Words related to “ledger” include account book, general ledger, accounting record, and financial register. In accounting, some of these terms have distinct technical meanings, so they are not interchangeable in every context.
Choose the Accounting Term by Function
- Account book
- General ledger
- Book of accounts
- Accounting record
- Financial register
- Transaction record
- Journal
- Register
- Record book
- Bookkeeping record
Account book
“Account book” is a traditional general term for a book containing financial accounts.
Example: The payment was entered in the account book at the end of the day.
General ledger
“General ledger” is the specific accounting record that consolidates an organization’s accounts.
Example: The payment was entered in the general ledger at the end of the day.
Book of accounts
“Book of accounts” is a plain-language description of a ledger used for accounts.
Example: The payment was entered in the book of accounts at the end of the day.
Accounting record
“Accounting record” is broader and can refer to any formal record used in accounting.
Example: The payment was entered in the accounting record at the end of the day.
Financial register
“Financial register” suggests a structured register of financial entries.
Example: The payment was entered in the financial register at the end of the day.
Transaction record
“Transaction record” focuses on recording individual financial transactions.
Example: The payment was entered in the transaction record at the end of the day.
Journal
“Journal” is an accounting book for recording transactions before they are posted to a ledger.
Example: The payment was entered in the journal at the end of the day.
Register
“Register” is broader and can refer to many kinds of official list or record.
Example: The payment was entered in the register at the end of the day.
Record book
“Record book” is a general physical book used to keep organized records.
Example: The payment was entered in the record book at the end of the day.
Bookkeeping record
“Bookkeeping record” is a broad term for records maintained as part of bookkeeping.
Example: The payment was entered in the bookkeeping record at the end of the day.
Check the Nuance Before Substituting for “Ledger”
Related terms can overlap without meaning exactly the same thing. Before substituting one, check whether it describes the same idea, a narrower part of it, or a different but connected concept.