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Three-Column & Four-Column Accounts

6 May, 2015 - 17:39

Three-column and four-column accounts are often used instead of two-column accounts. The purpose of the additional columns is to keep running balances of both debits and credits in the four-column account, or a net of the two in the three-column account. All accounts, as well as most accounting forms used to record transactions, often have a posting reference column. In the journal, the posting reference column is used to record the account number. In the individual account, the posting reference (also called journal reference) is used to record the page number of the journal where the entry was made.

Three-column and four-column accounts must show their account number and name, year and month, at the top of each page. Three-column and four-column accounts are most conveniently used in computer based accounting since debit and credit balances are automatically calculated.