What is the Purpose of Control Accounts?
A control account is a summary account in the general ledger. The details that support the balance in the summary account are contained in a subsidiary ledger—a ledger outside of the general ledger.
The purpose of the control account is to keep the general ledger free of details, yet have the correct balance for the financial statements. For example, the Accounts Receivable account in the general ledger could be a control account. If it were a control account, the company would merely update the account with a few amounts, such as total collections for the day, total sales on account for the day, total returns and allowances for the day, etc.
The details on each customer and each transaction would not be recorded in the Accounts Receivable control account in the general ledger. Rather, these details of the accounts receivable activity will be in the Accounts Receivable Subsidiary Ledger. This works well because the employees working with the general ledger probably do not need to see the details for every sale or every collection transaction. However, the sales manager and the credit manager will need to know detailed information on individual customers, including whether a customer recently reduced their account balance. The company can provide these individuals with access to the Accounts Receivable Subsidiary Ledger and can keep the general ledger free of a tremendous amount of detail.
About the Author: Harold Averkamp (CPA) has worked as an accountant, consultant, and university accounting instructor for more than 25 years.He is the author of the 2010 Master Accounting Download Package which has been praised for it's ability to simplify accounting in a way that anybody can understand.
Comments
130 Responses to “What is the Purpose of Control Accounts?”
Leave a Reply
 | Free updates from our Q&A blog with your favorite feed reader. |
Bookkeeping Exam
Gain knowledge and confidence with accounts, debits & credits, accounting basics, and more.
Receive our popular 15-page Cheat Sheet at no cost when
you join our free newsletter:
i just want to understand what are control accounts.
When do i use the cash register, book register, Petty cash register, Journal, Accounting receivable register in quick books program
I want to know detail how control accounts can be calculated and NOTES OF CONTROL ACCOUNTS
it says in the text.
control accounts are a summary of subsidiary accounts
e.g. sales ledger control account….
sales £10,000
in subsidiary accounts
sold to bob £1,000
sold to jane £5,000
sold to fred £4,000
to explain it simply, do you mean that the purpose of the control accounts are to : have an instant information, the errors are highlighted,to prevent fraud and to ensure accuracy?
Kindly explain to me why we sometimes have two opening balances in control accounts.
Regards.
what are the disadvantages of control accounts
please send me answers for the above questions. thank you and God bless
I WANT TO KNOW WHAT CONTROL ACCOUNT IS
give two advantages of maintaining control accounts
Rachel = no. It could be instant information, but unless you haven’t made any transactions it won’t be up to date. Control accounts are like summary accounts. They are accounts with sub-accounts. Control accounts are updated based on when the company needs to update. Sometimes it’s daily, sometimes it’s weekly, and sometimes it’s monthly.
Unless the debits and credits do not math in the control account, errors would not be obvious…nor would fraud. Control accounts do not contain specific information and therefore are easily altered. The sub-accounts contain specific information and fraud would more easily be detected.
If you are using a manual accounting system, triple check everything you do. It’s tiring, but it’s easy to make mistakes. If you are using a computer account system, you have it easy. Most computer accounting systems update automatically and make errors evident when documents are linked.
Accuracy is improved not just by control accounts, but also by controls like segregation of duties, field checks, pre-numbered forms and checks, etc.
Jeremy: The only reasons I can think of for one account having two opening balances are: 1) someone screwed up, and 2) you are viewing the unadjusted and adjusted balances. Opening balances for one period are usually ending balances from the previous period. Exceptions include accounts that are closed to other accounts (i.e. accounts receivable being closed to income summary). Ending balances are often adjusted to reflect certain changes that are only made at the end of an accounting period (like adjusting for depreciation in a manual accounting system).
JAFFET: Without regard to issues usually handled by general controls, disadvantages of control accounts include the time involved to update them (especially with manual accounting systems) and the fact that they do not contain specific information. Without general controls, a main concern is not transferring data from the sub-accounts properly.
