Illustration by Dean Krueger
Categories
Accrued Dictionary

Scrubbing the General Ledger (GL)

By PRETTY BOOKS ON November 19, 2020
Metaphorical definitions of complex accounting terms.

The accounting language is filled with highly technical words and phrases that describe the highly technical job functions of an accountant. The ACCRUED DICTIONARY is a collection of common terms accountants use broken down into easy-to-understand metaphors, jokes, and whimsy. The dictionary cuts through the technical jargon and gives you a metaphorical perspective at what these words mean

Scrubbing the GL

Verb. [skruhb•beeng•thuh•gee•elle]
  1. Accrued Dictionary definition: A spring cleaning of a company’s general ledger. Each quarter, accountants get on their hands and knees to make sure the general ledger has been thoroughly primped and polished throughout the year. Sometimes the ledger is shiny and clean, but sometimes there might be a dust bunny or two lurking behind the fridge. Either way, you can be sure that after Scrubbing the GL, the place is spotless.

     //Make sure you sweep under Q2 when you’re scrubbing the GL. You never know what might be hiding under there.”

  1. Textbook definition: A double check of the general ledger to be sure that there are no errors in the records.

     //Once a quarter accountants can be found scrubbing the GL to make sure all information is accurate and accounted for.

Share this article

The information provided in this post is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Consult your financial, business, or tax advisor with respect to matters referenced in this post. Pretty Books assumes no liability for actions taken in reliance upon this information.

More from Pretty Books

Day in the Life

Go See the Client Day- A Day in the Life of an Accountant

Today is Go See the Client Day. Sometimes, for convenience, an accountant leaves their office to meet a client. Sometimes it’s in their places of business—a plant shop that looks more like a jungle, a retail store’s back room full of boxes, or even a restaurant floor in the middle of the lunch rush. Sometimes it’s somewhere between the accountant’s office and the client’s place of business—a coffee shop, a park bench, or anywhere with a table and chairs (and preferably Internet access). Either way, Go See the Client Day is an adventure. Not only does the accountant get to see their client face to face, they also get to spend some time out of the office, maybe even grabbing a coffee along the way.

Dear Abacus

I love my business, but it’s not paying enough. Is it still worth it?

Being stuck between your passion and your pay is a hard place to be. Business is tough. The mechanics of business are, unfortunately, more complex than just being passionate. Abacus the Accountant talks making these hard decisions in business and what to do next in this week’s edition of Dear Abacus.

Calculated Ingredients

Creating an Email Just for Accounting

By using one specific email address for all of your accounting documents, you can streamline the accounting process for your financial professionals and minimize the risk of losing documents if you lose access to an email inbox. Here is a recipe to create an inbox for accounting, including easy to follow directions, tips, and ingredients. Bon Appetit!

Checklist

The WA State Checklist

Washington State Tax Checklist Washington State has three specific categories of taxes: state, city, and county. In order to be better prepared, your checklist is going to include taxes within the city and county, as well as the state excise tax. What is State Excise tax? These taxes are usually imposed on the services and […]

Search

Hello, We Are Pretty Books

We're detail-driven, innovation-inspired number enthusiasts. We thrive on helping our clients set up, manage, and oversee financial data, processes and systems. Our modern accounting services include bookkeeping, payroll, financial consulting and more.

Inquire
Sign up for our newsletter.