Worked Solution
✓ VerifiedGeneral Ledger Adjustment Account in Debtors Ledger (for the month of April 2012)
In a self-balancing ledger system, the General Ledger Adjustment Account (GLAA) maintained in the Debtors Ledger is a mirror image of the Debtors Ledger Control Account maintained in the General Ledger. Items that appear on the debit side of the Debtors Control Account in the General Ledger are recorded on the credit side of GLAA in the Debtors Ledger, and vice versa.
Credit Sales = Total Sales − Cash Sales = ₹20,95,400 − ₹1,00,000 = ₹19,95,400
General Ledger Adjustment Account in Debtors Ledger
| Dr Side | ₹ | Cr Side | ₹ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening Credit Balances b/d | 9,400 | Opening Debit Balances b/d | 3,58,200 |
| Cash received from credit customers | 17,25,700 | Credit Sales | 19,95,400 |
| Bills Receivable received | 95,000 | Bills Receivable Dishonoured | 7,500 |
| Sales Returns | 33,100 | Cash paid to customers (returns) | 6,000 |
| Transfers to Creditors Ledger | 16,000 | ||
| Closing Credit Balances c/d | 9,800 | ||
| Closing Debit Balances c/d (balancing figure) | 4,78,100 | ||
| Total | 23,67,100 | Total | 23,67,100 |
The closing debit balance of ₹4,78,100 represents the net debit position of the Debtors Ledger as at 30-04-2012, which agrees with the aggregate of individual debtors' debit balances in the Debtors Ledger.
Write it like this
1The skeleton
- Show the Credit Sales working first — write '₹20,95,400 − ₹1,00,000 = ₹19,95,400' as a one-liner before the account, because examiners award a separate step mark for this deduction even if your table is perfect.
- Label the account exactly as asked — write 'General Ledger Adjustment Account in Debtors Ledger' as the heading; dropping 'in Debtors Ledger' costs a mark because it looks like you drew the wrong account.
- Reverse every item consciously — items that debit the Debtors Control in General Ledger go to the CREDIT side of this account; write a one-line rule at the top ('mirror image principle') so the examiner sees you know WHY, not just HOW.
- Put BOTH opening balances on opposite sides — Debit balance of ₹3,58,200 goes Cr side, Credit balance of ₹9,400 goes Dr side; most students miss the credit balance entirely and lose the opening balance mark.
- Let Closing Debit Balance be your balancing figure — mark it clearly as 'Closing Debit Balances c/d (balancing figure)' on the Dr side; examiners expect this label to confirm you understand the account self-balances.
- Tally both sides to the same total — write ₹23,67,100 on both sides; a mismatched total signals arithmetic error and puts all your marks at risk.
2Examiner-rewarded phrases
3Common trap
The killer mistake here is putting credit sales and dishonoured bills on the DEBIT side because they feel like debtor-increasing entries — that's General Ledger logic, not GLAA logic. In the GLAA inside the Debtors Ledger, the sides flip completely; if you forget to reverse, your totals won't agree and you lose 3-4 marks on a 5-mark question.