PATRICK EVANS
ACCT290
WEEK 4
REVERSING ENTRIES
JOAN GAPP

Journal entries are used to change accounting information in financial systems. Following the double-entry system used in modern accounting, these entries always affect at least two accounts -- one account is debited, while another account is credited. A reversing entry is a journal entry that inverts a previously recorded "regular" entry. The use of reversing entries is optional, but it offers certain advantages, making them very popular in the accounting world. When you reverse an entry made in a prior period, you prevent duplication of revenues or expenses, which improves accuracy. For example, you made an entry to recognize a phone expense last month as part of the closing of the month process. Now the bill has been entered in the accounting system, and an expense was again recognized. The reversing entry will zero out the expense, correcting the situation. Reversing entries related to period closing always are paired with entries from the past. You can enter a journal entry in January and reverse it in February to avoid duplication in February. You don't normally go back to January to reverse an entry done in February. Reversing entries is a simple process that can be performed by any employee without much knowledge of accounting. Basically, the account originally debited is now credited and vice versa. There's no need to research or conduct any calculations -- all you need to do is reverse the original entry using the same exact numbers with no changes. You can give a clerk a list of entries to reverse, and it'll be understood and done easily. There's no mystery to it. The reversing process is the same every period, so you don't have to conduct any special training. The numbers and accounts may change, but the idea is the same every time, simplifying the entire accounting cycle. Using reversing