Accounting explained

Accounting, explained with one shop's books.

Sixteen plain-language explainers that follow Sri Lakshmi Stores, a kirana in Mysuru, through one financial year — from the first journal entry to closing the books on 31 March.

Reference

Glossary A–Z

Short definitions of billing, GST and accounting terms, each linked to its full page.

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Accounting explained

Journal Entry

What a journal entry is, the format with debit and credit columns, and six entries from a real shop year.

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Accounting explained

Trial Balance

The list of every ledger balance that proves the books agree, with a full trial balance for a shop.

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Accounting explained

Profit and Loss Statement

How a P&L turns sales and costs into gross and net profit, with a full statement for a shop.

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Accounting explained

Balance Sheet

What a balance sheet shows, the format, and a complete balance sheet for a shop that balances.

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Accounting explained

Double-Entry Bookkeeping

Why every transaction has two sides, the accounting equation, and a month of entries that keep it in balance.

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Accounting explained

Golden Rules of Accounting

The three traditional rules for personal, real and nominal accounts, with examples from a shop.

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Accounting explained

Debit and Credit

What debit and credit mean, the modern rules by account type, and why a bank statement looks back to front.

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Accounting explained

Depreciation

Spreading the cost of equipment over its life: straight-line and written-down value, with a worked schedule.

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Accounting explained

Bank Reconciliation

Matching your bank book with the bank statement: the format, the usual differences and a worked statement.

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Accounting explained

Sundry Debtors and Creditors

Who owes you and whom you owe: ledgers, ageing, and how they show in the balance sheet.

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Accounting explained

Cash Book

The book of cash and bank movements: single, double and triple column formats, with a worked page.

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Accounting explained

Cost of Goods Sold

The cost of what you actually sold: the formula, a worked year and what goes into it.

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Accounting explained

Gross Profit vs Net Profit

The two profits every shop should know, the formulas, and what each one tells you to fix.

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Accounting explained

Working Capital

The money tied up in running the shop: the formula, the cash cycle and how to free cash.

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Accounting explained

Inventory Valuation

How closing stock is valued: cost or net realisable value, FIFO and weighted average, with worked numbers.

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Accounting explained

Year-End Closing

Closing the books on 31 March: the checklist, the closing entries and carrying balances into the new year.

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