Each general ledger control account balance must equal the composite balance of the individual accounts in the related subsidiary ledger at the end of an accounting period.

General Ledger Control Account

A General Ledger Control Account is a summary account that consolidates the total balances of all accounts in a subsidiary ledger, used to maintain integrity in financial reporting.

Subsidiary Ledger

A detailed ledger that contains the individual accounts with a common characteristic, supporting entries recorded in a general ledger.

Accounting Period

The span of time at the end of which a company's financial statements are prepared, typically a quarter or year.