what is a cash voucher

This is considered as the primary document of the business which describes and authorizes the payment of the company. Vouchers can be used as manual or computerized systems as preferred by business organizations. Vouchers that companies use in accounting provide the information needed to pay liabilities, primarily those to vendors.

Occasionally, errors may occur that affect the balance of the petty cash account. This may be the result of an employee not getting a receipt or getting back incorrect change from the store where the purchase was made. In this case, an expense is created that creates a cash overage or shortage.

Within financial transactions, cash voucher is a very important word. The article below discusses the details concerning how cash vouchers look like and an example that demonstrates their usage. At the end of July, in the petty cash box there should be a receipt for the postage stamp purchase, a receipt for the milk, a receipt for the window cleaner, and the remaining cash. The employee in charge of the petty cash box should sign each receipt when the purchase is made.

Additionally, vouchers also act as a check-and-balance tool and reduce the risk of employee theft. The internal audit staff may schedule a review of cash vouchers, to see if the items reimbursed comply with the company’s policy for petty cash use. It is possible that a firm’s outside auditors will also review cash vouchers, but this is unlikely, since any errors in this area are immaterial to the results stated in a company’s financial statements. As we have discussed, one of the hardest assets to control within any organization is cash.

Accounting for Petty Cash Vouchers

what is a cash voucher

Vouchers are prepared to support the accounting entries made in the books of accounts to provide correctness to the transactions. Initially, every transaction finds a place in the source documents and then using source documents, every transaction is recorded in the form of vouchers. For every business firm or party involved, there are vouchers in the name of every firm with their specific name.

Once the voucher has been paid, the proof of payment is included in the voucher and recorded as a paid voucher. A voucher is a form that includes all of the supporting documents showing the money owed and any payments to a supplier or vendor for an outstanding payable. The voucher and the necessary documents are recorded in the voucher register. The voucher is important because it’s an internal accounting control mechanism that ensures that every payment is properly authorized and that the goods or services purchased are actually received.

  1. The journal entry to replenish the petty cash account will be as follows.
  2. The receipt of payment and the date are recorded to show that the voucher has been paid.
  3. To maintain internal controls, managers can use a petty cash receipt (Figure 8.5), which tracks the use of the cash and requires a signature from the manager.

Types of Voucher

Recall that materiality means that the dollar amount in question would have a significant impact in financial results or influence investor decisions. As cash is spent from a petty cash fund, it is replaced with a receipt of the purchase. At all times, the balance in the petty cash box should be equal to the cash in the box plus the receipts showing purchases. Understanding what a cash voucher is and how to use it is crucial for effective financial management. Cash vouchers help in promoting accountability while making finances flow smoothly. The total amount of all the vouchers that have outstanding balances owed is recorded as accounts payable on the balance sheet.

For the past 52 years, Harold Averkamp (CPA, MBA) hasworked as an accounting supervisor, manager, consultant, university instructor, and innovator in teaching accounting online. For the past 52 years, Harold Averkamp (CPA, MBA) has worked as an accounting supervisor, manager, consultant, university instructor, and innovator in teaching accounting online. The voucher documents that the tasks are performed by multiple people and creates a paper trail so that an auditor can confirm that the duties were properly segregated. It is used by an organization to keep records of small amounts of money that it spends as well as reimbursed expenditures. A filled cash voucher sample will have all completed fields such as date issued, payee’s name, amount and signature. Normally, the setup of this form includes a heading section, payee details section, transaction segment, authorization part and additional details if any.

Source documents are critical to auditors, who use them as evidence that recorded transactions actually occurred. A cash voucher is a standard form used to document a petty cash payment. When someone wants to withdraw cash from the petty cash fund, that person fills out the cash voucher to indicate the reason for the withdrawal, and receives cash from the petty cash custodian in exchange. Typically, petty cash accounts are reimbursed at a fixed time period. Many small businesses will do this monthly, which ensures that basic accounting the expenses are recognized within the proper accounting period.

This documentary evidence supporting transactions is known as ‘Source documents’. Common examples of source documents are cash receipts, cheques, pay-in-slip, invoices, etc. A petty cash voucher is a standard form used as a receipt whenever cash is withdrawn from a petty cash box. It is a physically small form, since it must fit within the petty cash box or drawer. It is classified as a source document, since it is an original document that contains the details of a business transaction.

B. Non-Cash Vouchers

In this case, the cash account, which includes checking accounts, is decreased, while the funds are moved to the petty cash account. One asset is increasing, while another asset is decreasing by the same account. Since the petty cash account is an imprest account, this balance will never change and will remain on the balance sheet at $75, unless management elects to change the petty cash balance. The voucher, which is a cover page that explains the attached documents, includes the purchase order, shipping receipt, and invoice.

One way to control cash is for an organization to require that all payments be made by check. However, there are situations in which it is not practical to use a check. For example, imagine that the Galaxy’s Best Yogurt runs out of milk one evening. It is not possible to operate without milk, and the normal shipment does not come from the supplier for another 48 hours. To maintain operations, it becomes necessary to go to the grocery store across the street and purchase three gallons of milk.

The petty cash custodian uses the cash voucher to reconcile the petty cash fund. By adding together all on-hand cash with the amounts stated on the cash vouchers, the total should equal the designated property tax deduction definition 2020 cash total for the petty cash fund. If there is a difference, then either the cash was counted incorrectly, the amounts stated on the cash vouchers are incorrect, or cash stolen from the fund. Cash Vouchers basically refer to vouchers that incorporate all the cash transactions that are cash receipts and payments. Under the category of Cash vouchers, there can be two types of vouchers; Debit Vouchers and Credit Vouchers. In all cases, the amount of the purchase using petty cash would be considered to not be material in nature.

The purchase amount is added and recorded to accounts payable on the balance sheet until paid. The owner reviews all the voucher information before signing a check. The Galaxy’s Best Yogurt establishes a petty cash fund on July 1 by cashing a check for $75 from its checking account and placing cash in the petty cash box. At this point, the petty cash box has $75 to be used for small expenses with the authorization of the responsible manager. The journal entry to establish the petty cash fund would be as follows.

Petty cash vouchers are also referred to as petty cash receipts and can be purchased from office supply stores. If the balance in the petty cash account is supposed to be $75, then the petty cash box should contain $45 in signed receipts and $30 in cash. Assume that when the box is counted, there are $45 in receipts and $25 in cash. This creates a $5 shortage that needs to be replaced from the checking account. At month-end, the information in the vouchers is compiled to create a journal entry to credit the petty cash account and debit a variety of expense accounts (depending upon the uses to which the cash was put). The vouchers are attached to the journal entry as evidence of the underlying transactions.