Trial Balance Template: Free Debit and Credit Check
Use this trial balance template to list each account's debit or credit balance, total both sides and see where to look if debits and credits don't match.
A trial balance template is a quick test of your books: list every account with its debit or credit balance, add up both sides, and see whether they agree. If they don't, something has been entered on one side only, or the wrong way round.
This free Trial Balance Template from LiveFixPro Bookkeeping totals your debits and credits, tells you whether they balance and shows where to look if they don't. It includes a balanced sample and an out-of-balance sample, so you can see both results.
The check runs in your browser. No upload and no storage, and the page keeps working offline once it's open.
Your account balances
Period or date, optional.
Each account's ending balance. Put the balance in the Debit column or the Credit column, not both. Typically assets and expenses carry debit balances, and liabilities, equity and income carry credit balances.
You can copy accounts from your QuickBooks® Trial Balance report and paste them in, or type them. Use Add 5 rows for more space. To see how it works, load the balanced sample or the out-of-balance sample. Both samples use invented account balances.
The result
Three cards: total debits, total credits, and either "Balanced" or the amount by which debits or credits are higher, with a note saying which side is higher.
A status line that reads, for example, "Out of balance: credits exceed debits by $900.00," or confirms that total debits equal total credits.
A "Where to look" list with hints when the totals don't match.
Amounts must be positive numbers up to $1 trillion. A negative or too-large amount is flagged by account name and left out of the totals, so it can't produce a false difference.
Print the result or download a CSV. The CSV ends with a difference row and a result line. In the CSV download, an account name that starts with =, +, - or @ gets an apostrophe in front so a spreadsheet shows it as plain text.
How the totals are compared
The template adds every debit and every credit and compares them. A trial balance that balances doesn't prove every entry is right. It only shows the totals agree. The hints are common patterns, not certainties.
Running a trial balance in QuickBooks
In QuickBooks, search the Reports area for Trial Balance, choose your date range and run it. You can copy the account balances into this template, putting each one in the debit or credit column that matches the report, and compare the totals.
What to do next
If it balances, check the balances against what your bank and cards show.
If it doesn't, check the hints, then the most recent entries before anything older.
Use the trial balance to build your Profit and Loss and your Balance Sheet. Our Profit and Loss Template and Balance Sheet Template can help.
Why a trial balance can balance and still be wrong
An entry posted to the wrong account affects both accounts but not the totals. An entry missing on both sides doesn't affect them at all. That's why a balanced trial balance is a starting point, not a verdict on your books.
What the check can't tell you
It checks only the numbers you type. It has no tie to QuickBooks, can't locate errors for you and isn't accounting or legal advice.
Trial balance not balancing?
LiveFixPro Bookkeeping's published prices are $1,999 fixed for a QuickBooks cleanup and $499/mo for monthly bookkeeping. What each includes is confirmed on the free consult. Book a free consult and we'll talk through where your books stand.
Where this fits
A trial balance is the check that comes before the statements. Our financial statements for small business guide shows how it leads into the balance sheet and cash flow statement.
FAQ
What is a trial balance template?
A list of every account with its ending debit or credit balance, with both sides totalled so you can see whether debits equal credits.
What if my trial balance doesn't balance?
The template reports the gap and lists common patterns to look for. Start with the most recent entries before looking at older ones.
Does a trial balance have to balance, and does balancing prove my books are right?
A trial balance should balance, because every entry has equal debits and credits. But balancing only shows the totals agree. An entry posted to the wrong account, for example, can still leave the totals balanced.
Which accounts go in the debit column?
Typically assets and expenses carry debit balances, and liabilities, equity and income carry credit balances. Enter each balance in one column only.
Are my account balances uploaded?
No. The check happens in your browser, and balances you type are never uploaded, sent or stored.
Check your books now
Paste your account balances into the template above to test them. If the trial balance still won't balance, use a free consult to work through it.
QuickBooks® is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc. LiveFixPro is independent and not endorsed by Intuit.
QuickBooks® is a registered trademark of Intuit Inc. LiveFixPro is independent and not endorsed by Intuit.
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