Free General Ledger Templates

The general ledger takes the entries of the financial transactions from the accounting journal, stated in debits and credits, and breaks up the entries into their separate accounts. Also known as an accounting ledger, the general ledger serves as the record for a business’s financial data. This ledger is used to record each transaction and uses a trial balance to validate the information. Use this simple general ledger template to gain insight into your business’s financial data and debit and credit accounting records. Add the account name and number, item date and details, and post reference, such as asset, liability, or revenue for each transaction. Then, enter the debit or credit figures so that you can account for every transaction and determine your bottom line.

Further, the Trial Balance ensures that the information contained in your Ledger Accounts is accurate. Therefore, you can further use the accurate amounts showcased in your Trial Balance to prepare the financial statements. Subledger is also known for being the subset of the general ledger in the accounting world. In other words, we can say that the subledger is a part of the general ledger. The trial balance, though, has no connection with the general ledger (it is a statement or worksheet where all the records of debit and credit entries are stored in two equal columns).

There are several kinds of ledgers that you may use in the course of bookkeeping for your business. Most accounting software will compile some of these ledgers together while still letting you view them independently. Depending on the size of your business and what your business does, you may not need to use all of them. Here are some common types to be aware of and when to use them, beginning with a general ledger of course. A ledger is where the most important information necessary to create financial statements is located. The general ledger is where the data from other ledgers (as well as any journals not accounted for in a ledger to this point) is added.

The debit and credit format makes the ledger look similar to a trial balance. Other ledger formats list individual transaction details along with account balances. With journal corrections in mind, balances in the general leger are compared against financial data, such as bank statements.

How to Create a General Ledger

A ledger, also called a general ledger, is a record of a business’s financial transactions. It summarises all the revenue and expenses of the business, plus the debts owed and assets owned. This information in a general ledger is used to produce a trial balance, balance sheet, profit and loss (P&L) statement, cash flow statement, and other financial reports. Simply defined, the general journal refers to a book of original entries, in which accountants and bookkeepers record raw business transactions, in order according to the date events occur. A general journal is the first place where data is recorded, and every page in the item features dividing columns for dates, serial numbers, as well as debit or credit records.

• Thus, we also refer to the general ledger as the ‘set of master accounts’ since it contains all the information in the subledgers.
• See our free small business bookkeeping resources for additional bookkeeping tools.
• An accounting ledger records transactions and helps generate financial statements for investors, creditors, or even regulators.
• This template enables you to enter the balance from your bank statement or subledger and from your general ledger to determine whether you need to adjust amounts.
• Depending on the size of your business and what your business does, you may not need to use all of them.

The process begins by gathering the information for each account in review, then examining any journal entries which have been made to correct errors in the ledger. A general ledger is the master set of accounts that summarize all transactions occurring within an entity. The general ledger contains all of the accounts currently being used in a chart of accounts, and is sorted by account number. Either individual transactions or summary-level postings from subsidiary-level ledgers are listed within each account number, sorted by transaction date.

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The phrase “keeping the books” refers to maintaining a general ledger, the main accounting record for your business if you use double-entry bookkeeping. Use this small business general ledger template to oversee transactions and track your small business’s overall fiscal health. At the top of the ledger, enter the account information and reporting period. For each transaction, record the date, details, post reference, and debit and credit figures to keep an accurate record of all transactions. Use this sample general ledger template with example text and figures to track financial transactions. Enter each transaction date, account type, general ledger account name and number, vendor or client name, and debit or credit figures.

General Ledger

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A ledger is often referred to as the book of second entry because business events are first recorded in journals. After the journals are complete for the period, the account summaries are posted to the ledger. The bookkeeper typically places the account title at the top of the “T” and records debit entries on the left side and credit entries on the right.

Importance of a general ledger

These accounts provide information that helps you in preparing your business’ financial statements. These financial statements include the income statement and balance sheet. Your general ledger provides necessary information to create financial statements, like your business balance sheet, cash flow statement, and income statement. Your financial statements can give you a clear snapshot of your business’s financial well-being.

General Journal vs. General Ledger

That is, at any point in time, the resources or the assets of your business must equate to the claims of owners and outsiders. When a company receives payment from a client for the sale of a product, the cash received is tabulated in net sales along with the receipts from other sales and returns. The cost of sales is subtracted from that sum to yield the gross profit for that reporting period. The transactions in a general ledger are organised into five main types; assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses. The transactions are recorded in the general journal first, then the related accounts in the general journal will go to the general ledger.

While this is just a partial list, remember that any transaction made by your business will always affect your general ledger accounts accordingly. One of the best ways to better manage your expenses is to view in detail exactly what you’re paying each month. For example, the GL code for an accounts receivable might be account #105. GL codes aren’t substitutes for descriptive account names, but they’re a useful tool for rapid data entry and effective organization. For example, on January 2, 2021, say you buy $4,000 worth of inventory with cash. Here is the general ledger entry with the corresponding journal entry.