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Microlesson · 5-min read

Working Notes — T-Account Technique for Cash Flow Statement

## Working Notes: T-Account Method

For every balance sheet item that changes during the year and is relevant to CFS, prepare a T-account to find hidden cash amounts (especially purchases, sales, and payments).

---

### PPE (Fixed Assets) T-Account

```

PPE Account

Dr Cr

Opening balance X | Sale (at Book Value) X

Purchases (CIB/bal) X | Depreciation X

| Write-off X

| Closing balance X

```

Deriving Book Value of sold asset:

  • Sale at profit: Book Value = Sale Proceeds − Profit
  • Sale at loss: Book Value = Sale Proceeds + Loss

Finding hidden purchase (balancing figure):

Purchase = Closing + BV of sold + Depreciation + Write-off − Opening

---

### Investment T-Account

```

Investment Account

Dr Cr

Opening balance X | Sale (at Book Value) X

Purchases X | Closing balance X

```

Profit/Loss on sale goes to P&L, not to this T-account.

---

### Provision for Tax T-Account

```

Provision for Tax

Dr Cr

Tax paid (bal. fig.) X | Opening provision X

Closing provision X | P&L charge (CY) X

```

Tax Paid = Opening + P&L charge − Closing

This is the actual cash outflow for income tax.

---

### P&L Reserve T-Account (to derive PBT)

```

P&L Reserve

Dr Cr

Transfer to GR X | Opening balance X

Dividend declared X | PBT (bal. fig.) X

Provision for tax X |

Closing balance X |

```

PBT = Closing − Opening + GR Transfer + Dividend declared + Provision for Tax

---

### Dividend Payable T-Account

```

Dividend Payable

Dr Cr

Dividend paid (bal.) X | Opening balance X

Closing balance X | Dividend declared X

```

---

### Debenture T-Account (for redemption details)

```

9% Debentures

Dr Cr

Redemption (face) X | Opening balance X

Closing balance X | Fresh issue X

```

Interest = Carrying amount × Rate (may be a hidden figure found from P&L analysis).

---

### Key Principle

> Every cash flow must trace back to a T-account entry. If a figure cannot be placed in a T-account, question whether it has been classified correctly.

Worked example

### Example 1

Provision for Tax — Question 9

Given: Opening provision ₹11,000; P&L charge ₹16,000; Closing provision ₹18,000

T-account:

```

Provision for Tax

Dr Cr

Tax paid 9,000 | Opening 11,000

Closing 18,000 | P&L 16,000

27,000 | 27,000

```

Tax Paid = 11,000 + 16,000 − 18,000 = ₹9,000 ✓ (matches cash flow statement)

### Example 2

PPE — Finding Hidden Purchase (Illustration 19)

Given:

  • Opening PPE: ₹22,80,000
  • Depreciation: ₹3,60,000
  • Plant sold: proceeds ₹1,00,000, loss ₹20,000 → BV = ₹1,20,000
  • Plant written off: ₹16,000
  • Closing PPE: ₹21,64,000 (assumed from closing BS)

T-account:

```

PPE Account

Dr Cr

Opening 22,80,000 | Sale (BV) 1,20,000

Purchase* 8,56,000 | Write-off 16,000

| Depreciation 3,60,000

| Closing 21,64,000 (bal.)

31,36,000 | 31,36,000 (bal.)

```

*Purchase = balancing figure = ₹8,56,000 → shown as outflow in Investing Activities.

### Example 3

Land T-Account — Question 9 (with Capital Reserve)

Given: Opening land ₹6,00,000; sold at profit — proceeds ₹1,25,000; Capital Reserve created ₹75,000

Book Value of land sold = 1,25,000 − 75,000 = ₹50,000?

Actually: If Profit on sale = 25,000 shown in P&L, and Capital Reserve = 75,000:

  • Proceeds = ₹1,25,000; BV = 1,25,000 − 25,000 (P&L) − 75,000 (Cap. Res.) = ₹25,000?
  • Or: BV = 1,00,000; Profit = 25,000 to P&L; excess (₹75,000) to Capital Reserve
  • Full surplus = ₹1,25,000 − BV. If BV = ₹50,000 → total surplus ₹75,000: ₹25,000 to P&L, ₹50,000 to Cap Res — check against working note

Lesson: When land sale creates a Capital Reserve, the T-account reconciles as: Opening − BV sold + Closing = 0 changes (no purchases).

Proceed: ₹1,25,000 cash received → Investing Activity inflow.

⚠️ Common exam mistakes

  • Forgetting to account for write-offs in the PPE T-account — they reduce the asset but involve no cash, so they must appear on the Cr side
  • Using sale proceeds instead of book value in the PPE T-account — the T-account tracks asset values, not cash; proceeds go to the CFS directly
  • Omitting the Capital Reserve side when land is sold at surplus — part of the gain may go to Capital Reserve, not P&L, and both must be removed from PPE T-account
  • Not preparing a Dividend Payable T-account and instead assuming 'dividend declared = dividend paid' — they differ when there is an opening or closing dividend payable
  • Skipping the Provision for Tax T-account and just using the P&L charge as 'tax paid' — the actual cash paid may differ due to opening/closing provision balances
Reference:
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