Journalizing transactions is an essential aspect of maintaining accurate financial records for your company. These journal entries serve as a means to collect and organize transaction data. They play a crucial role in generating financial reports and facilitating the tax filing process. In this article, we will delve into the significance of journal entries, their purpose, and provide instructions on how to create them effectively.
Understanding Journal Entries
Journal entries are used to record and track financial transactions. These entries entail the inputting of transaction details into your company’s books. They constitute the second step in the accounting cycle, wherein the recorded journal entries are subsequently transferred to the general ledger.
A standard journal entry comprises the transaction date, amount, and description. Additionally, it may include affected accounts with their corresponding account numbers, a reference number such as a check number, and a brief transaction description.
In case you employ accounting software or hire an accounting professional, your journal entries may not require direct involvement from you. Such entries are automatically generated in the backend to ensure the accuracy and up-to-dateness of your accounts.
The Importance of Journal Entries
By posting business transactions in accounting journals, you create a foundation for the general ledger. The general ledger, in turn, serves as the basis for generating crucial financial statements such as the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. These financial statements provide valuable insights into your company’s performance, enabling you to assess its overall financial health and aiding in accurate tax reporting.
NomersBiz Can Help You!
Creating diary entries and analyzing transaction data can be time-consuming. However, with NomersBiz, a qualified bookkeeper can handle this task for you. By entering and evaluating transaction data, we eliminate the need for manual journal entries, guesswork regarding transaction classification, or searching for missing information. NomersBiz takes care of everything, ensuring efficient and accurate bookkeeping processes.
Methods of Bookkeeping
There are two primary methods of bookkeeping: single-entry and double-entry. Double-entry bookkeeping, the more common approach, functions like a GPS, showing both the origin and destination of money. It provides a comprehensive view of where funds are coming from and where they are going.
Single-entry bookkeeping is relatively simpler. It involves recording money spent on office supplies and noting sales made without necessarily tracking the accounts used for funding purchases or receiving sales deposits.
To illustrate how journal entries work, we will focus on double-entry examples.
Common Journal Entry Examples
The specific journals you use for bookkeeping depend on your business type. They are generally categorized as general journals and special journals.
General journals encompass entries that do not fit into special diaries, such as interest income or expenses. They can also accommodate adjusting entries.
Special journals, also known as accounts, are used to record day-to-day transactions in your accounting system. Your chart of accounts contains a list of these special journals. Commonly used account names include:
- Sales: Income from sales
- Accounts receivable: Amounts owed to your company
- Cash receipts: Money received
- Sales return: Refunds for sales
- Purchases: Money paid for purchases
- Accounts payable: Amounts owed by your company
- Equity: Includes retained earnings and owner’s investments
