Need to deduct one column from another to show the balance available but this balance has to be shown in the deducted column to show that the two columns are equal?

Answer 1

Sounds like you are trying to balance off a T-account.

The easiest way to do this is:

1. Sum the debit and credit columns separately;
2. Take the smaller sum from the larger sum to find the balance;
3. Put this balance in the column with the smaller sum with description "Balance c/d";
4. The two columns now total the larger sum (found in step 1), so write this as the total for each of the columns;
5. Under the total in the column which originally had the larger sum write the balance (found in step 2) with description "Balance b/d".

If there is a zero balance found in step 2, there is no balance carried down, the t-account already balances and no figures other than the total need be written.

However, if you want to have an opening balance written, then put the "balance c/d" in the opposite column to the type of balance the account normally has (eg an asset account normally has a debit balance, so the balance c/d (of 0) would go in the credit column) above the totals and the "balance b/d" goes in the normal column (eg for an asset account this would be in the debit column) under the totals.