Debits and credits are the cornerstones of precise accounting for a business, whether you're operating a sole proprietorship or a publicly-traded enterprise. Credits have the reverse effect from debits, increasing asset or cost accounts while decreasing liability accounts. It can get increasingly difficult to record these transactions as your business expands. Still, it is essential to do it effectively to keep your accounts balanced and monitor the development of your firm.
In this post, we detail how debit and credit transactions work in various types of accounts and break down the fundamentals of documenting them.
Key Takeaways
- To provide a complete picture of a company's activities and maintain the books' balance, debits and credits illustrate the giving and receiving sides of external transactions. They are essential for maintaining the balance of a company's books when utilizing the double-accounting system.
- Double-entry accounting, which enables complex transactions to be recorded across numerous accounts, is the ideal method for recording debits and credits.
- On the ledger, credits are always entered on the right, and debits are always on the left.
- It's critical to comprehend how each account functions because debits and credits behave differently based on the account type.
Double-Entry Accounting
The double-entry accounting system is used by most organizations, including small firms and sole proprietorships. This is because it enables recording every company transaction in at least two accounts, creating a more dynamic financial picture.
It operates as follows: At least one account records a debit, followed by at least one account recording a credit of the same amount but opposite value. The two entries represent the giving and receiving sides of external transactions. The goal is to reach a zero-sum, which ensures that every dollar is accounted for and the books remain balanced.
Like balancing a personal checkbook, the single-entry accounting approach uses just one entry with a positive or negative number. This method does not provide a complete picture of the complicated transactions typical of most organizations, like inventory movements, because it only considers one account per transaction.
A company's records can be balanced and show net income, assets, and liabilities thanks to the twin entries of double-entry accounting. The income statement is often only updated yearly using the single-entry approach. As a result, you only get an annual, static financial snapshot of your company, though you can briefly glimpse net income.
The balance sheet is always up to date when using the double-entry method since the books are updated each time a transaction is entered.
Simply put, keeping track of where money is going and coming from is considerably easier with the double-entry system. Additionally, it aids in reducing accounting errors or, at the very least, makes it possible for them to be swiftly found and corrected.
Debits vs. Credits in Accounting
Think of debits and credits together when comparing them. Credit should always follow a debit and vice versa. It is necessary to input an equivalent amount as a credit to balance each debit (a dollar amount) recorded.
For instance, if you need to buy a new refrigerator for your restaurant, it would be a credit to your cash account because cash is leaving your company to buy something. However, it now belongs to you as a part of your equipment list and is considered an asset. Recording that transaction with the appropriate debit is crucial because the money didn't just appear out of thin air.
Your cash account was credited (decreased), yet the valuable property was debited (raised) from your equipment account. It is now a property that belongs to your company and can be sold or used as security for loans in the future, for example.
| Date |
Account |
Debit |
Credit |
| 8/20/2021 |
Cash |
$2,000 |
| 8/20/2021 |
Equipment |
$2,000 |
Transactions are rarely as straightforward as those in small firms and sole proprietorships. Other accounts, such as depreciation, would also need to be considered when calculating the refrigerator's lifespan.
Debits are always put in the left-hand column, and the equivalent credit is typed in the right-hand column when recording debits and credits.
Debits and Credits With Different Account Types
Accurate books benefit all companies, including sole proprietorships and small firms. To maintain a balance in the books and a balance sheet that accurately depicts the assets, liabilities, and owner's or shareholders' equity, debits and credits are necessary. The fundamental accounting equation is the basis for a balance sheet. Liabilities + Equity Equals Assets
Debits and credits can be recorded in several locations on a company's chart of accounts, depending on the type of account and how it is used. But the equation ought to be valid. The credit does not necessarily have to be in the same category as the debit if you have one. The calculation should still be balanced as long as the credit is under liabilities or equity.
If the equation adds up correctly, you can be sure there is a mistake in the books.
A company's chart of accounts consists of five major accounts and several subaccounts that fall into each of the five categories. These can be modified to meet the demands of a company. For instance, as payment is typically made in person for most transactions, a restaurant is likely to use accounts payable frequently but not likely to have accounts receivable.
Accurate documentation is crucial because a single transaction may include debits and credits in numerous subaccounts across various categories. Each sort of account is broken down below.
Although it can be challenging, double-entry accounting will assist your company in maintaining precise records of transactions. Use the right tax software, or think about asking a seasoned bookkeeper for help.
Assets
Assets are things a business holds that can be sold or utilized to produce goods. This is true for tangible (physical) goods like equipment and immaterial goods like patents. Cash accounts receivable and inventories are a few asset account categories that fall under the current asset category. Long-term assets are contrasted with current assets. These consist of assets like real estate, machinery, and investments in long-term bonds.
Liability
What the business owes to numerous creditors is recorded in liability accounts. This can include delinquent rent, unpaid taxes, bank loans, and credit card debt. Bank loans and unpaid taxes are two instances of liabilities subaccounts.
Equity
The equity account, often known as "net worth," shows the money that would remain after a corporation liquidated all of its assets and settled all of its liabilities. The company's shareholders or owners are entitled to any remaining funds. Although some subaccounts in this category, like retained earnings, may only apply to larger organizations, others may not. Stocks and real estate are a couple of examples.
The income statement comprises revenue and expense accounts (or profit and loss statement, P&L). Refer to the table below for more information on how debits and credits operate in these accounts.
Revenue
On the income statement, revenue accounts are used to record a company's income. Sales of goods and services, interest income, and investment income are a few examples of revenue accounts.
Expense
On the other hand, expenditure accounts show the money a business must spend to operate. Rent for the actual office or offices, supplies, utilities, and compensation for each employee are a few examples.
Please see the chart below to help you recall how debits and credits operate in various accounts. Recall that credits are always entered on the right and debits on the left.
| Account |
Debit |
Credit |
| Assets |
Increase |
Decrease |
| Liability |
Increase |
Decrease |
| Equity |
Decrease |
Increase |
| Revenue |
Decrease |
Increase |
| Expense |
Increase |
Decrease |
How Do You Tell Whether Something Is a Debit or Credit in Accounting?
Since some accounts are increased or decreased in different amounts depending on the transaction, small-business accounting can be perplexing regarding debits and credits. Debits against credits can be very straightforward if you keep the following in mind, even if there are complications in every transaction:
- Debits = more assets (such as cash or utility accounts), less liability, and less equity
- Credits = fewer assets, more liability, and more equity
Why Should You Use Double-Entry Accounting?
Double-entry accounting enables a considerably more comprehensive view of your organization than single-entry accounting. Single-entry accounting only depicts a single transaction and is solely intended to display annual net income. Contrarily, double-entry accounting enables you to examine how complicated transactions are balanced across numerous aspects of your company, including inventory, depreciation, sales, expenses, etc.
How Can Debits and Credits Be Recognized in Accounting?
It is helpful to remember that credits are always put on the right side of a ledger, and debits are always entered on the left, even when debits and credits behave differently across different accounts in your books. Consult your bookkeeper to determine whether you should apply a debit or credit to a particular account.