SANNI: A control account is an account that holds summarized information obtained from sub-accounts. The accounts receivable ledger is a control account with the accounts receivable subsidiary ledger being the sub-account. The A/R ledger contains summarized information from the A/R Sub, which contains specific details like the names of clients, when they paid, how much they paid, which invoice they are paying, etc.
In the control account,do we need to ,say,record the discout expense to debors??
WELL THE SITE IS VERY COOL BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THE TYPES OF CONTROL ACCOUNTS AND THEIR MEANING.
why is the “sales ledger control account” is also termed as “debtors account” & “purchase ledger control account as “creditors account”
Abubakar: The sales Ledger account is also termed as the Debtor’s account because it involves information and activities relating to people you owe money(e.g. people who have to pay you for your services or products that you sell) These are referred to as your debtors thus the name ‘debtors account’
The purchase ledger control account is referred to as the creditors account because it includes all information and activities relating to people who owe you money(people you have to pay e.g vendors/suppliers that you may use) These are called Creditors thus the name ‘creditors account’
Bel - Creditors are people you owe money to and Debtors are people who owe money to you….. I didnt feel you made that clear in your answer.
The role of control accounts in the preparation of final accounts.
I have learned alot from Accounting coach, thanks alot. I want to know, can u please send me the most recent accounting packages and taxes used by Ireland.
thank you.
thanks for new way of technology.
please explain on revised schedule of debtors
Kindly explain me the control accounts?
what is the difference between “sales ledger control account” and “receivables control account”? the same?
what is the difference between “sales ledger control account” and “receivables control account”?
briefly explain cost of control account and illustrate the cost of control account including the respective items
Thank’s alot for giving information. just now only i came to know about the control account, before i not at all heared about this topic, through this i came to know, onces again thank you, i came to know in detail about new topic in finance
thanks you,
what are the principles of control accounts?
i like the way you answer questions, pls can you throw more light on this
can u plz state that where petty cash should be shwn ?in sales ledger contrl accounts or purchase ledger control accounts..!
can kitty or anyone answer my this question?
u know when u are required to corrected either control account or some other individual legder, the formular is:
>>original balance per control account $
>> less: cash receipt under-recorded in $
cash book
my question is y is less the cash receipt not add it. an example is :
an amount of $160 received is correctly recorded in the debtors leger but was recorded as $116 in the cash book.
i m so confused, cos since the cash is underrecoreded abt $44, u must added to the cash book in order to correct the error, but y the formular is “less”
thks for all attention
using relevant examples examine the relevancy and importance of the financial account adjustments
in control a/cs how can i identify when adjustments affects for eg. both payables ledger balance and and payables control account?
do credit note or debit notes must be writen in crontrol accounts?
how do u take care of cash purchases &cash sales in control a/c .i.e is it included in the in the preparation of the a/c.
2.supposing a control a/c question has both cr and cash sale, cr and cash purchases, what sales balance/purchases balance will appear in the preparation of trading a/c.
can any one please tell me what is the main limitation of using a control account to verify these ledgers accounts?
There is a simple way to explain control accounts.
A better name for a control account would be a “container account.” For instance, let’s use a manufacturing company as an example.
Let’s say that a manufacturing company produces a product in April. That product will have a Job Cost Sheet, which simply shows costs such as Direct Labor, Direct Materials, and Manufacturing Overhead that are involved in creating the product. This job cost sheet is a “subsidiary ledger.” Now let’s assume that the job isn’t finished, and there’s a $30,000 balance from Direct Labor.
In order for managers to be able to keep track of costs they use inventory accounts to store these costs until the products are sold. Work in Progress is an inventory account. Work in Progress will show a $30,000 balance, the same as the Job Cost Sheet, because Work in Progress is a control account. Work in Progress “contains” or summarizes the information of the “subsidiary ledgers” that are below it, thus the $30,000 from the Job Cost Sheet will be shown in both accounts.
Let’s say that there are four other Job Cost Sheets with balances of $10,000 each. That’s another $40,000 that will be added to the Work in Progress control account, giving it a total balance of $70,000. Now let’s say that the original Job Cost Sheet is completed. That $30,000 will be transferred out of Work in Progress and into Finished Goods Inventory, however, the other $40,000 will still remain in the Work in Progress control account, because the additional Job Cost Sheets, or “subsidiary ledgers” are still open.
