General
Ledgers
A general ledger, also known
as the nominal ledger, is one of the main accounting record of a
business using double-entry bookkeeping system. The accounts book
contains accounts for items including current assets, fixed assets,
liabilities, revenue and expense items, gains and losses etc.
It is a summary of all of the transactions that take in the company. It
is made by posting transactions recorded in the general journal.
A general ledger can be divided into certain categories in which all
accounts are grouped. They are:
- Asset
- Liability
- Owner's equity
- Revenue
- Expense
- Gains
- Losses
It acts as a base for making important financial statements including
income statement and balance sheet. It also helps to make a trial
balance, which further ensures that total debit and credit amounts are
equal.
A general ledger is further divided into sub-categories including:
- Cash
- Accounts receivable
- Accounts payable
Most companies worldwide are moving towards outsourcing their
general ledger maintenance to professional firms. These firms have staff
with professional training and comprehensive software for preparing
detailed accounting reports and ledgers.
Accounting firms provide services starting at a point where the clients
wants them to. These firms also help by developing the accounting system
further and making it more transparent and systematic.