Errors disclosed and not disclosed by trial balance :

If the impact of the errors on trial balance is considered, errors may be classified into two categories – Errors disclosed by trial balance, and Errors not disclosed by trial balance.

Illustration :
State the type of error involved in the following transactions and say whether it will affect the agreement of the trial balance or not.

1. The sales book is undercast by Rs. 2,000.

2. The purchases book is overcast by Rs. 1,500.

3. The purchases return book is overcast by Rs.5,000.

4. The sales return book is overcast by Rs.1,000.

5. Goods returned by Vani worth Rs.1,500 were not entered.

6. Goods returned by Venu & Co. Rs.4,000 were not posted.

7. Goods sold to Robin for Rs. 2,600 has been debited to Robert’s A/c.

8. A credit sale to Basha for Rs. 3,500 was entered as Rs.5300.

9. A purchase of Machinery for Rs.50,000 has been entered in the purchases book.

10. A credit purchase from Senthil for Rs. 6,250 was debited to Santhosh’s A/c. from purchases book.

11. Cash received for commission Rs.2,735 was posted to the commission account as Rs. 2,375.

12. The monthly total of discount column on the debit side of the cash book Rs. 1,350 was credited to discount allowed account.

13. Cash paid for insurance Rs. 6,310 was posted to the insurance A/c. as Rs. 6,130.

14. The monthly total of discount column on the credit side of the cash book Rs. 22,500 was debited to discount received account.

15. A sale to Kaveri Rs. 6,900 has been entered in the purchases book.

Solution:

1. This is an error of casting and it affect sales account only. The trial balance will not tally.

2. This is an error of casting and it affect purchases account only. The trial balance will not agree.

3. This is an error of casting and it affect purchases return account only. The trial balance will not agree.

4. This is an error of casting and it affect sales return account only. The trial balance will not agree.

5. This is an error of complete omission. Since both the aspects have been omitted, this error will not affect the agreement of the trial balance.

6. This is an error of partial omission. Since the principles of double entry is not completed, this error will affect the agreement of the trial balance.

7. This is an error of posting i.e., right amount in the right side of the wrong account. This error will not affect the agreement of the trial balance.

8. This is an error of recording i.e., wrong entry in the subsidiary book. Since the mistake is found in both debit and credit aspects to the same extent. The agreement of the trial balance will not be affected.

9. This is an error of principle. This error will not affect the agreement of the trial balance.

10. This is an error of recording i.e., wrong entry in the subsidiary book. Since, the mistake is found in both debit and credit aspects to the same extent. The agreement of the trial balance will not affected.

11. This is an error of posting involving posting of wrong amount. Since the commission account has an excess credit of Rs.360, the trial balance will be affected.

12. This is an error of posting involving posting on the wrong side of an account. The amount must have been debited to
discount allowed account. The trial balance will not agree to the extent of Rs.2,700 i.e., twice the amount of the transaction.

13. This is an error of posting involving posting of wrong amount. Since the insurance account has a short debit of Rs.180, the
trial balance will be affected.

14. This is an error of posting involving posting on the wrong side of an account. The amount must have been credited to discount received account. The trial balance will not agree to the extent of Rs.45,000, ie., twice the amount of the transaction.

15. This is an error of recording. In this transaction, error is made in the book of original entry, the trial balance will not be affected. An entry has been made wrongly in the purchases book instead of the sales book. To rectify this, Kaveri A/c is to be debited with Rs.13,800 and Purchases A/c. and Sales A/c. are to be credited with Rs.6,900 each.