The document provides a comprehensive overview of the trial balance, including its definition, objectives, advantages, format, and limitations. It explains the purpose of a trial balance, which is to check the arithmetical accuracy of ledger accounts and locate errors, while also facilitating the preparation of final accounts. Additionally, it includes practical examples of preparing trial balances from given account balances.

1. “TRIAL BALANCE ”
By Srinivas Methuku
Asst. Professor,
SLS Hyderabad

2. Learning Objectives:
• After learning this Chapter, you will be able to:
• Know the Meaning, Objectives of Trial Balance.
• Know the format of Trial Balance.
• Preparation of Trial Balance.

3. What do you know about
Trial Balance ?

4. INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION:
• Trial balance is a list of debit and credit balances of all
ledger accounts. It is prepared at the end of an
accounting period.
• Trial balance is prepared in the statement form
which shows debit balances and credit balances of all
accounts in the ledger, therefore it is called as a
“Statement of Balance”
• “Trial balance is a statement, prepared with the debit
and credit balances of ledger accounts to test the
arithmetical accuracy of the books” – J.R. Batliboi.

5. INTRODUCTION AND DEFINITION:
“It is a list or abstract of the balances or of total
debits and total credits of accounts in a ledger, with the
purpose being to determine the quality of posted debits
and credits and establish a basic summary for final
statements” By Eric Kohler.
“It is schedule or list of those debit and credit balances
which are extracted from various accounts in the ledger
and balances of cash in hand, Cash at bank as shown by
Cash Book are also included in it.” By R N Carter

6. Objectives of trial balance
The objectives of preparing a trial balance are:
 To check the arithmetical accuracy of the ledger
accounts.
 To locate the errors.
 To facilitate the preparation of final accounts.

7. Advantages of Trial Balance
The advantages of the trial balance are:
i. It helps to ascertain the arithmetical accuracy of the
book-keeping work done during the period.
ii. It supplies in one place ready reference of all the
balances of the ledger accounts.
iii. If any error is found out by preparing a trial balance,
the same can be rectified before preparing final
accounts.
iv. It is the basis on which final accounts are prepared.

8. Format of Trial Balance
Trial balance of a XYZ Ltd as on……………..
Particulars / Name of the account L.F. Dr.
Amount
Cr.
Amount
Total
Particulars L.F
.
Dr.
Amount
Particulars L.F
.
Cr.
Amount
Total Total

9. Points to be noted :
 Date on which trial balance is prepared should be
mentioned at the top.
 Name of Account column contains the list of all ledger
accounts.
 Ledger folio of the respective account is entered in the next
column.
 In the debit column, debit balance of the respective account
is entered.
 Credit balance of the respective account is written in the
credit column.
 The last two columns are totalled at the end.
 A debit balance is either an asset or loss or expense; and
 A credit balance is either a liability or income or gain.

10. Limitations of Trial Balance
• Though the trial balance helps to ensure the
arithmetical accuracy of the books of accounts, it is
possible only when the accountant has not committed
any error.
• As all the errors made are not disclosed by the trial
balance, it would not be regarded as a conclusive
proof of correctness of the books of accounts
maintained.

11. Prepare Trial Balance as on 31.12.2016 from the
following balances of Mr. Balan.
Capital 3,40,000 Purchases 94,000
Creditors 13,000 Sales Returns 3,400
Drawings 4,000 Purchases Return 2,400
Salaries 38,200 Carriage inwards 1,400
Bill Receivable 5,800 Printing & Stationery 5,000
Bills Payable 7,000 Stock 29,900
Debtors 16,000 Machinery 50,000
Sales 1,44,000 Wages 5,000
Insurance 2,200 Rent 1,600
Land 2,50,000 Interest received 1,700
Commission received 800 Electricity charges 2,400
[Answer : Rs. 5,08,900]

12. Prepare Trial Balance as on 31.12.2012 from the
following balances of Ms. Fathima.
Drawings 74,800 Purchases 2,95,700
Stock (1.1.2012) 30,000 Discount received 1,000
Capital 2,50,000 Discount allowed 950
Furniture 33,000 Sales 3,35,350
Sundry creditors 75,000 Rent 72,500
Printing charges 1,500 Sundry expenses 21,000
Bank loan 1,20,000 Bills receivable 52,500
Freight 3,500 Carriage outwards 1,500
Income tax 9,500 Insurance 1,200
Machinery 2,15,400 Bills payable 31,700
[Answer : Rs. 8,13,050]

13. Prepare trial balance as on 31.3.2013 from the
following balances of Mrs. Sujatha.
Drawings 43,000 Purchases 2,98,000
Capital 2,12,000 Sales 3,64,000
Sundry creditors 61,500 Salaries 44,950
Bills Payable 22,000 Sales return 500
Sundry Debtors 55,000 Purchases return 2,550
Bills Receivable 72,600 Travelling expenses12,300
Loan from Shameem 2,50,000 Commission paid 250
Furniture & Fittings 12,250 Discount earned 2,000
Opening stock 2,23,500 Cash in hand 65,450
Cash at bank 86,250
[Answer : Rs. 9,14,050]

14. Prepare a Trial balance from the following as
on March 31st, 2016.
Particulars Amount Particulars Amount
Stock
Purchases
Capital
Drawings
Sales
Traveling Expenses
Salaries
Rent, Taxes & Insurance
Returns Outwards
Advertising
Wages
Bank Overdraft
60,000
1,50,000
70,000
22,000
2,50,000
1,320
11,200
5,600
2,600
840
7,000
20,000
General Trade Expenses
Returns Inwards
Discount allowed
Interest & Commission
paid
Bad Debts
Sundry Creditors
Cash in hand
Sundry Debtors
Furniture
Plant & Machinery
Buildings
1,350
5,400
600
430
800
60,000
2,060
92,000
10,000
20,000
12,000

15. Following are the balances extracted from the ledger
of Mr. Ketan. Prepare a Trial Balance as on 31st Dec.
2015.
Particulars Rs. Particulars Rs.
Capital A/c
Drawings A/c
Sundry Creditors
Motor Car Expenses
Sales
Trade Expenses
Insurance
Opening Stock
40,000
4,000
18,440
3,000
29,560
8,500
1,030
8,500
Purchases
Printing & Stationery
Rent & Taxes
Office Expenses
Commission paid
Sundry Debtors
Discount Allowed
Interest Received
26,500
3,000
2,500
7,000
5,000
18,000
2,970
2,000

16. The following balances are extracted from the books of
Mr.Senthil. Prepare Trial Balance as on 30.6.2014.
Capital 4,70,200 Machinery 1,58,800
Cash in hand 6,000 Sundry Debtors 48,000
Building 3,20,000 Repairs 5,400
Stock 33,000 Insurance premium 3,300
Sundry creditors 26,000 Sales 2,90,000
Commission paid 750 Telephone charges 6,450
Rent & Taxes 6,300 Furniture 11,000
Purchases 1,65,000 Discount earned 1,100
Salaries 70,600 Loan from Mohammed 51,000
Discount allowed 650 Reserve fund 5,900
Drawings 5,000 Bills receivable 8,600
Bad debts 1,350 Bills payable 6,000
[Answer : Rs. 8,50,200]