To prove the work, first find the balances of all ledger accounts and enter the amounts in the debit and credit columns on journal paper—as for a trial balance. Foot and find the difference between the two columns. Next foot the order book, day book, cash book, or any other books from which posting is done, and list the totals which should be posted to debit and credit of ledger accounts. Foot and find the difference.

SAMPLE TRANSACTIONS

8. For the first demonstration of single entry bookkeeping, we have selected a small retail business, using transactions which have been used to illustrate a double entry set. This set is kept in the most simple manner possible, the books used being journal, cash book, and ledger.

The business is opened by Wm. Webster on the 21st day of November, 190-. He is to conduct a retail grocery business and has rented a store from Wm. Bristol at a monthly rental of $30.00. His resources consist of cash, $600.00; a stock of groceries, $946.50; personal accounts due him as follows: Henry Norton $25.00, L. B. Jenkins $22.70. His liabilities consist of two accounts, as follows: Brewster & Co., $115.20; Warsaw Milling Co., $64.00. The opening entry recording the above, is made in the journal as in double entry, but only personal items are posted. Cash is transferred to the cash book.

CUTTING OFF DEPARTMENT IN THE PLANT OF THE UNION TWIST DRILL CO., ATHOL, MASS.

—Nov. 21—
Sold to Henry Norton on account
10# sugar5½¢$.55
2 cans corn .25
1 can peas .15
3# rice .30
1.25
—21—
Sold to John Smallwood on account
5# butter $1.00
4# lard .50
1 doz. eggs .25
1.75
—21—
Cash sales 14.10
—22—
Sold to Harry Webster on account
7 bars Lenox soap .25
1 pkg. gold dust .20
1 pkg. matches .15
¼ bbl. flour 1.35
1.95
—22—
Bought for cash
10 doz. eggs.212.10
—23—
Bought from H. Kling & Co. on account
244# hams.12½22.50
201# lard.07½15.08
45.58
—23—
Sold to F. W. Bradley on account
2 bu. potatoes 1.60
—23—
Sold to C. D. Glover on account
1 bbl. apples 3.25
5 gal. vinegar 1.25
4.50
—23—
Cash sales 13.20
—24—
Sold to A. C. Maybury on account
1# bkg. powder $.50
1# corn starch .10
1# soda .10
1 pkg. jello .20
.90
—24—
Sold to John Smallwood on account
2# cheese .32
1 bottle vanilla .35
1# coffee .35
1# tea .60
1.62
—24—
Bought from John Smallwood on account
100 bu. potato.6060.00
—24—
Paid John Smallwood
Cash on account 25.00
—24—
Cash sales 15.00
—25—
Paid Brewster & Co.
Cash on account 115.20
—25—
Sold to L. B. Jenkins on account
½# pepper .20
12# ham.141.68
1.88
—25—
Received from Henry Norton
Cash 26.25
—25—
Cash sales 13.00
—26—
Credited Wm. Bristol
for one month's rent $30.00
—26—
Sold to Wm. Bristol on account
11# ham.141.54
1 qt. bottle olives .50
2# coffee .70
20# sugar.05½1.10
3.84
—26—
Sold to C. D. Glover on account
¼ bbl. flour 1.35
1# bkg. powder .50
7 cks. borax soap .25
2.10
—26—
Paid cash for clerk hire 8.00
—26—
Cash sales 18.70
—28—
Sold to H. N. Shaw on account
1 bu. potatoes .80
1 doz. cans corn 1.50
2.30
—28—
Sold to Watkins Hotel Co. on account
10 bu. potatoes.757.50
50# lard.105.00
20# ham..13½2.70
15.20
—28—
Cash sales 9.45
—29—
Bought from Lowell & Sons on account
500# sugar.04¾$23.75
50 gal. molasses.3015.00
38.75
—29—
Bought from Star Salt Co. on account
10 bbls. salt.808.00
—29—
Sold to R. H. Sherman on account
1# coffee .25
1# chocolate .45
1 qt. olive oil 1.35
¼# ginger .15
¼# pepper .15
1 pkg. mince meat .10
2# lard .25
2.70
—29—
Cash sales 14.35
—30—
Received from F. W. Bradley on account
Cash 1.60
—30—
Paid Warsaw Milling Co. on account
Cash 64.00
—30—
Sold to John Smallwood on account
1 bbl. salt 1.10
—30—
Sold to D. E. Johnson on account
10# lard.101.00
1# bkg. powder .50
1 pk. apples .35
1.85
—30—
Bought for cash
5 bu. apples1.00$5.00
—30—
Cash sales 17.90

At the close of business, Nov. 30, the ledger is proved, in accordance with the rules given in Art. 7. All open accounts in the ledger are listed on ordinary journal ruled paper and the balances extended to the debit and credit columns. These columns are footed, the total of the credit columns being $1,564.02, and of the debit column, $56.08. Subtracting the latter from the former, we find the difference to be $1,507.94. The total postings—debit and credit—from the journal and the cash book are then entered and added, the total debit postings being $296.44, and the total credit postings, $1,804.38. The former deducted from the latter leaves $1,564.02, which agrees with the difference in the ledger balances. This proves the correctness of the postings to the ledger, and takes the place of the trial balance used in the double entry method.

Single Entry Journal