Different Types of Errors in Accounting

We can divide accounting errors with following ways:

1. Errors of Principle

In accounting, if accountant records any transaction against the rules of double entry system, then this mistake is called error of principle. For example, accountant takes all capital expenditures as revenue expenditures and passes the entry of machinery purchased in purchase account.

 

2. Clerical Errors

We can separate clerical mistakes with following ways:

a) Errors of Omission

If accountant forgets to pass the journal entry of any transaction or if he records only one part of transaction, then these mistakes are called errors of omission. Accountant can also forget to post any journal entry in ledger accounts.

b) Errors of Commission

If accountant passes the wrong entry or posts wrong side of ledger accounts or writes wrong amount or calculates wrong total of any account, then these types of mistakes are called errors of commission. Some of errors of commission can easy find out by making trial balance but some errors of commission can not find out through trial balance.

c) Compensating Errors

Sometime we compensate one error with any other errors. For example we write Rs. 500 less in the credit side of sales account but same time we write less Rs. 500 in the debit side of purchase account. This is the error which can not be revealed through trial balance.