One of the chief advantages of the loose leaf ledger is that all "dead" matter can be removed. When a sheet becomes filled, it can be removed to another binder called a transfer binder, and a new sheet put in its place. Or if the account be permanently closed, it is transferred, leaving only live accounts in the ledger. When new accounts are to be opened, it is only necessary to insert additional sheets. There is no transferring of all accounts from one ledger to another as with bound books, for the loose leaf ledger is never filled. If the number of sheets increases beyond the capacity of the binder, the ledger can be divided by transferring a part of the sheets to a new binder.
The ruling of loose leaf ledger sheets is the same as in bound books, the forms usually being made to fit the business. A sheet with a conventional form of ruling is illustrated.
23. Card Ledgers. For certain classes of accounts, the card ledger is very desirable. It is well adapted for a sales ledger in a business having a large number of customers, and especially so if the nature of the business is such that the purchases of a customer are infrequent. In many businesses handling a single line of goods known as seasonable, sales are made in the spring and fall so that a customer purchases practically an entire year's supply in two orders.
Fig. 21 a. Ledger Card for Dentists
The card ledger is largely used in banks for keeping accounts with depositors in the savings department. A card 5 inches x 8 inches in size gives room for forty items on each side, and for the average savings account will last more than two years.
Some advantages claimed for the card ledger are:
First: Dead records are eliminated, as filled cards and closed accounts are transferred to a separate file, leaving only open accounts in the current file.
Second: It can be expanded to any size, which makes it ideal for business with a large number of customers. The opening of a new account, or re-opening of a closed account, is accomplished by merely dropping a card in the right place.
Third: The labor of making trial balances is greatly reduced, as there are no closed accounts to refer to in the current file.