The factors that may affect the trail balance totals agreement are thus:
- Where the debit balances in the ledger account have been entered on the credit side of the trail balance and vice versa.
- Where Balances are omitted while extracting the list of debtors or creditors.
- Where figures are written incorrectly, For example, recording “5” as “s” or “8” as “3” or “1” as “1” etc.
- When there are errors in calculation. For instance, there may be incorrect recording of figures while striking the balances.
- Transportation of figures. Here, the accounts clerk may decide to write down N51 when he intends to write the figures N15
- Where the purchases daybook and that of the sales daybook are not posted to the purchase account and that of sales account respectively in the ledger.
- Where the totals of discount in the cashbook are not posted of discount account.