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Bookkeeping › Control Accounts

How would an overstatement of the sales day book affect the control account reconciliation?

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Answer

Overcasting the sales day book overstates the total posted to the debit of the sales ledger control account, so the control account balance exceeds the true total of the debtors list. On reconciliation, the control account is reduced (credited) by the overcast amount to agree with the correctly-posted list of balances.
SDB overcast by 100 -> SLCA overstated by 100.
Correction: reduce the control account by 100.
Real-world example A 100 overcast in the sales day book makes the control account 100 higher than the debtors list until corrected.

Common follow-ups: Does this affect the list or the control account? | How is it corrected?