Journals (Books of Original Entries)

As derived from a French word, journal means daily from its root word Jour which means day. These Journals are called Books of Original Entries or Subsidiary Books or Prime Books.
A book of original entry is an accounting journal that records the specifics and documentation of business transactions before posting or transferring them to the relevant ledger.
The writing of a ledger cannot begin until the book of original entry is filled with proof of business activities.
Table of Contents
How is the Book of Original Entry Used?
Daily business transactions involving invoices, cash, vouchers, and other forms of evidence must be documented in the original entry book.
Credit and debit transactions are first recorded in the diary, along with their descriptions.
Essentially, the accounts associated with a commercial transaction are reflected in the book of initial entry. Entries are vouchers, invoices, currency, and other accounts kept in a book, list, notebook, diary, or leaflet.
An entry is the act of accurately recording the facts and details of a business transaction in a suitable book, such as a diary or a notebook.
Advantages of Journal:
The advantages of a journal are;
- Transactions are recorded daily and at the moment they take place, this reduces the chance for omission of record or transaction.
- Transactions are outlined in a chronological order making it easy for them to be easily ascertained when being transferred into the ledger.
- Each item in a journal has a narration under it, making the easy detection of mistakes in the record possible.
- All the details of a transaction are contained in a journal.
- Debit and credit accounts are included in a journal, this reduce the possibility of mistake when posting them into a ledger.
Disadvantages
- The journals are bulky and have lots of volumes which make handling the data very difficult.
- It’s not easy to find a particular transaction unless the person knows the date of the transaction.
- The post-booking of all the transactions into the individual ledger takes a lot of time.
Apart from the General journal mentioned and explained above, there are other journals such as:
- Sales Journal for recording credit sales
- Purchases Journal for recording credit purchases
- Return inward Journals for recording returns from customers
- Return Outward Journals for recording returns to suppliers
SALES JOURNAL
This is a subsidiary book that records credit sales of goods to customer in detail. Sales journals are usually entered from the sales invoice. Another name for sales Journal is Sales Day Book.
PURCHASES JOURNAL
This is a subsidiary book that records credit purchase of goods from suppliers in detail. Purchase journals are usually entered from purchase invoice. Another name for purchases Journal is Purchases Day Book
RETURN INWARD JOURNALS
This is the subsidiary books that records returns of good sold on credit to the customers. It is also referred to as Sales Returns Journals. A Credit Note is usually issued or sent by the seller to the customer as evidence of sales returns.
RETURN OUTWARD JOURNALS
This is the subsidiary books that records returns of goods bought on credit to the suppliers. It is also called Purchases Return Journals. A Debit Note is usually received by the suppliers as an evidence of return.
Basic Components of Books of Original Entry or Books of Prime Entry or Day Books
Entries in the books of original entry normally consist of the following
- Date of transaction
- Details relating to transactions, i.e., the second aspect of transactions, e.g., name of trade receivable in the sales journal
- Monetary amount of the transactions
- References to the relevant ledger account (often called folio)
- References to original source documents, e.g., invoice number
POSTING TRANSACTIONS FROM SUBSIDIARY BOOKS TO THE LEDGER
Sales Journals or Sale Day Books
- Debtors Account (individually in the sales ledger amount sold to him or her)
- Sales Account (with the total sale relating to these debtors as at the end the given period)
Purchase Journals or Purchases Day Book
- Purchase Account (with the total value of the purchase for the period)
- Creditor Account (individually with the value of the purchases made from each of them).
Return Inward Journal or Sale Return:
The sales journals records return of sales made on credit to customers previously. Thus, it is in this wise a reversal of sales.
- Sales Returns Account (periodically with the total amount of sale returns)
- Debtors Account (individually with the amount of sales return)
Return Outward Journal or Purchases Return Journal:
The purchases Return Journal record the credit Purchase Returned to the supplier. It is therefore a reversal of purchases.
- Creditors (individually with the amount returned)
- Purchases Return Account (with the total amount returned periodically)
SALES JOURNAL OR SALES DAY BOOK
ILLUSTRATION 1
From the following transaction of MTN NIG. LTD, write up the sale journal for the month of March 2016 and post to ledger.
Mar. 2 Sold to S. Bello
2 cartons of Apple @ N1000 per cartons
5 cartons of Gala @ N400
Mar 5 Sold to M. Adisa
10 crates of Shapman @ N500
2 dozens of peak milk @ N400
5 Crates of eggs @ N300
SOLUTION
MTN NIG LTD
SALES JOURNAL
DATE | NAMES AND PARTICULARS | FOLIO | DEATAILS | AMOUNT |
Mar. 2 | S.BELLO
2 cartons of Apple @N1000 (2XN1000) 5 cartons of Gala @N400 (5X N400) |
F001 |
2,000 2,000
|
4,000
7,300
|
Mar. 5 | M. ADISA
10 crates of Shapman @ N500 (10X 500) 2 dozens peak milk @ N400 (2X400) 5 Cratesof eggs @ N300 (5X N300) |
F002
|
5,000 800 1,500 |
|
Mar. 5 | Transfer to credit side of sales account | 11,300 |
DR S. BELLO ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
Mar. 2 |
Sales |
₦
4,000 |
₦ |
DR M. ADISA ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
Mar. 5 |
Sales |
₦
7,300 |
₦ |
DR SALES ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
₦ | Mar 5 |
Sundries |
₦
11,300 |
PURCHASES JOURNAL
ILLUSTRATION 2
Record the following transaction in purchases journals the books for KFC LTD and post to ledger.
