Simple Book-keeping

4. Purchases

4.1 Every time you make a purchase, ask for an invoice or a receipt.

• Keep a note of all purchases for which you do not have a receipt.
• File the bills in Purchases Unpaid in date order, with the most recent on the top.

4.2 When you pay a bill, write the date, supplier and amount on your cheque stub.

• If you pay several invoices with one cheque, write down each amount and the total.
• Take the invoice out of the Purchases Unpaid file and write the date and cheque number in the top right-hand corner.
• File the invoice in Purchases Paid in date-of-payment order.
• If you have a receipt, as well as an invoice, staple them together.

4.3 Once a week update your Cash Book or accounting programme.

• Look through your cheque stubs. Enter the details of the bills you have paid into the Cash Book.
• Check the details against the invoices in the Purchases Paid file. Put a tick against the cheque number (in the top right-hand corner) to show that the invoice details have been entered into your Cash Book.