What it is
A trial balance lists every general ledger account with its debit or credit balance at a date. If the books balance, total debits equal total credits. Mapping each account to a financial statement line turns the trial balance into the starting point for the balance sheet and income statement.
This workbook has an unadjusted trial balance with adjustments and an adjusted column, a mapping column with a dropdown of statement lines, a summary that rolls the mapped balances up, and checks for balance, unmapped accounts and the balance sheet equation.
When to use it
- Month-end and year-end close.
- At the start of an audit or review, as the base the lead schedules tie to.
What’s inside
- Account number, name, type and unadjusted debit / credit
- Adjusting entries and adjusted balance columns
- Financial statement mapping dropdown from a lines list
- Mapped summary by statement line with SUMIF formulas
- Checks: debits = credits, unmapped accounts, assets = liabilities + equity after net income
Standard cited
This template follows Close process / AU-C 230. It is written in our own words, except for phrases the standard requires the document to contain, with [bracketed placeholders] for client details, amounts in USD and dates as MM/DD/YYYY. Check it against the current standard and your firm’s methodology before use. See AU-C 230 explained.
Questions
What is the difference between an unadjusted and adjusted trial balance?
The unadjusted trial balance is taken straight from the ledger. The adjusted trial balance includes the period-end adjusting entries (accruals, deferrals, depreciation, audit adjustments) and is the basis for the financial statements.
If the trial balance balances, are the books correct?
Not necessarily. Equal debits and credits only show that each entry was posted with equal sides. Entries posted to the wrong account, omitted entirely or recorded at the wrong amount on both sides still balance.
Related templates
- Lead Schedule Template (Excel)
- Cash Flow Statement Template, Indirect Method (ASC 230)
- Year-End Close Checklist (Excel)
Last updated 11/04/2026. All free templates.