Sept. 2 Bought of Chucks Int’l.
5 kg of Turkey @ N100
10 Cartons of Gala @ N1000
7measures of beans @ N200
Sept. 6 Bought of Chibuzo Ltd
2 Measures of Rice @ N800
5 litres of g/nut oil @ N800
Less: 10% trade discount
KFC LTD
PURCHASES JOURNAL
DATE | PARTICULARS | FOLIO | DETAIL | TOTAL |
Sept. 2 | CHUCKS INT’L
5kg of Turkey@ N100 (5 X N100) 10 cartons of Gala@ N1,000 (10 X N1,000) 7 measures of beans@ N200 (7 X N200) |
₦
500.00 10,000.00 1,400.00
|
₦
11,900.00 |
|
Sept 6 | CHIBUZO LTD
2 measurs of Rice @ N800 5 liltres of G/nut oil @ N800 Less 10% trade discount
|
1,600.00 4,000.00 (560.00) |
5,040.00 |
|
Sept 10 | Transfer to
the debit side of purchases account |
16,940.00 |
DR CHUCKS INT’L ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
₦ | Sept 2 |
Purchases |
₦
11,900.00 |
DR CHIBUZO LTD ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
₦ | Sept. 6 |
Purchases |
₦
5,040.00 |
DR PURCHASES ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
Sept. 10
|
Sundries |
₦
16,940.00 |
₦ |
RETURN OUTWARD JOURNAL
ILLUSTRATION 3
From the following transactions write up the Return Outward Books of MUFARA and post the transaction to the ledger.
Jan 4 Returned to Coca Kola ltd
6 crate of coke @ N200
10 crates of Fanta @ N200
Trade discount on 10%
Jan. 9 Returned to PZ ltd
15 bags of flour @ N100
20 Canoe soaps @ N500
Trade discount @5%
MUFARA
RETURN OUTWARD JOURNALS
DATE | PARTICULARS | FOLIO | DETAIL | TOTAL |
Jan. 4 | COCA KOLA LTD
6 crates of coke @ N200 10 Crates of Fanta @ N200 Less 10% Trade Discount ( N3,200 X 10/100) |
₦
1,200.00 2,000.00 (320.00) |
₦
3,168.00 |
|
Jan. 9 | PZ LTD
15 bags of flour @ N100 20 Canoe soaps@ N500 Les Trade discount of 5% (N11,500 X 5/100)
|
1,500.00 10,000.00 (575.00) |
56,925.00 |
|
Jan.10 | Transfer to the credit side of Returns outward Account | 60,093.00 |
DR RETURN OUTWARD ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
₦ | Jan. 10 |
Sundries |
₦
60,093.00 |
DR COAO KOLA ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
Return outward |
₦
3,168.00 |
₦ |
DR PZ ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
Returns outward |
₦
56,925.00 |
₦ |
ILLUSTRATION 4
Write up the sales Returns Book of DADA and sons for the Month of July 2016 and post to ledger account.
July 7 Returned Goods from Chisom Ltd
2 bags of rice @ N500
3 plates @ N100
July 10 Returned from Mukaka and sons
10 shoes @ N600
5 packet of sweet @ N120
Less 2% trade discount
DADA & SON
RETURN INWARD JOURNAL
DATE | PARTICULARS | FOLIO | DETAIL | TOTAL |
July 7 | CHISON LTD
2 bags of rice@ N500 3 plates @ N100
|
₦
1,000.00 300.00 |
₦
1,300.00 |
|
July. 10 | MUKAKA AND SONS
10 shoes @ N600 6 packets of sweet@ N120 Less 10% Trade Discount (N6,720.00 X 10/100)
|
6,000.00 720.00 (67.20) |
6,652.80 |
|
July 10 | Transfer to the Debit side of Return Inward Account | 7,952.80 |
DR RETURNS INWARD ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
July 10 |
Sundries
|
₦
7,952.80 |
₦ |
DR CHISON LTD ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
₦ | July 7 |
Return Inward |
₦
1,300.00 |
DR MUKAKA & ACCOUNT CR
Date | Particular | F | Amount | Date | Particulars | F | Amount |
|
₦ | July.
10 |
Return Inward |
₦
6.652.80 |
Definition of account
An account can be defined as a record in a double entry system that is kept for each class of asset, liability, revenue and expenses.
Classification of Accounts
Accounts are classified into two main classes namely:
- Personal
- Impersonal
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS
These are accounts for the names of individuals, firm and business enterprises. Examples: Stephen Account, Rhoda Nigeria Ltd Account, Debtors and Creditors Accounts, Capital Account, Drawing Account, Loan Account, Bank Account, etc.
ILLUSTRATION: Mr. Andrew is given a cheque of N5, 000.00 by L. Deborah.
Two Accounts are opened:
Debit: Mr. Andrew’s Bank Account that receives
Credit: L. Deborah Account that gives out.
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