Chart of accounts

A chart of accounts (COA) is a created list of the accounts used by a business entity to define each class of items for which money or the equivalent is spent or received. It is used to organize the finances of the entity and to segregate expenditures, revenue, assets and liabilities in order to give interested parties a better understanding of the financial health of the entity.

Normally defined by an identifier and a heading explaining text title and coded by account type. In computerized accounting systems with computable quantity accounting, the accounts can have a quantity measure definition.

The charts of accounts, can as in Sweden and Norway, be picked from a standard chart of accounts, a list of predefined accounts, like the BAS in Sweden. In some countries defined by the accountant from a standard charts of accounts general layout, in some regulated by law. But in most countries it is entirely up to each accountant to make and design.

The list can be numerical, alphabetic, or alpha-numeric identifiers. However in many computerized environments like the SIE (file format) only numerical are allowed. The structure and headings of accounts should assist in consistent posting of transactions. Each nominal ledger account is unique to allow its ledger to be located. The list is typically arranged in the order of the customary appearance of accounts in the financial statements, balance sheet accounts followed by profit and loss accounts.

Nomenclature, classification and codification [edit]

Each account in the chart of accounts is typically assigned a name and a unique number by which it can be identified. (Software for some small businesses may not require account numbers.) Account numbers are often five or more digits in length with each digit representing a division of the company, the department, the type of account, etc.

As you will see, the first digit might signify if the account is an asset, liability, etc. For example, if the first digit is a "1" it is an asset. If the first digit is a "6" it is an operating expense.

A gap between account numbers allows for adding accounts in the future. The following is a partial listing of a sample chart of accounts.

International aspects and accounting information interchange - Charts of accounts and tax harmonisation issues [edit]

Most countries have no national standard charts of accounts, public or privately organised, and improvisation is the case. In many countries there are general guidelines, and in France the guidelines have been codified in law. Sweden has a very well developed standard chart of accounts, the branch organisation BAS chart has existed for several decades, making Sweden an exception to the improvisational rule. Sweden's standardized chart of accounts is also related to the income tax coding (SRU) of the Swedish tax authority.

Differences in the Chart of accounts breakdown and meanings between countries represents a much bigger compatibility problem for accounting and financial information interchange between cultures, than physical file format.

To a large extent, charts of accounts are a mirror of the tax legislation and governmental taxation reports. Different Tax regulations (lack of harmonisation of law) also make huge differences in the actual content of accounting and financial report information between countries.

The EU commission has spent a great deal of effort on administrative tax harmonisation, and this harmonization is the main focus of the latest version of the EU VAT directive, which aims to achieve better harmonization and support electronic trade documents, such as electronic invoices used in cross border trade, especially within the European Union Value Added Tax Area. However, there is still a great deal to be done to realize a standard chart of accounts and international accounting information interchange structure.

Trial Balance [edit]

The trial balance is a list of the active general ledger accounts with debit and credit balances. A balanced trial balance does not guarantee that there are no errors in the nominal ledger entries.

Types of accounts [edit]

1. Asset accounts: represent the different types of economic resources owned or controlled by business, common examples of Asset accounts are cash, cash in bank, building, inventory, prepaid rent, goodwill, accounts receivable^[1]
2. Liability accounts: represent the different types of economic obligations by a business, such as accounts payable, bank loan, bonds payable, accrued interest.^{[citation needed]}
3. Equity accounts: represent the residual equity of a business (after deducting from Assets all the liabilities) including Retained Earnings and Appropriations.^{[citation needed]}
4. Revenue accounts or income: represent the company's gross earnings and common examples include Sales, Service revenue and Interest Income.^{[citation needed]}
5. Expense accounts: represent the company's expenditures to enable itself to operate. Common examples are electricity and water, rentals, depreciation, doubtful accounts, interest, insurance.^{[citation needed]}
6. Contra-accounts: Some balance sheet items have corresponding contra accounts, with negative balances, that offset them. Examples are accumulated depreciation against equipment, and allowance for bad debts against long-term notes receivable.

Example [edit]

US GAAP Simple Chart of Accounts [edit]

Group headings [edit]

• Revenue
• Cost of Goods Sold
• SG&A
• Establishment Expenses
• Interest Expenses
• Administration Expenses

Within each of these headings will be the individual nominal ledger accounts that make up the chart of accounts. E.g. establishment expenses may consist of rent, rates, repairs, and so on.

Balance Sheet Accounts [edit]

Profit & Loss accounts [edit]

French GAAP chart of accounts layout [edit]

The French generally accepted accounting principles chart of accounts layout is used in France, Belgium and many francophone countries. The use of the French GAAP chart of accounts layout (but not the detailed accounts) is stated in French law.

In France Liabilities and Equity are seen as negative Assets and not account types of them selves, just balance accounts.

Balance Sheet Accounts [edit]

• Class 1 Liability Accounts
• Class 2 Asset Accounts
• Class 3 Stocks Accounts
• Class 4 Third-Party Accounts
• Class 5 Financial Accounts

Profit and Loss Accounts [edit]

• Class 6 Costs Accounts
• Class 7 Revenues Accounts

Special Accounts [edit]

• Class 8 Special Accounts

Swedish BAS chart of accounts layout [edit]

The complete Swedish BAS standard chart of about 1250 accounts is also available in English and German texts in a printed publication from the non-profit branch BAS organisation.

BAS is a private organisation originally created by the Swedish industry and today owned by a set general interest groups like, several industry organisations, several government authorities (incl GAAP and the revenue service), the Church of Sweden, the audits and accountants organisation and SIE (file format) organisation, as close as consensus possibly (a Swedish way of working without legal demands).

The BAS chart use is volunteer, is not any legal demand in Sweden, but so politically well anchored and well developed that it is commonly used by all.

The BAS chart is not an SIS national standard because SIS is organised on pay documentation and nobody in the computer world are paying for standard documents. BAS were SIS standard but left. SIS Swedish Standards Institute is the Swedish domestic member of ISO. This is not a government procurement problem due to the fact all significant governmental authorities are significant members/part owners of BAS.

An almost identical chart of accounts is used in Norway.

Balance Sheet Accounts [edit]

Asset accounts [edit]

• 1000 Immaterial assets
• 1100 Buildings and land assets
• 1200 Inventories, Machines, Vehicles & Equipment assets
• 1300 Financial relations with other near companies
• 1400 Stored products and work in progress
• 1500-1699 Receivables
• 1700 Pre-payments and accrued income
• 1800 Securities market assets
• 1900 Cash & Bank Accounts

Liabilities accounts [edit]

• 2000 Equity 1
• 2100 Reserves
• 2200 Deposits (staff pensions etc.)
• 2300 Loans
• 2400 Short debts (payables 2440)
• 2500 Income Tax Payable
• 2600 VAT Payable
• 2700 Staff income Payable
• 2800-2999 other liabilities

Profit & Loss accounts [edit]

Revenue accounts [edit]

• 3000 Revenue Accounts

Expense accounts [edit]

• 4000 Costs directly related to revenues
• 5000-7999 General expense Accounts
• 8000 Financial Accounts
• 9000 Contra-accounts

See also [edit]

• Bank account
• Nomenclature
• French generally accepted accounting principles
• BAS Swedish standard chart of accounts

Notes and references [edit]