The general ledger
What the general ledger is, how it groups movements by account with opening balance, movements and closing balance, the subsidiary ledger by party (customer, supplier) and how to query it in GoSoft.
If the journal orders by date, the general ledger orders by account: for each account it shows the opening balance, every movement in the period and the closing balance. It is the tool to answer "why does this account have this balance?".
- Read an account's ledger and rebuild its balance.
- Use the subsidiary ledger to see a customer's or supplier's detail.
- Query the ledger in GoSoft with an account range, party and dates.
How to read it
Ledger of Accounts receivable · Persona0001 Apellido0001:
| Date | Voucher | Narration | Debit | Credit | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Opening balance | 0.00 | ||||
| 02/15/2026 | Contract | Sale of lot 01 | 60,000,000.00 | 60,000,000.00 | |
| 02/15/2026 | CI 000100 | Down payment | 6,000,000.00 | 54,000,000.00 | |
| 03/15/2026 | CI 000123 | Installment 1 | 2,001,967.50 | 51,998,032.50 |
The closing balance matches the payment plan's principal balance: proof that the contract and the books are aligned.
General and subsidiary ledger
- General ledger: one account with all its movements (for example, Bank).
- Subsidiary ledger: within an account, the detail by party, cost center or document (for example, how much each customer owes).
In GoSoft, step by step
Open Financial reports → General ledger.
Choose the units, the account (or an account range), the voucher type, the origin and, if you wish, the party (a person) or detail.
Choose the period and click Generate.
gosoft.app
General ledger with filters by account, party and period If the account had no movements in the period, GoSoft says so. Click any voucher to open it and export to Excel or PDF.
To review a balance sheet account (bank, receivables, payables, taxes) compare the ledger balance with an external document: bank statement, receivables report, supplier statement or filed return.
What is the difference between the journal and the ledger?
The journal orders entries by date; the ledger groups movements by account with their balance.
What is a subsidiary ledger?
An account's detail by party, cost center or document.
What should a contract's receivables ledger match?
The outstanding principal balance of that contract's payment plan.