What is Balance per Books?

Balance per books is the ending balance of an account that appears in the general ledger. The concept is commonly used in regard to the ending cash balance, which is then compared to the cash balance in the monthly bank statement as part of a bank reconciliation.

Balance per Books vs. Bank Balance

The balance per books is the ending balance in the accounting records of an organization, while the bank balance is the ending cash balance in an organization’s bank account, according to its bank. These two balances are rarely the same, due to such adjusting items as uncashed checks, deposits in transit, and bank account fees.