A control account, such as Work in Progress, simply summarizes all of the information of separate subsidiary ledgers that are below it. So whenever a new Job Cost Sheet is created with a balance, that balance will be shown in the Work in Progress as well, along with other balances from other Job Cost Sheets.
please give me examples of control accounts except account receivale control account and account payable control account? give me 2 more examples please
Can some one tell me the advantages of control account
Tanks for the way you give your answers coz they are realy motivating and encouraging. May I seek to know how control accounts prevent fraud in an organisation?
i could like to be one of your member and scholar from kenya
Thank you very much the wounderful work that you are doing. we really appriciate it coz its helping us lot. God bless you, and keep it up. please i would like to know the measures put in place to prevent fraud and misappropriation a sole proprieter (spare parts dealer)
could you please the answers for the the above question read from your site.WHAT ARE THE BASIC ELEMENTS OF ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS?
Send meabout ten advantages of sales ledger control account and purchase ledger control accounts
please can you let me know what are diffrent between purchase ledger account and sales ledger account and thier advantages please
thanks
what is the main reason for control account
thanks for the wonderful work you are doing to keep us informed in accounts especially through the internet. Keep up and God bless you.
thanks for the wonderful work you are doing to keep us informed in accounts especially through the internet. Keep up and God bless you. Please I would like you to send me the procedures for preparing a control account and a suspense account
I want to know detail how control accounts can be calculated and NOTES OF CONTROL ACCOUNTS
main purpose of control accounts?
i love account so much
There is an error in the second sentence of the first paragraph. Thanks for the explanation though.
thanks for good job, god bless you people. Can you please send me the the advantage s and this advantages of control accounts as well their formulas, both debtors control account and creditors contro account. thanks !!!!
i just want 2 know how to recognize items on the debit & credit sides of the control accounts (creditors and debtors)
this is a wonderful job whuch will help so many “would be” accountant
I am indeed very glad and grateful for the wonderful job done you people. This is a very clear explaination rooted in Control a/c topic. God may increase your effort. Thanks once more!
i think 4 beginers v should explain in more simple way
please explain the meaning ,purpose,advantages and formates of contro accounts
thanks
tell ma the advantages of control account
somebody can give 5 advantages of maintaining control accounts?????
pls~~
Was happy when i found this discussion.Please tell me the role of control account in the financial preparation.
well your efforts is so important for teacher as well as student. my question is - what is difference between differencial cost and incremental cost.
can you kindly send me a full tutorial on these accounts and formats what to be rcoded where.
i want to know example of receivable ledger control account
please provide me with defination of control accounts, their uses, preparation strategies
I just started ths topic and so far it’s intresting. However, i need some samples of controll accounts, in order to complete my assignment.
my own xperience we can say,Control a/c can now be defined as memorandum a/c,d balance of which reflects d aggregate balances of many related subsidiary a/c which are part of d double entry system.and what are d advantages of control account and, Division of control account pls list it for me.
To find out more on controlling accounts and subsidiary ledgers and what is their relationship, this link might help:
http://www.webanswers.com/business/what-are-controlling-accounts-and-subsidary-ledgers-what-is-their-realationship-11c0fc
Give us please sample of question in the site.You are of help to me.
i want you to help me on how to prepare a balance sheet in partnership accounts
i want to understand the fundamentals of control accounts and how to calculate it? what are the keys to its understanding?
i want to understand the foundamentals of control account and how to calculate it? what are the keys to its understanding
i want to know about control account. how to prepare and what are the material i will use and on how to calculate this.
i want to know how to calculate control account
and how to defrentiate the debt and credit side
First of all thank from dear lecturers whom prepared these materials and made available for everyone. Second, I have a suggestion that send me more basic materials because I am a new accounting student. Now I have lots problems with accounting.
One of my duties in a new company is to draw up a reconciled debtors listing and agree with control account. How do I do it?
