Trial balance template

What the trial balance template does

A trial balance proves that the books balance before you prepare accounts. List every account with its code and type, put each balance in the debit or credit column, and the template totals both columns, shows any difference and summarises the debit balances by type of account.

Who it is for

Bookkeepers and accountants preparing month-end or year-end accounts, and students learning how double-entry bookkeeping fits together.

How to use the workbook

1. List each account with its code and choose its type.
2. Enter the balance in the debit column or the credit column.
3. Check the difference at the top is zero.
4. Use the summary by account type to prepare the accounts.
5. Save a copy under a new name for each month or year, so earlier records stay as they were.

What is inside

• Account code, name and type
• Debit and credit columns with totals
• Difference check
• Summary of debit balances by account type
• Room for 150 accounts

The workbook has these sheets: Instructions, Trial balance, Summary. The main table has the columns Code; Account; Type; Debit; Credit. Yellow cells are for you to fill in and grey cells calculate by themselves, so leave the grey cells alone. The example rows show how it works; type over them with your own entries.

Tips for getting it right

• Take the balances from your ledger on the same date.
• A difference usually means a missing or one-sided entry.
• Check the sign of each balance, especially for contra accounts.
• Keep a signed copy with the year-end file.

Why keep this record

Accounting records let you answer three questions at any time: what came in, what went out and who owes whom. Kept consistently they also make tax returns, loan applications and the sale of a business much easier, because the evidence is already organised. Entering transactions the day they happen is far cheaper than reconstructing them at year end.

Questions people ask

Do I need to know Excel formulas? No. Type into the yellow cells and the rest is worked out for you. The formulas are visible if you want to see how a figure is reached.

Can I add rows or change the layout? You can add your own columns to the right and your own notes. If you insert rows inside a table, copy the grey formula cells down so the new rows calculate too.

Will it work on my phone or in Google Sheets? Yes for viewing and typing, but dropdown lists and the charts look best in desktop Excel or LibreOffice.

Keeping it safe and up to date

Good accounting records are a legal duty as well as a management tool: keep the supporting receipts and invoices with the workbook, and keep each year's copy for at least five years. Work on a copy, never on your only file, and back it up.

Read how to keep business records for KRA for the wider picture. See more accounting templates or ask us for a custom one.

The workbook works in Microsoft Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets. It is a tool to help you work out and record figures, not tax, legal or accounting advice, and it is not affiliated with the Kenya Revenue Authority. If something does not work as described, contact us and we will put it right.

Related guides, calculators and templates

• Guide: How to keep business records for KRA: what to save and for how long
• Guide: Bank reconciliation step by step: match your books to your bank
• Guide: Fixed assets and capital allowances explained for small businesses
• Another template: Balance sheet template
• Another template: Bank reconciliation statement
• Another template: Chart of accounts and general ledger

Need something different? Request a custom template, browse all guides or see every Excel template.