Back to results for “Cash Book & Petty Cash”
Bookkeeping › Control Accounts

What is the effect of a discount allowed on the control accounts?

Intermediate

Answer

A discount allowed (to a customer for prompt payment) reduces the amount the customer pays, so it's credited to the sales ledger control account (and the customer's personal account) alongside the cash received, and debited to the discounts allowed expense account. The two credits (cash + discount) together clear the invoice.
Invoice 1,000 settled early with 20 discount:
  Cr SLCA: Bank 980 + Discount allowed 20 = 1,000
Real-world example When a customer takes a settlement discount, both the cash and the discount reduce the control account.

Common follow-ups: Which account is debited for discounts allowed? | Why does it reduce the control account?