trial balance

American  

noun

Bookkeeping.

trial balances plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• trial balances
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trial balance

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

Taking the trial balance shown above, the following represent the trading account, profit and loss account, Balance sheet. and balance sheet compiled therefrom.

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

This is as if a merchant should never balance his books, or, taking a trial balance, should be heedless of the result.

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

The entries appearing therein are such as would be necessary to prepare the trading and profit and loss accounts from the trial balance shown above, and to bring the capital account up to date.

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

Wishing to discuss some points in the trial balance of the receiver's accountant, Harwood entered and found Bassett with his hat on, slowly pacing the floor.

From A Hoosier Chronicle by Yohn, F. C. (Frederick Coffay)

I hung my head with shame while he glanced over the trial balance, which, according to my father's system, included the balance sheet.

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