Special journals sometimes referred to as subsidiary journals are books of prime entry and are used to record similar transactions such as credit sales or purchases. The special journals are used to allow segregation of duties and to avoid posting every detailed transaction to the general ledger.
At the end of an accounting period the special journals must be totalled and posted to the general and subsidiary ledgers using special journals to general ledger entries.
The special journals to general ledger entries below act as a quick reference, and set out the most commonly encountered situations when dealing with the double entry posting of special journals at the end of an accounting period.
In each case the special journals to general ledger entries show the debit and credit account together with a brief narrative. As the exact nature of the journal changes depending on the nature of the transactions, the entries shown are to be regarded as typical for the type of journal entry.
For a fuller explanation of journal entries, view our examples section.
Typical Special Journals to General Ledger Entries
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Cash | XXX | |
| Accounts receivable | XXX | |
| Other income | XXX | |
| Total | XXX | XXX |
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts payable | XXX | |
| Other expenses | XXX | |
| Cash | XXX | |
| Total | XXX | XXX |
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Accounts receivable | XXX | |
| Revenue | XXX | |
| Sales tax | XXX | |
| Total | XXX | XXX |
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Inventory | XXX | |
| Expenses | XXX | |
| Accounts payable | XXX | |
| Total | XXX | XXX |
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll expense | XXX | |
| Taxes withheld | XXX | |
| Cash | XXX | |
| Total | XXX | XXX |
About the Author
Chartered accountant Michael Brown is the founder and CEO of Double Entry Bookkeeping. He has worked as an accountant and consultant for more than 25 years and has built financial models for all types of industries. He has been the CFO or controller of both small and medium sized companies and has run small businesses of his own. He has been a manager and an auditor with Deloitte, a big 4 accountancy firm, and holds a degree from Loughborough University.