All 25 Control Accounts questions
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What is the purpose of control accounts? Where do the figures for the control accounts come from? Can a control account have both a debit and a credit balance? What is the difference between a control account and a personal account? What is the normal balance of the sales and purchases ledger control accounts? What is the difference between the SLCA and PLCA in one line each? Why are control accounts prepared by someone other than the ledger clerk? What entries appear in the sales ledger control account? What entries appear in the purchases ledger control account? How does a control account help detect errors?
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What is a control account?

Beginner

Answer

A control account is a summary account in the nominal ledger whose balance equals the total of all the individual accounts in a subsidiary ledger. The sales ledger control account (SLCA) summarizes all debtors; the purchases ledger control account (PLCA) summarizes all creditors. It lets the nominal ledger balance without every personal account.
Real-world example The receivables control account shows one total that should equal the sum of every customer's balance.

Common follow-ups: What does the SLCA summarize? | Why keep control accounts in the nominal ledger?

Sales & Purchase Ledgers Trial Balance Control Accounts
All 25 Control Accounts questions