The records of the general bookkeeper are principally found in the general balance ledger and general cash book.

The General Balance Ledger contains a summary of the entire operations of the bank, systematically collated from the various departments. It is provided with three columns for each business day in the week. The first column contains the balances of the various accounts. The debit balances are written in black ink, and the credit balances in red ink. It is a regular double entry ledger; therefore the total of the red ink balances should at all times equal the total of the black ink balances. The next two columns are for daily debit and credit additions to the accounts in this ledger. Among the advantages of this form of ledger over the old form of mercantile ledgers are:

1. It furnishes more convenient data for preparing the daily statement of the bank.

2. It requires less clerical work.

3. It serves the purpose of a trial balance.

General Balance Ledger

The General Cash Book contains a record of all amounts affecting the general balance ledger of the bank. Any account that does not appropriately belong to the special books already referred to is recorded directly in this book. It is not essentially different from the cash book used by mercantile houses. The left side is provided with four columns, one for collection and exchange, one for receipts from banks, one for sundry receipts, and one for totals. The right side is provided with three columns, one for cash remittances to banks, one for sundry payments, and one for totals.