trial balance

American  

noun

Bookkeeping.

1. a statement of all the open debit and credit items, made preliminary to balancing a double-entry ledger.

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trial balance British  

noun

1. accounting a statement of all the debit and credit balances in the ledger of a double-entry system, drawn up to test their equality

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Etymology

Origin of trial balance

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

"You told me to look into the system of keeping the books, and I thought I could not do it any better than by getting out a trial balance for the last six months."

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Optic, Oliver

It should be observed, however, that the test supplied by the trial balance is a purely mechanical one, and does not prove the absolute accuracy of the ledger as 227 a record of transactions.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 2 "Bohemia" to "Borgia, Francis" by Various

The quarterly review will then be indeed his trial balance.

From Sunday-School Success A Book of Practical Methods for Sunday-School Teachers and Officers by Wells, Amos R.

In fact, I considered myself as competent to handle the Florina as I was to make out a trial balance.

From Desk and Debit or, The Catastrophes of a Clerk by Optic, Oliver

Such a list is called a trial balance, an example of which is given below.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Slice 2 "Bohemia" to "Borgia, Francis" by Various