I want to kown how to treat return inwards
it is the sales return. accountry entry is debit sales return account and credit to customer account
please can you explain for me the purpose of control accounts.
examine the reason for performing supplier statement reconciliation.
Hie. I have 2 questions
a) What is materiality in accounting?
b) In general what is corporate governance?
Rachie,
materility in accounting means relative importance .
Corporate governance is related to how the various constituencies that define the business enterprise serve, and are served by the firm. It encompasses within its orbit, all implicit as well as explicit relationships between the corporation and its employees, customers, creditors, suppliers and all other stakeholders.
what is advantages of maintaining of petty cash book
wht is the easiest way of giving online accounts exam? help! if anybody can.
all about control accounts,from the general ledger to the ledger control accounts and one prectical example
what is the difference between a control account and a ledger account?
This really very helpful. It is agreat blog to learn Accounting. For accounting software design you may find this helpful too http://accounting.zouze.com
i want to know the relationships between control account and trial balance
HEY CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME THE REASON WHY SALES CONTROL ACCOUNTS HAVE BOTH A DEBIT AND CREDIT ENTRY????????
PRETTY
PRETTY
PRETTY
PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
what is the main uses of the control account. and some
of the items of sales ledger
i can understand controllA/C now
why is control account not part of the double entry system of accounting
the control accounts do not follow the double entry principle, why
Control account is not a nominal / personal nature. Simply sales for the particular day debit in Control Ledger and receiving/returns/allowance are credit for the same day with singly posting.
i still didn’t get an answer to my question plzzzzzz helllpppppp me. why is the control account an account but doesn’t follow the double entry principle.
Why does a control account has both a debit and a credit balance?
A control account keeps a total record of a number of individual items. It is an impersonal account which is part of the double entry sysetm.
This i learnt from BPP Learning media.
What are the disadvantages of control accounts
how to identify a class of account? esp.cash A/C,control A/C and personal A/Cs
What is the similarity between a Trial Balance and Sales Ledger Control Accounnt?
And a difference between the two?
Hi,
I have a question that if i hold a degree other than Accounting but would like to switch Accounting Degree, which College or Course to take or any Bridge Program for those kind, please advise me. Thank you very much.
I’d like to take any bridge program for those kind.
I could like 2 join
why should control accounts be eliminated in business given the fact that we have generalised ledger accounts?
pliz cansome one explain to me the advantages of conrol accounts.
Pls how will i know the transaction that is going to the sales debtor control account and the transaction going to the purchase creditor control account?
how to identify the entries eg in disposal a/c and suspense a/c?.I will be very greatful if you help me.
I am a little confused about AR/AP control accounts. I understand that are used to summarise the individual customer and supplier accounts. However, in modern computerised accounting systems it seems that both the control account and the individual sub-ledger accounts are updated at the same time. Surely if this happens then the control account reconciliation process is redundant, as they will always be equal given that there is a simultaneous update to both?
I agree with your statements.
I want to know why the control account are mainly used for debtors and creditors and the advantage of uising them?
Also, why are many accounting systems designed with a purchaseds ledger control accounts?
Do you consider the rapid growth of technology and computerrised systems trend will eventually remove the need for controll accounts to be incorporated in the design of accounting system?
all about control accounts,from the general ledger to the ledger control accounts and one prectical example
l really want to know account and the control of it , and l what to join u people.
l love that
thanks
akanimo f nnana
i rlly wan 2 knw hw to prepare a company’s a/c, i’ll be glad if i strt getn d details as soon as possible. Tnx
what is suppliers reconciation statements and it’s purpose?
you tried but your explainationts are too brief
i reali wanna knw wats general journal
what is nature of inventories?
Hi Linda
You wanted to know what the general ledger is.
The general ledger is the core of your company’s financial records. They are the central “books” of your system, and every transaction flows through the general ledger.
Every time you enter an expense or an income, it gets recorded in the general ledger. These records remain as a permanent track of the history of all financial transactions since day one of the life of your company.
