🎯 Practical Case: Recording & Posting

🎯 Learning Objectives

  • Complete the full accounting recording cycle from source documents through trial balance
  • Journalize multiple business transactions correctly
  • Post journal entries to ledger T-accounts with accurate balances
  • Prepare a trial balance that verifies double-entry accuracy
  • Identify and correct common recording errors
  • Understand the connection between journal, ledger, and financial statements

📚 Background & Principles

The recording cycle is systematic and builds on itself. Each step feeds into the next: Source Documents → Journal → Ledger → Trial Balance → Financial Statements.

Core Principle: The accounting recording system creates both chronological records (Journal) and categorized summaries (Ledger). This dual perspective ensures accuracy and provides an audit trail for every transaction.
💡 Key Insight: Think of it like building a house. Source documents are your raw materials, the Journal is your blueprint, and the Ledger is your organized storage system. Each foundation is essential for the next layer.

Your Mission

You are the bookkeeper for "DesignPro Studio". Journalize transactions, post to T-accounts, and prepare a trial balance. Master the complete recording process!

Step 1: Journalize the Transactions

For each transaction, write the journal entry. Remember: Debit = Left, Credit = Right.

Transaction 1: March 1

Owner invested $25,000 cash in the business.

Account Debit Credit

Transaction 2: March 5

Purchased design software (equipment) for $5,000 on account.

Account Debit Credit

Step 2: Post to T-Accounts

Transfer the journal entries to the appropriate T-accounts.

Step 3: Prepare Trial Balance

List all accounts and their balances. Verify that Debits = Credits.

DESIGNPRO STUDIO

Trial Balance

March 31, 2025

Account Debit Credit
Cash
Equipment
Accounts Payable
Common Stock
Totals $0 $0

🎉 Excellent Work!

You've mastered the recording process: Journal → Ledger → Trial Balance. This is the backbone of accounting!

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