Difference between revisions of "How do I enter an opening trial balance?"

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(Posting the Opening Trial Balance)
 
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== Summary ==
 
== Summary ==
If you are a new customer to Platinum, or are using our accounts for the first time, you will need to [[Posting Journals|journal]] in all of the  balances from your current profit and loss and balance sheet into Platinum. The figures can be obtained from your existing accounts system or from your accountant, and is generally referred to as an opening trial balance.  The following article explains the process required.
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If you are a new customer to Platinum, or are using our accounts for the first time, you will need to [[Posting journals|journal]] an opening Trial Balance into Platinum.
  
 
== More Information ==
 
== More Information ==
== Posting the Opening Trial Balance ==
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The opening Trial Balance figures can be obtained from your existing accounts system or from your accountant.
The opening trial balance can be extracted from your existing accounting system or provided by your accountant. The balances need to be entered onto the Nominal Ledger using [[Posting Journals#Multiple Entry|Journal Entries - Multiple Entry]].
 
  
* Enter the date at which the figures have been taken. Depending on how your system is set up, this will be the last day of the relevant month, or the first day of the following month.  
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=== Posting the Opening Trial Balance ===
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The balances need to be entered onto the {{NL}} using [[Posting journals#Multiple Entry|Journal Entries]].
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* Set the {{DataPrompt|Entry mode}} to {{DataValue|Multiple}}.
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* Set {{DataPrompt|Reversing?}} to {{DataValue|No}}.
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* Enter the date at which the figures have been taken. Depending on how your system is set up, this will be the last day of the relevant month, or the first day of the following month.
 
* Enter each centre from the Trial Balance, ignoring Sales Control, Purchase Control and Profit to Date for now.
 
* Enter each centre from the Trial Balance, ignoring Sales Control, Purchase Control and Profit to Date for now.
* Enter each value from the trial balance sheet as a positive amount if the value sits in the debit column and a negative amount if it is in the credit column.
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* Enter each value from the trial balance as an amount in the appropriate Debit(+) or Credit(-) column.
* Enter an appropriate comment such as {{DataValue|Op. Bal.}}.
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* Enter an suitable comment such as {{DataValue|Op. Bal.}}.
* Once all the centres are on, post the balance remaining to Z995 Profit To Date. This should be the figures for the Debtors and Creditors.
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* Once all the values (apart from the ones listed above) are on, post the balance remaining to Z995 - Profit To Date. You should be left with just the figures for the Debtors and Creditors.
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{{Note|text= The Nett amount for the journal should always be {{DataValue|Zero.}}}}
  
{{Note|text=The values for Sales and Purchase Control should have been reached by posting the Opening Balances onto each individual Customer and Supplier Account through the Sales and Purchase Ledgers.}}
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{{Warning|text=The values for Sales and Purchase Control should have been reached by posting the Opening Balances onto each individual Customer and Supplier Account through the {{SL}} and {{PL}}. Therefore you should not post these balances to the Platinum control accounts; Z993 and Z994. If you are operating a Cash Accounting system you should instead post the balance to Z990.}}
  
If you find any differences between the opening values for the Sales and Purchase Control centres, and the opening balances you have posted onto the Sales and Purchase ledgers, try to identify where the differences are e.g. have you posted a new invoice as an opening balance which wasn’t in the Sales or Purchase Control when the opening balances were calculated; has the accountant written any debts off as bad debts; have you paid any invoices again which were unpaid when the balances were calculated etc. Make any corrections through the Sales or Purchase Ledgers or contact Software Support for help if you are unsure how to proceed.  
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If you find any differences between the opening values for the Sales and Purchase Control centres and the opening balances you have posted onto the {{SL}} and {{PL}}, try to identify where the differences are - for example, have you posted extra invoices after the opening trial balance was printed? Has the accountant written any debts off as bad debts? Have you paid off any invoices in the old system which were unpaid when the trial balance was printed? Make any corrections through the relevant customer or supplier accounts in the {{SL}} or {{PL}} or contact your consultant if you are unsure how to proceed.
  
 
{{Warning|text=DO NOT journal into or out of Z993/Z994 (Purchase/Sales Control) in order to correct these differences.  These centres are for system postings ONLY.}}
 
{{Warning|text=DO NOT journal into or out of Z993/Z994 (Purchase/Sales Control) in order to correct these differences.  These centres are for system postings ONLY.}}
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* Print a trial balance to check the figures against the list that you were using.
 
* Print a trial balance to check the figures against the list that you were using.
  
== See Also ==
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== See also ==
*[[What do I do if my Trial Balance Doesn't Balance?]]
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* [[What do I do if my Trial Balance Doesn't Balance?]]
*[[What should I consider at month end?]]
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* [[What should I consider at month end?]]
*[[How to process a month end]]
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* [[How to process a month end]]
  
{{KB_Tags|open, opening, balance, trial, posting}}{{KB_NL}}{{ZN_Accounts}}
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{{KB_Tags|open, opening, balance, trial, posting}}
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{{How}}{{KB_NL}}{{ZN_Accounts}}

Latest revision as of 08:06, 3 August 2022

Summary

If you are a new customer to Platinum, or are using our accounts for the first time, you will need to journal an opening Trial Balance into Platinum.

More Information

The opening Trial Balance figures can be obtained from your existing accounts system or from your accountant.

Posting the Opening Trial Balance

The balances need to be entered onto the Nominal Ledger using Journal Entries.

  • Set the "Entry mode" to 'Multiple'.
  • Set "Reversing?" to 'No'.
  • Enter the date at which the figures have been taken. Depending on how your system is set up, this will be the last day of the relevant month, or the first day of the following month.
  • Enter each centre from the Trial Balance, ignoring Sales Control, Purchase Control and Profit to Date for now.
  • Enter each value from the trial balance as an amount in the appropriate Debit(+) or Credit(-) column.
  • Enter an suitable comment such as 'Op. Bal.'.
  • Once all the values (apart from the ones listed above) are on, post the balance remaining to Z995 - Profit To Date. You should be left with just the figures for the Debtors and Creditors.
The Nett amount for the journal should always be 'Zero.'
The values for Sales and Purchase Control should have been reached by posting the Opening Balances onto each individual Customer and Supplier Account through the Sales Ledger and Purchase Ledger. Therefore you should not post these balances to the Platinum control accounts; Z993 and Z994. If you are operating a Cash Accounting system you should instead post the balance to Z990.

If you find any differences between the opening values for the Sales and Purchase Control centres and the opening balances you have posted onto the Sales Ledger and Purchase Ledger, try to identify where the differences are - for example, have you posted extra invoices after the opening trial balance was printed? Has the accountant written any debts off as bad debts? Have you paid off any invoices in the old system which were unpaid when the trial balance was printed? Make any corrections through the relevant customer or supplier accounts in the Sales Ledger or Purchase Ledger or contact your consultant if you are unsure how to proceed.

DO NOT journal into or out of Z993/Z994 (Purchase/Sales Control) in order to correct these differences. These centres are for system postings ONLY.
  • Print a trial balance to check the figures against the list that you were using.

See also


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Keywords AND Misspellings
open, opening, balance, trial, posting