Meaning of Branch Accounting

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Meaning of Branch Accounting

Branch Accounting is a system in which separate books of accounts are

maintained for each branch. These branches are divided as per

geographical locations and each branch has its own profit center and cost

center. In this accounting system, separate Trial Balance, Profit & loss

statement and balance sheet are prepared by each branch.

 
Types of Branches
#1 – Dependent Branch
Dependent branches are those branches that do not maintain separate

books of accounts completely, there profit & loss statement and Balance

sheets are collectively maintained by the Head office only. Only a few

information has been maintained by branches separately like Cash

Accounting, Debtors Accounting, and Inventory.

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#2 – Independent Branch
Independent branches are those branches which maintain separate books

of accounts completely and their profit & loss statement and Balance
sheets are maintained separately from their Head office. In this case, Head

office and Branches are treated separate entity.

E.g. – If Head Office sending material to its branch then the Head office will

record sales in the HO book and raise an invoice in the name of branch and

branch will record this as purchase in branch books of accounts.

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Journal Entries of Branch Accounting
The following are the journal entries of branch accounting

#1 – Inventory – If Head office transferred inventory of $1000 to its branch

office then below journal entries will be passed in the books of Head office.


#2 – Cash Remitted by Branch to Head office – If Branch office remit

cash of $500 to Head office.

#3 – Head office Paid Expenses of Branch – If Head office paid wages

$500, Rent $ 400 & Salary $300 on behalf of the branch.

 
Examples of Branch Accounting
Below are the examples of branch accounting

Example #1
ABC Ltd. Company has it is branch office at Chennai and the following

is the transaction between branch and Head office during the Year Jan’
2018 – Dec’2019. In this example, the Head office is sending goods to

the branch at the cost price.

Solution
Example #2
If goods are sent by the Head office at invoice price which includes a

profit of 20% on invoice price and All expenses of Branch paid by HO.

In this case, to ascertain the branch profit, Adjustments will have to be

made in Branch A/c which is a difference between Invoice Price and

Cost Price.
Example #3
If goods are sent to branch at a selling price of the branch which is

cost plus 50 %, All cash received by branch remitted by Branch to HO.

Branch expenses paid by HO directly and branch only maintain stock

and sales ledger otherwise all transactions are maintained in the books

of HO.

 
Advantages of Branch Accounting
 It helps to ascertain the Profit & Loss of each Branch

 It helps to know the debtors, Inventory and cash position of each

branch

 It helps to ascertain the wages, Rent, Salary and other expenses of

each branch separately.

 Separate accounting of each branch helps to take decisions according

to branch requirements.

 By Separate branch accounting, it is easy to track the progress and

performance of each branch.

 It helps to control the overall branch operation.

 
Disadvantages of Branch Accounting
 Due to a separate account for each branch, it requires more

manpower.

 It requires a separate branch manager for each branch

 It requires separate infrastructure at each location or unit

 It increases the expenses of the company because of a separate set

up at each location.
 In this accounting system, there is a chance of delay in decision

making because of multiple authority.

 In this accounting system, there is a chance of Mismanagement

because of decentralized operation and minimum control of the

Head office.

 
Importance Points
 It is a system where separate books of accounts maintained for each

branch.

 In this system Head office and each branch treated as a separate

entity.

 It helps to ascertain the performance of each branch separately which

helps to take the necessary action.

 It Increases the expenses of the company because of manpower,

Infrastructure or operational expenses.

 
Conclusion
It is useful when the business organization operates a number of branches

at different locations because it helps to understand and track the


performance of each branch. At the same time, it involves lots of cost

because of a separate setup at each location, therefore, it affects

the profitability of the company also.

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