All 25 Control Accounts questions
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Can a control account have both a debit and a credit balance? What is the difference between a control account and a personal account? What is the normal balance of the sales and purchases ledger control accounts? What is the difference between the SLCA and PLCA in one line each? What entries appear in the sales ledger control account? What entries appear in the purchases ledger control account? How does a control account help detect errors? What is a control account reconciliation? Why is a control account a form of internal control? What is the effect of a discount allowed on the control accounts?
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Bookkeeping › Control Accounts

Why are control accounts prepared by someone other than the ledger clerk?

Beginner

Answer

Preparing control accounts independently of the person maintaining the personal ledgers provides segregation of duties, so errors and fraud in the ledgers are more likely to be caught when the two are compared. It is a basic internal control that improves reliability of the records.
Real-world example A supervisor prepares the control account so it independently checks the ledger clerk's postings.

Common follow-ups: What control principle does this reflect? | Why does independence matter?

Sales & Purchase Ledgers Correcting Errors Control Accounts
All 25 Control Accounts questions