A control account is a type of self-balancing ledger system used to keep track of the total balance of a group of related accounts.
In accounting, businesses often have multiple accounts that are related to each other. For example, a business may have several accounts receivable accounts for different customers. Instead of keeping track of each individual account separately, the business can use a control account to keep track of the total balance of all the accounts.
The control account acts as a summary account for all the related accounts. It records the total balance of all the related accounts and is updated whenever a transaction is made in any of the related accounts. By using a control account, businesses can easily monitor the overall balance of their related accounts and quickly identify any discrepancies or errors.
For example, a business may have several accounts receivable accounts for different customers. Instead of tracking each individual account separately, the business can use a control account called "Accounts Receivable Control" to track the total balance of all the accounts receivable accounts. This account will be credited when a sale is made and debited when a customer makes a payment.
In summary, a control account is a self-balancing ledger system used to keep track of the total balance of a group of related accounts. It acts as a summary account for all the related accounts and is updated whenever a transaction is made in any of the related accounts.