the end of an accounting period to assist in the drafting of financial statements. The report is primarily used to ensure that the total of all debits equals the total of all credits, which means that there are no unbalanced journal entries in the accounting system. Ledger balances are segregated into debit balances and credit balances. If all accounting entries are recorded correctly and all the ledger balances are accurately extracted, the total of all debit balances appearing in the trial balance must equal to the sum of all credit balances.
Trial balance ensures that for every debit entry recorded, a corresponding credit entry has been recorded in the books in accordance with the double entry concept of accounting. If the totals of the trial balance do not agree, the differences may be investigated and resolved before financial statements are prepared.
Ledger accounts are closed at the end of each accounting period by calculating the totals of debit and credit sides of a ledger. The difference between the sum of debits and credits is known as the closing balance. This is the amount which is posted in the trial balance
If there are subsidiaries in an organization that report their results to a parent company, the parent may request an ending trial balance from each subsidiary, which it uses to prepare consolidated results for the entire company.
Types of Trial Balance
Un-Adjusted trial balance
When the trial balance is first printed, it is called the un-adjusted trial balance.
Adjusted trial balance
Then, when the accounting team corrects any errors found and makes adjustments to bring the financial statements into compliance with an accounting framework (such as GAAP or IFRS), the report is called the adjusted trial balance.
Post-closing trial balance
The adjusted trial balance is typically printed and stored in the year-end book, which is then archived. Finally, after the period has been closed, the report is called the post-closing trial balance.
Trial Balance Format
The initial trial balance report contains the following columns:
1. Account number
2. Account name
3. Ending debit balance (if any)
4. Ending credit balance (if any)
Each line item only contains the ending balance in an account. All accounts having an ending balance are listed in the trial balance;
Limitations of a trial balance
Trial Balance only confirms that the total of all debit balances match the total of all credit balances. Trial balance totals may agree in spite of errors. An example would be an incorrect debit entry being offset by an equal credit entry. Likewise, a trial balance gives no proof that certain transactions have not been recorded at all because in such case, both debit and credit sides of a transaction would be omitted causing the trial balance totals to still agree. Types of accounting errors and their effect on trial balance are more fully discussed in the section on Suspense Accounts.
How to prepare a Trial Balance
Following Steps are involved in the preparation of a Trial Balance:
1. All Ledger Accounts are closed at the end of an accounting period.
2. Ledger balances are posted into the trial balance.
3. Trial Balance is prepared and errors are identified.
4. Erred Entries may be posted to Suspense Account Unless Approrpiate Rectification is identified.
5. Errors identified earlier are rectified by posting corrective entries.
6. After the Posting the Adjustments are incorporated in Traila balance. They can be specifically noted in order to highlight the Adjustments.
Trial Balance is a list of closing balances of ledger accounts on a certain date and is the first step towards the preparation of financial statements. It is usually prepared at the end of an accounting period to assist in the drafting of financial statements. The report is primarily used to ensure that the total of all debits equals the total of all credits, which means that there are no unbalanced journal entries in the accounting system. Ledger balances are segregated into debit balances and credit balances. If all accounting entries are recorded correctly and all the ledger balances are accurately extracted, the total of all debit balances appearing in the trial balance must equal to the sum of all credit balances.
Trial balance ensures that for every debit entry recorded, a corresponding credit entry has been recorded in the books in accordance with the double entry concept of accounting. If the totals of the trial balance do not agree, the differences may be investigated and resolved before financial statements are prepared.
Ledger accounts are closed at the end of each accounting period by calculating the totals of debit and credit sides of a ledger. The difference between the sum of debits and credits is known as the closing balance. This is the amount which is posted in the trial balance
If there are subsidiaries in an organization that report their results to a parent company, the parent may request an ending trial balance from each subsidiary, which it uses to prepare consolidated results for the entire company.
Types of Trial Balance
Un-Adjusted trial balance
When the trial balance is first printed, it is called the un-adjusted trial balance.
Adjusted trial balance
Then, when the accounting team corrects any errors found and makes adjustments to bring the financial statements into compliance with an accounting framework (such as GAAP or IFRS), the report is called the adjusted trial balance.
Post-closing trial balance
The adjusted trial balance is typically printed and stored in the year-end book, which is then archived. Finally, after the period has been closed, the report is called the post-closing trial balance.
Trial Balance Format
The initial trial balance report contains the following columns:
1. Account number
2. Account name
3. Ending debit balance (if any)
4. Ending credit balance (if any)
Each line item only contains the ending balance in an account. All accounts having an ending balance are listed in the trial balance;
Limitations of a trial balance
Trial Balance only confirms that the total of all debit balances match the total of all credit balances. Trial balance totals may agree in spite of errors. An example would be an incorrect debit entry being offset by an equal credit entry. Likewise, a trial balance gives no proof that certain transactions have not been recorded at all because in such case, both debit and credit sides of a transaction would be omitted causing the trial balance totals to still agree. Types of accounting errors and their effect on trial balance are more fully discussed in the section on Suspense Accounts.
How to prepare a Trial Balance
Following Steps are involved in the preparation of a Trial Balance:
1. All Ledger Accounts are closed at the end of an accounting period.
2. Ledger balances are posted into the trial balance.
3. Trial Balance is prepared and errors are identified.
4. Erred Entries may be posted to Suspense Account Unless Approrpiate Rectification is identified.
5. Errors identified earlier are rectified by posting corrective entries.
6. After the Posting the Adjustments are incorporated in Traila balance. They can be specifically noted in order to highlight the Adjustments.
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