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Accounting
Subsidiary Ledger
A detailed list of individual accounts that supports one main control account in the general ledger.
Subsidiary ledgers exist for accounts receivable, accounts payable, inventory, and fixed assets. They keep the general ledger clean while still giving you all the details when you need them.It's like the full list of every kid who owes you lunch money while the general ledger only shows the total amount everyone owes.
Real world: The Accounts Receivable control account in the general ledger shows $45,000 total owed, but the accounts receivable subsidiary ledger lists exactly which customer owes how much.
💡 Subsidiary ledgers let you see the big picture in the general ledger and the tiny details at the same time — super useful for big businesses.