Q.What is Journal Proper ?

Journal proper is the 'catch-all' book of original entry used for transactions that do not fit any special subsidiary book (opening, closing, adjusting, transfer, rectifying entries and credit purchase/sale of assets).

When a business grows, its repetitive transactions are split into special subsidiary books — purchases book, sales book, purchases return book, sales return book and the cash book. But some transactions are neither cash dealings nor credit dealings in goods, so they belong to none of these books. Such transactions are recorded in the journal proper.

Transactions typically recorded in the journal proper:

• Opening entries — to bring forward the assets, liabilities and capital at the start of a new accounting period.
• Closing entries — to transfer nominal accounts to the Trading and Profit & Loss account.
• Adjusting entries — outstanding/prepaid expenses, accrued income, depreciation, etc.
• Transfer entries — moving an amount from one account to another. …