Nooshin
http://www.accountingfordummies.net/category/accounting-ledger
Hello,
Can any one help me out in understanding the meaning of control account and what is wages control account and on which side wages control account appears on final accounts? and wheter is shoulb be added with asnything on final accounts?
im a student currenty studing I.T at a local college. my question is “what is a creditors control system?” how does it work? please help
Hi Sinduja
A control account is a summary account in the general ledger. The purpose of the control account is to keep the general ledger free of details, yet have the correct balance for the financial statements. For example, in the sub ledger accounts receivable you will enter each customer invoice, apply payments and credits to the customer. The details on each customer and each transaction would not be recorded in the Accounts Receivable control account in the general ledger. Rather, these details of the accounts receivable activity will be in the Accounts Receivable Subsidiary Ledger. Wages control account works the same way. Each time payroll is processed in the subsidiary account the control account is affected with the total government deductions and total gross wages posted to Wage Expense account. If you look at a trial balance the government deductions liability will show up as a Credit balance and the Wage Expense account will show up as a Debit balance.
Hope this helped. For more info visit: http://www.simply-accounting-tutorial.ca/tag/accounting-chart
Nooshin
i don’t setisfied with this statment
What is General Ledger. Give the Full details of General Ledger.
State for me advantages of preparing control account. thanx for your prompt reply……………………..
Hi Dan
You asked what is the difference between “sales ledger control account” and “receivables control account”? The same?
Yes, they are the same but shown differently on the reports.
The sales ledger control account can be printed either in summary or detail format. The summary will show a list of customers as of a certain date how much they owe the company. The detail will show each customer name, date of invoice, amount, invoice number and payments applied.
The receivable control account is an asset account on the balance sheet as well as on the trial balance. This account will keep track of every invoice and payment posted. The balance in the receivable control account should always equal the balance in the sales ledger control account.
I hope this helps you.
For more accounting info visit us at: http”//www.accountingfordummies.net
if you are the fiancial manager of a business, what type of controls woul;d you implement in order to ensure that the debtor’s accounts are paid in time
what are the errors and omissions of the bank reconciliation process usually enable a business to identify
Being a fully qualified accountant, some of these questions are quite worrying!
I think most need to get some more basic training of double entry to begin wth before querying what a control account is.
Each debit has an equal and opposite credit.
e.g a sale of £100 is
credit sales £100 (P&L account)
debit Debtors account £100 (balance sheet)
When the cash is received
Debit cash £100 (Balance sheet)
Credit debtors account. £100 (balance sheet)
Debors account now shows a debit of £100 and a credit of £100, i.e. the net of the Debtors account is £0 i.e. you are owed nothing.
For a purchase of £100
Debit purchases £100 (on P&L a/c)
Credit Creditors account £100 (on Balalnce sheet)
When you pay for the goods:
Credit cash £100 (balance sheet)
Debit Creditors account £100 (balance sheet)
Net of creditors account is £0 - you owe nothing
When I first started I simply remembered the rule for a bank account is:
cash paid out is a credit - ‘CROUT’ and cash in is a debit.
Then can use this to twork out all other entries, e.g.
Fixed assets are bought so a debit
purchases are bought so a debit
Sales are recipts of money so in bank (DR) and therefoer athey are a credit.
eventually it will become second nature.
Hope this helps !
?Hi boitumelo
If I were a financial manager of a business, the controls I would implement in order to ensure that the debtor’s accounts are paid in time:
First I would make sure there is a purchase order in place. When a department needs to place an order for a product a purchase order with a unique number would have to be generated, amount approved and signed by the head of that department. Once the invoice is received it should be matched up with the purchase order and payment in 30 days or what ever the arrangement is with the supplier.
I would also have a staff member for collections. Meaning, that this individual is responsible for collecting customer accounts over 30 days. This will ensure enough funds in the operating account to pay suppliers as well as staff and management. Without a proper cash flow a business can go under very fast.
Nooshin Kaj
to set up your business get info at: http://www.accountingfordummies.net/accounting-for-dummies
How do you prepare a control account in sacco that control its cash through FOSA and has different projects like Insurance,Buses,vans,Members A/c`s, Parcels dept etc?