Posting

Definition

Posting is the process of transferring journal entry information to the corresponding accounts in the general ledger. It involves recording the debit and credit amounts from the journal entries into the appropriate T-accounts, ensuring that the accounting equation remains balanced.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Posting ensures that the accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity) remains in balance after each transaction is recorded.
2. Posting from the journal to the ledger allows for the preparation of the trial balance, which is a key step in the accounting cycle.
3. Special journals, such as the sales journal and the purchases journal, are used to record specific types of transactions and are then posted to the general ledger.
4. Subsidiary ledgers, which contain detailed records of individual accounts, are also posted to the general ledger.
5. Accurate and timely posting is crucial for the integrity of the accounting records and the preparation of reliable financial statements.

Review Questions

• Explain the role of posting in the process of using journal entries to record transactions and post to T-accounts.
  • Posting is the crucial step that connects the journal entries to the T-accounts in the general ledger. After a transaction is recorded in the journal, the debit and credit amounts must be posted to the appropriate T-accounts. This ensures that the accounting equation remains in balance and that the general ledger accurately reflects all of the business's financial activity. Posting allows the accountant to track the running balances of each account and prepare the trial balance, which is a key step in the accounting cycle.
• Describe the purpose of special journals and how posting is used to record transactions in these journals.
  • Special journals, such as the sales journal and purchases journal, are used to efficiently record specific types of transactions. These specialized journals are then posted to the general ledger, where the individual debit and credit amounts are recorded in the appropriate T-accounts. Posting from the special journals to the general ledger allows the accountant to maintain detailed records of these transactions while also ensuring the overall integrity of the accounting system. This process is crucial for stakeholders, as it provides them with accurate and comprehensive financial information.
• Analyze how posting is used to prepare a subsidiary ledger and explain its importance to the general ledger.
  • Posting is essential for the preparation of subsidiary ledgers, which contain detailed records of individual accounts. As transactions are recorded in the journal, the relevant debit and credit amounts are posted to the appropriate T-accounts in the subsidiary ledgers. This detailed information is then summarized and posted to the corresponding accounts in the general ledger. The subsidiary ledgers provide a deeper level of detail that supports the balances shown in the general ledger, which is the foundation for the preparation of financial statements. Accurate and timely posting between the subsidiary ledgers and the general ledger ensures the reliability and usefulness of the accounting information for both internal and external stakeholders.

Related terms

Journal Entry:

A journal entry is the record of a financial transaction in the accounting journal, which includes the date, account names, debit and credit amounts, and a brief description of the transaction.

T-Account: A T-account is a visual representation of an account in the general ledger, with the debit amounts recorded on the left side and the credit amounts recorded on the right side.

General Ledger:

The general ledger is the central accounting record that summarizes all the transactions of a business, organized by account. It is the foundation for the preparation of financial statements.