Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/331

* BOOKKEEPING. 293 BOOKKEEPING. ■entry balance-slieet, which the merchant needs to keep him within the lines of safety and profit. In sin^'le-entry hookkeepinjj, in its pure form, the only hook needed, besides the led;L,'er, is a day- l.ook or journal, in which are made all entries in- volving debit or credit of jjersons. The cash-book, sales-book, etc., are comliincd with the books first named as in double entry, but when so used the method becomes no lonfjer ])ure single entry, but a mixed form. To determine the proprietor's eapital at any time, when the books are kept by sinjjle entry, an inventory of resources and lia- bilities is taken, the dill'erence between the totals representing; the capital. The loss or gain is found by com])arin<;; the present with the former eapilal. So great is the importance to a concern of its books, and so great the calamity of their loss by theft or fire, that they are usually guard- ed with great care and kept in a fireproof safe when not in use. Det.uls. The principles of bookkeeping re- main today practically as set forth by Luca Pacioli. In details, appliances, and forms, how- ever, there have been many changes. Most of the important changes in the forms of books are of recent date and consist largely in the intro- duction or extension of the use of special col- umns. One or two ledger forms which are now in use may be mentioned in this connection. The centre-ruled ledger, as it is termed, has the credit amount column arranged alongside of the debit in the centre of the page. It is fol- lowed by the folio coliimi), the explanation and date columns, in the order named. The advan- tages claimed for it are that, being brought close together, comparison of the two columns is made easier, the trial balance can be more readily taken, and in ruling the account no trouble arises because of the rolling of the page. The card system, which has become indispensable in so many lines of work, is also being introduced. Large numbers of firms are now using either the detachable or loose-leafed ledger, or have adopted the card ledger. The advantages claimed for these forms over the ordinary ledger are the saving in indexing, the removal of dead accounts, escape from the continual transfer of accounts which have become crowded, the elasticity which permits new accounts to be introduced indefinite- ly, ease of classification, etc. In no part of the actual practice of book- keeping has there been a greater advance than in that which deals with the orders sent to the home oflfice by the traveling salesman. Instead of sending these orders, as formerly, illegibly written on any scrap of jiaper that came to hand, and leaving it for the home ollice to make the proper entries in the regular sales-book, the sales-agent is now furnished with a book with perforated leaves properly ruled and correspond- ing with a book kept in the office. In this book the agent enters his orders, giving prices, terms, etc., and making extensions and footings com- plete. The leaves containing the orders are then torn out along the perforated line, sent to the home office, and there by a simple contrivance bound into the book devoted to this particular agent. From this book of original entry, posting is made directly to the ledger. The agent is thus made a part of the working force of the home office, and by the saving thus accomplished the office expenses have been decreased without loss of accuracy or efficiency, and with an actual increase in business. Expert Work. An expert bookkeeper is some- times called ui>on to clear up dilheulties brought about by slovenly methods of work, or by dis- honest practices. It need hardly be remarked that the expert reaches his conclusions not thnnigh any mysterious or extraordinary in- siglit. but by systematically taking the original entries and dotcrmining whether they have been correctly handled or not. If fraud is present, it may be necessary to correspond with the va- rious firms represented in order to discover to what extent fictitious and fraudulent entries have been made. This takes time, but is entirely simple and makes it impossible to escape from the conclusions to which the method leads. If proper entries were not made, or have been lost, the discovery of this will be in some measure accidental, determined through correspondence and settlement with the firms with which the concern in ciuestion has had dealings. As in every other department of the bookkeeper's work, so in this, system, care, and attention to details finally secure the result sought. BOOKKEEPING FORMS. DAYBOOK Jaxitaby 2, 1902 Beta M. Wilson bepan to-da.v the grain, flour, and feed business with tiie followinpr investment: EESOUHCES Cash per cash-book |85,000.00 300.00 400.00 300.00 William Jones, note due Jan. 5.. Joseph Call, on account George Randolph, on account... LIABILITIES Note favor Thomas Wall Charles Johnson, dup him on account.. Nathan Barlow, due him on account.... Boiiprlit of Hanley Bros., on account 100 bushels beans @ $1.50 200 •■ wheat 0) .70 600 '■ corn @ .36 100 barrels flour @ 4.00 Sold F. E. Thomas, on account: 2 bushels beans @ $2.00 wheat @ .90 1 barrel flour. 5.00 Gave Hanle.v Bros, my note at 30 days for $265.00 on account 200.00 5.50.00 250.00 150.00 UO.Ol) 175.00 400.00 4.00 22.60 5.00 86,000.00 1.000.00 865.00 31.60 266.00 JOURNAL Janpaby, 1902 Cash S S6.0OC.0O 300.00 400.00 300.00 868.00 31.60 26S.0O 1 2 Joseph Call 2 George Randolph Mdse 3 4 4 1 6 To Bills Payable,. Charles Johnson Nathan Barlow. Bela M. Wilson.. 2 S2(X).00 550.00 250.00 5,000.00 6 n F. E. Tbomae To Hanley Bros... 2 86.5. OO 6 Hanlej Bros To Mdse 31.50 6 2 3 To Bills Payable.. 265.00