TOPIC 2: CORRECTION OF ERRORS | B/KEEPING FORM 3
Wrong Entries
An accounting error is a non-fraudulent discrepancy in financial documentation. The term is used in financial reporting.
- Error of omission — a transaction that is not recorded.
- Error
of commission — a transaction that is calculated incorrectly. One
example of an error of commission is subtracting a figure that should
have been added. - Error of principle — a transaction that is not
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles ( GAAP).
One example of an accounting error of principle is an expenditure that
is placed in an inappropriate category.
Accounting errors can occur in double entry bookkeeping for a number of reasons.
Accounting errors are not the same as fraud, errors happen
unintentionally, whereas fraud is a deliberate and intentional attempt to falsify the bookkeeping entries.
An accounting error can cause the trial balance not to balance, which is easier to spot, or the error can be such that the trial balance will still balance due to compensating bookkeeping entries, which is more difficult to identify.
Example 1
Using Paul’sunadjusted trial balanceand hisadjusted journal entries, we can prepare the adjusted trial balance.

Once
all the accounts are posted, you have to check to see whether it is in
balance. Remember that all trial balances’ debit and credits must be
equal.
Keeping in mind the definition of the trial balance we can define the following characteristics and use of the trial balance:-
- Trial
balance is prepared in tabular form only. It contains debit column for
debit balance of accounts and credit column for credit balances of
accounts. - Only the closing balances of the accounts are shown in trial balance.
- The closing balance of stock is never shown in trial balance. It is always shown as foot note.
- Other
adjustments against which no entries are passed in the books also not
shown in trial balance. They are also shown as footnotes. - The trial balance is prepared on a particular date as required by the management or at the end of thefinancial year.
- Trial balance is not an account. It is a statement only.
- The balance of all accounts is shown at one place. Thus it is the summary of all accounts.
- It shows the arithmetical mistake of the entries.
- Trading,profit and loss accountand thebalance sheetare prepared with the help of trial balance only.