Ledger formats in T-form and running balance style, with posting rules, a worked customer account and a free ledger template in Excel that keeps the balance for you.
Ledger account format (T-form)
| Date | Particulars | J.F. | Amount (Dr) | Date | Particulars | J.F. | Amount (Cr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr | To Balance b/d | 25,000.00 | 15 Apr | By Bank | 40,000.00 | ||
| 01 Apr | To Sales | 41,622.00 | 30 Apr | By Balance c/d | 26,622.00 | ||
| 66,622.00 | 66,622.00 | ||||||
| 01 May | To Balance b/d | 26,622.00 |
Running balance ledger format
Accounting software and our Excel file use a three column layout: debit, credit and a running balance. It is easier to read at any date.
| Date | Particulars | Debit | Credit | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 Apr | Opening balance | 25,000.00 Dr | ||
| 01 Apr | Sales, INV-001 | 41,622.00 | 66,622.00 Dr | |
| 15 Apr | Bank, NEFT | 40,000.00 | 26,622.00 Dr | |
| 03 May | Sales, INV-014 | 18,500.00 | 45,122.00 Dr |
How to post to the ledger
- Open an account for each name. Customer, supplier, expense, asset.
- From each journal entry, post the debit to the debit side of that account and the credit to the credit side of the other.
- Write the other account name in particulars. “To Sales” on the debit side, “By Bank” on the credit side.
- Balance at period end. The difference is the balance c/d, brought down on the opposite side.
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Types of ledgers
| Ledger | Contains |
|---|---|
| Sales ledger (debtors) | One account per customer |
| Purchase ledger (creditors) | One account per supplier |
| General ledger | Assets, liabilities, capital, income and expenses |
Balancing a ledger account
Debit side total 66,622; credit side before balancing 40,000. Balance c/d = 66,622 minus 40,000 = 26,622, written on the credit side so both sides total 66,622. On the first day of the next period, bring it down on the debit side: To Balance b/d 26,622.
Ledger in Tally and other software
In accounting software every party and expense is a ledger. When you enter a sales invoice, the software posts the customer ledger and the sales ledger for you. A manual ledger is still useful for learning, for small businesses and for checking a software statement against your own record.
Downloadable Excel
Frequently asked questions
What is J.F. or L.F.?
Journal folio or ledger folio: the page reference that links the journal and ledger.
What is a ledger book?
A bound book with a page or more for each account. Small businesses still keep manual ledgers; the format is the same as the T-form above.
Checked and updated 14 Oct 2026. Independent template site; not tax or legal advice.