Receivables ledger and control account - Posting from day bo...

Learning Outcomes

After reading this article, you will be able to explain how receivables ledger and control accounts are used to record and control amounts due from customers. You will distinguish between individual and control accounts, post transactions from day books and cash books, and identify how to ensure records are accurate and reconciled for ACCA FA1 exam success.

ACCA Recording Financial Transactions (FA1) Syllabus

For ACCA Recording Financial Transactions (FA1), you are required to understand the procedures for recording sales transactions, maintaining control over customer accounts, and reconciling accounting records. In particular, you need to be able to:

• Record sales and receipts in the receivables ledger and control account
• Post transactions from the sales day book and cash book to the control account
• Distinguish between individual receivables ledger accounts and the receivables control account
• Reconcile control account balances with the sum of individual customer account balances
• Identify and correct discrepancies through investigation

Test Your Knowledge

Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.

1. Which item is not typically posted from the sales day book to the receivables control account?
   1. Total credit sales
   2. Sales returns
   3. Receipts from customers
   4. Sales invoices
2. If the balance on the receivables control account does not match the sum of individual receivables ledger balances, what should you do next?
   1. Ignore the difference
   2. Investigate for posting errors or omissions
   3. Only review the control account
   4. Write off the difference

3. True or false? A receivables control account is part of the double-entry system, while individual receivables ledger accounts serve as supporting analysis.

4. Briefly explain how a cash receipt from a customer is posted in the ledgers.

Introduction

Effective management of amounts owed by customers is central to reliable bookkeeping. Most businesses sell on credit and must keep detailed records of customer transactions to ensure all amounts due are collected and accurately reported. This article explains how you record credit sales and receipts in the receivables ledger and the control account, using the sales day book and cash book as sources. You will learn the distinction between the control account and individual customer accounts and how to check that your records agree.

Key Term: receivables ledger
An accounting record that contains individual accounts for each credit customer, showing transactions and balances due from them.

Key Term: receivables control account
A summary account in the general ledger showing the total amount owed by all credit customers, maintained using double-entry bookkeeping.

RECEIVABLES CONTROL ACCOUNT AND LEDGER ACCOUNTS

Most businesses maintain both a receivables ledger and a control account. The receivables ledger contains a separate account for each customer, while the receivables control account in the general ledger provides an overall total.

Why Use a Control Account?

The control account provides a check on the accuracy of the individual receivables ledger accounts. By posting summary totals, businesses can quickly identify errors and ensure the amount shown as owed by customers is correct.

Posting from Day Books and Cash Book

The two principal sources for entries in the receivables control account are:

• The sales day book (recording sales invoices issued to credit customers)
• The cash book (recording payments received from customers)

Other entries may include sales returns, bad debts, discounts allowed, and contra entries.

Key Term: sales day book
A book of prime entry listing all credit sales invoices issued to customers.

Key Term: cash book
The main record of all cash and bank receipts and payments, including receipts from customers.

POSTING ROUTINE TRANSACTIONS

Recording Credit Sales

When goods or services are sold on credit:

• Individual customer account in receivables ledger: Debit with the invoice amount
• Receivables control account: Debit with the total from the sales day book for the period

Recording Cash Receipts

When cash or bank receipts are received from customers:

• Individual customer account in receivables ledger: Credit with the amount received
• Receivables control account: Credit with the total receipts for the period from the cash book

Other Typical Postings

• Sales returns: Credit both the individual customer account and the control account
• Irrecoverable debts: Credit both the individual account and the control account
• Discounts allowed: Credit both the individual account and the control account
• Contra entries (with payables): Credit the receivables control account and the specific customer account

Worked Example 1.1

A business made credit sales totalling $10,000 during April. Cash receipts from customers were $6,500. During April, a customer returned goods previously invoiced for $800, and a bad debt of $400 was written off.

Post these transactions to the receivables control account.

Answer:

• Debit: Credit sales $10,000
• Credit: Cash receipts $6,500
• Credit: Sales returns $800
• Credit: Irrecoverable debts $400 The closing balance is $2,300 debit (amount still owed by customers).

The Double Entry (Summary)

| Date | Details | Debit ($) | Credit ($) | | ---- | --------------- | --------- | ---------- | --- | | | Opening balance | x | | | | Credit sales | x | | | | | | Receipts | x | | | | | Returns | x | | | | | Bad debts | x | | | Closing balance | | |

RECONCILIATION AND CONTROL

At regular intervals, compare the closing balance on the receivables control account with the sum of individual customer account balances in the receivables ledger. They must agree if all entries have been correctly posted.

Key Term: reconciliation
The process of checking that two sets of records agree, explaining and resolving any differences.

Worked Example 1.2

The receivables control account at month end has a closing balance of $15,000 (debit). The total of all individual customer balances is $14,750. What should you do?

Answer:
Investigate the $250 difference by checking for errors, unposted items, or omissions in either the control account or the individual receivables ledger. Correct any errors and ensure agreement.

Exam Warning

Always post totals from the day books and cash book accurately and in the correct columns. A mismatch between the control account and receivables ledger is strong evidence of errors or omissions needing urgent action.

COMMON ERRORS AND HOW TO RESOLVE THEM

Typical causes for differences include:

• An entry posted in the control account but not in the customer account (or vice versa)
• Incorrect totals brought forward or carried forward
• Wrong amount posted to either the ledger or control account
• Mispostings to the wrong customer account

Resolving these requires:

1. Comparing the individual ledger and control account postings
2. Locating and correcting errors
3. Reconciliating again to confirm agreement

Worked Example 1.3

You discover that a receipt of $600 from a customer has been posted only to the control account, not the customer's account. The control account and ledger totals do not agree. What is the correction?

Answer:
Post the $600 credit to the correct customer account. After this, the sum of ledger balances should match the control account.

REVISION TIP

Regular reconciliations allow you to spot errors early. Always compare control account and ledger totals after each month’s postings.

Summary

The receivables control account collects summary totals for all credit customer activity and acts as a key check over individual customer balances. Posting regularly from the sales day book and cash book ensures that accounting records are both accurate and easily controlled. Reconciling the control account against the sum of the individual accounts is an essential process to maintain reliable bookkeeping and prevent undetected errors.

Key Point Checklist

This article has covered the following key knowledge points:

• Explain the function and purpose of the receivables ledger and control account
• Record postings from day books and the cash book to control accounts and individual accounts
• Identify the role of reconciliation to check and ensure records agree
• Recognise common errors and how to resolve discrepancies between ledgers
• Understand the importance of regular reconciliation for maintaining control

Key Terms and Concepts

• receivables ledger
• receivables control account
• sales day book
• cash book
• reconciliation