How to Prepare a Trial Balance: Step-by-Step Guide with 10 Solved Examples

What is a Trial Balance?

After recording all business transactions in the Journal and posting them into Ledger Accounts, the next step is preparing a Trial Balance.

A Trial Balance is a statement prepared on a particular date to check whether the total debit balances and total credit balances of all ledger accounts are equal.

If the total of the debit side is equal to the total of the credit side, the books are considered arithmetically correct.


Purpose of Trial Balance

  • To check the arithmetical accuracy of accounts
  • To summarize all ledger balances in one place
  • To help in preparing Final Accounts
  • To locate accounting mistakes
  • To prepare Trading Account, Profit and Loss Account and Balance Sheet

DEAD CLIC Rule

This is an easy memory trick to identify which accounts come under Debit and Credit.

SideLetterMeaning
DebitDDrawings
DebitEExpenses and Losses
DebitAAssets
DebitDDiscount Allowed
CreditCCapital
CreditLLiabilities
CreditIIncome and Gains
CreditCCreditors / Sales

Problem 1: Basic Fundamentals

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Cash50,000
Capital2,00,000
Purchases80,000
Sales1,20,000
Salary30,000
Rent15,000
Debtors75,000
Creditors40,000
Furniture1,10,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Cash50,000
2Purchases80,000
3Salary30,000
4Rent15,000
5Debtors75,000
6Furniture1,10,000
7Capital2,00,000
8Sales1,20,000
9Creditors40,000
Total3,60,0003,60,000

Problem 2: Returns and Discounts

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Opening Stock25,000
Purchases1,50,000
Sales2,00,000
Returns Inward10,000
Returns Outward8,000
Wages20,000
Discount Allowed3,000
Capital1,50,000
Building67,000
Creditors35,000
Bank Balance60,000
Discount Received2,000
Debtors55,000
Carriage Inward5,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Opening Stock25,000
2Purchases1,50,000
3Returns Inward10,000
4Wages20,000
5Discount Allowed3,000
6Building67,000
7Bank Balance60,000
8Debtors55,000
9Carriage Inward5,000
10Sales2,00,000
11Returns Outward8,000
12Discount Received2,000
13Capital1,50,000
14Creditors35,000
Total3,95,0003,95,000

Problem 3: Closing Stock Adjustment

Note: Closing Stock = ₹30,000. Closing Stock does not appear in the Trial Balance.

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Cash in Hand15,000
Cash at Bank45,000
Capital3,00,000
Opening Stock40,000
Drawings20,000
Purchases2,00,000
Sales2,80,000
Expenses85,000
Debtors80,000
Creditors55,000
Machinery1,50,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Cash in Hand15,000
2Cash at Bank45,000
3Drawings20,000
4Opening Stock40,000
5Purchases2,00,000
6Expenses85,000
7Debtors80,000
8Machinery1,50,000
9Capital3,00,000
10Sales2,80,000
11Creditors55,000
Total6,35,0006,35,000

Problem 4: High Capital Scenario

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Capital5,00,000
Cash1,00,000
Bank2,00,000
Purchases1,50,000
Sales2,00,000
Debtors80,000
Salary20,000
Rent10,000
Creditors60,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Cash1,00,000
2Bank2,00,000
3Debtors80,000
4Purchases1,50,000
5Salary20,000
6Rent10,000
7Capital5,00,000
8Sales2,00,000
9Creditors60,000
Total5,60,0005,60,000

Problem 5: Manufacturing Business

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Machinery3,00,000
Capital4,00,000
Purchases1,20,000
Sales1,80,000
Wages40,000
Debtors70,000
Creditors50,000
Cash1,00,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Machinery3,00,000
2Purchases1,20,000
3Wages40,000
4Debtors70,000
5Cash1,00,000
6Capital4,00,000
7Sales1,80,000
8Creditors50,000
Total6,30,0006,30,000

Problem 6: Service Business

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Professional Fees90,000
Computer45,000
Drawings5,000
Cash75,000
Office Rent12,000
Electricity3,000
Capital50,000
Creditors10,000
Prepaid Rent10,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Computer45,000
2Cash75,000
3Prepaid Rent10,000
4Drawings5,000
5Office Rent12,000
6Electricity3,000
7Professional Fees90,000
8Capital50,000
9Creditors10,000
Total1,50,0001,50,000

Problem 7: Small Business

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Opening Stock10,000
Purchases35,000
Debtors18,000
Stationery2,000
Sales60,000
Creditors12,000
Capital40,000
Furniture47,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Opening Stock10,000
2Purchases35,000
3Debtors18,000
4Stationery2,000
5Furniture47,000
6Sales60,000
7Creditors12,000
8Capital40,000
Total1,12,0001,12,000

Problem 8: Reserves and Provisions

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Machinery2,00,000
Capital2,50,000
Debtors1,00,000
Purchases2,20,000
Sales3,00,000
Bad Debts5,000
Provision for Bad Debts2,000
Creditors70,000
Bank Overdraft3,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Machinery2,00,000
2Debtors1,00,000
3Purchases2,20,000
4Bad Debts5,000
5Capital2,50,000
6Sales3,00,000
7Provision for Bad Debts2,000
8Creditors70,000
9Bank Overdraft3,000
Total5,25,0005,25,000

Problem 9: Transport Business

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Vehicles8,00,000
Service Revenue4,00,000
Capital2,00,000
Cash at Bank2,10,000
Fuel and Oil50,000
Loan from Bank5,00,000
Interest on Loan40,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Vehicles8,00,000
2Fuel and Oil50,000
3Cash at Bank2,10,000
4Interest on Loan40,000
5Service Revenue4,00,000
6Loan from Bank5,00,000
7Capital2,00,000
Total11,00,00011,00,000

Problem 10: General Store

Question Data

Account NameAmount (₹)
Opening Stock15,000
Purchases60,000
Furniture20,000
Debtors25,000
Cash33,000
Sales95,000
Creditors10,000
Capital50,000
Carriage Outward2,000

Solution

S.NoAccount NameDebit (₹)Credit (₹)
1Opening Stock15,000
2Purchases60,000
3Furniture20,000
4Debtors25,000
5Cash33,000
6Carriage Outward2,000
7Sales95,000
8Creditors10,000
9Capital50,000
Total1,55,0001,55,000

Important Rules to Remember

  • Assets always come on the Debit side.
  • Expenses and losses always come on the Debit side.
  • Capital always comes on the Credit side.
  • Liabilities always come on the Credit side.
  • Income and gains always come on the Credit side.
  • Drawings always come on the Debit side.
  • Closing stock usually does not appear in the Trial Balance.
  • Total Debit must always equal Total Credit.

Final Quick Revision

Debit SideCredit Side
AssetsCapital
ExpensesLiabilities
LossesIncome
DrawingsSales
PurchasesCreditors

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