What is a Cash Book?
Cash Book is the one in which all the cash receipts and cash payments including the funds that are deposited in the bank and funds which are withdrawn from the bank are recorded according to the date of the transaction. All the transaction which is recorded in the cash book has the two sides i.e., debit and credit.
The difference between the sum of balances of the debit side and credit side shows the balance of the cash on hand or bank account. Cashbook plays a dual role as it is the book of the original entry of the company as well as book the final entry
Types of Cash Book Formats
There are three types of cash book formats which are the following:
#1 – Single Column
Single column cash-book contains only the cash transactions done by the business. Single column cash-book has only a single money column on debit and credits both sides. It does not record the transaction-related, which involves banks or discounts. The transactions which are done on credit are not recorded while preparing the single column cash –book.

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#2 – Double Column
Double column cash-book contains two money column both on the debit side as well as the credit side. One column is for the transactions related to the cash, and the other column is for the transactions related to the bank account of the business. So, under double-column cash-book, not only cash transactions but transaction through the bank is done by the business is also recorded. The transactions which are done on credit are not recorded while preparing the double column cash –book.
#3 – Triple Column
It is also referred to as a three-column cash book format, and it is a most exhaustive form which has three columns of money on both receipt and payment sides and record transactions about the cash, bank, and discounts. This book is generally maintained by the large firms that do transactions in cash mode as well as through the bank and frequently allows and receives cash discounts.
Cash Book Format
Mr. X started the business in the month of June-2019. He invested the capital of $200,000, in which the cash contribution is $100,000, and the rest $100,000 he deposited in the business bank account a business. During June 19, the following transactions took place in the business. Prepare the necessary double-column Cashbook using the data as given below:
Date | Transactions | |
1-Jun | Initial capital contribution. Cash : $100,000 an Bank $100,000 | |
2-Jun | Paid for Advertisement $ 500 from check | |
4-Jun | Raw material purchased from Mr. A of $ 10,000 by paying cash | |
4-Jun | Purchased stationery for cash worth $ 550 | |
7-Jun | Raw material purchased from Mr. B of $ 20,000 on credit | |
9-Jun | Goods sold to the customer for $15,000 by cash | |
10-Jun | Paid $ 200 for the office expenses in cash | |
13-Jun | Goods sold on credit worth $ 11,000 to Mr. C | |
15-Jun | Received a check worth $ 11,000 for the goods sold on credit on 13-July-2019 to Mr. C; | |
18-Jul | Raw material purchased $ 10,000 by paying through check | |
21-Jun | Withdrew from bank $ 15,000 for business | |
25-Jun | Goods sold on credit worth $ 5,000 | |
30-Jun | Paid rent by check of $ 7,500 | |
30-Jun | Paid the salaries to staff of $ 17,000 in cash |
Solution:
Advantages
- It helps in saving time and labor as in case of recording cash transactions in the journal, tremendous time and labor are required, whereas, in the case of cashbook, cash transactions are recorded straight away that is in the form of the ledger.
- Management can know the balances of cash and bank at any time. It helps in effective cash management.
- Cashbook is balanced regularly, which helps in avoiding fraud. Also, discrepancies, if any, arises can be found and rectified.
Limitations
- It may take a lot of time to start and maintain this book.
- In the case of a large organization, maintaining it involves high costs.
Important Points
- Cash-book plays a dual role as it is the book of the original entry of the company as well as book the final entry.
- It has two of the identical sides, i.e., left-hand side (debit side) and the right-hand side (credit side)
- The difference between the total of the two sides gives cash in hand or bank account balance.
- The transactions which are done on credit are not recorded in this book.
Conclusion
Cash-book is a separate book of accounts in which all the cash transactions of the company are entered concerning the corresponding date, and it is different from the cash account where posting is done from the journal. There is no requirement to transfer the balances to the general ledger, which is required in the case of the cash account. Entries are then posted to the corresponding general ledger.
Cash-book has two sides, i.e., the left-hand side and the right-hand side, where all the receipts in cash are recorded on the left side, whereas all the payments in cash are recorded on the right side. Cashbook helps in effective cash management as management can know the balances of cash and bank at any time and take the necessary decisions accordingly.
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