Accounting Source Documents
What is a source document?
Example of a receipt
In the context of accounting, a "source document" is any form of paper record that is produced as a direct consequence of a financial transaction, and as a result, is evidence that the transaction has taken place.
Accounting source documents come in many different forms fior example:
- Receipts for Goods Purchased with Cash (see right)
- Receipts for Cash Received
- Sales Invoices
- Purchase Invoices
- Suppliers Invoices
- Supliers Statements
- Bank Statements
- Cash Register Tapes
- Bank Deposit Slips/Forms
- Cheque stubs
- Credit Card Receipts
- Payroll Records
Keeping source documents
It is extremely important to keep all Accounting Source Documents and maintain a filing system where they can easily be found when required. Failure to maintain strict filing processes can be very costly in time wasted.
Accounting source documents are required for:
- Verifiying transactions on a month-to-month basis
- End-of-year financial audit
- Satisfying the requirements of the Taxation Office
The number of years that Accounting Source Documents must be kept differs from state to state, nation to nation, but it is often the case that the minimum period is 5 years.
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