The glossary to understand and take action

General ledger

The general ledger presents the movements recorded in each accounting account, together with their references and amounts.

Notion comptable, fiscale ou juridique · Luxembourg Fiduciaries Editorial Team · Reviewed on

Understand the scope

Definition and points to distinguish

It makes it possible to trace the origin of a balance and reconcile entries with supporting documents. A usable export facilitates an audit or a change of accounting firm.

In your file

What this changes in practice

The general ledger details entries account by account. It contains the dates, references, descriptions and amounts needed to explain a balance. Reviewing it is particularly useful during a review, an audit or a change of service provider. A high-quality export retains the information needed to trace back to supporting documents and track corrections. It must be interpreted together with the trial balance and journals, rather than as a simple payment statement.

A scenario to help you understand

Educational example

The balance of an expense account appears high. The manager reviews the general ledger to identify the main entries, find their invoices and distinguish an actual expense from a possible duplicate.

Fictitious situation, presented to illustrate the concept.

Prepare for what comes next

Points to check

  • Vérifier la période et l’exhaustivité de l’export
  • Relier les références aux pièces
  • Repérer les écritures de correction

The practical question

Find out more

Comment retrouver l’origine d’un solde dans le grand livre ?

Identifiez le compte concerné et la période, puis examinez les écritures qui composent le solde. Les références doivent permettre de retrouver les pièces et éventuelles corrections. Pour un compte de tiers, rapprochez factures, règlements et avoirs. Un solde global cohérent ne dispense pas d’expliquer des écritures anciennes ou inhabituelles qui se compensent entre elles.

Connecting concepts

Terms to know as well

Continue with the concepts, contacts and procedures related to this topic.

Trial balanceThe trial balance summarises accounts, their movements and their balances over a defined period.Accounting documentAn accounting document is a document that substantiates a transaction: an invoice, statement, contract or other evidence appropriate to its nature.Reversibility of accounting dataReversibility refers to the ability to retrieve the documents and data needed to continue management with another tool or service provider.Audit trailA set of links and records making it possible to understand a transaction from its source document through to its recording and controls.FAIA — computerised audit fileAccounting data format used for the purposes of computerised audits by the AED.Tax residenceTax residence determines the tax connection of an individual or a company under national rules and, where applicable, a treaty.

Put it into practice

Explore further with our guides

Practical guideCross-border entrepreneur: changing fiduciary services without disrupting continuityPractical guideBank reconciliation: understanding and handling discrepancies

Sources and verification

References consulted on 20 September 2026. Official procedures specify the applicable conditions and exceptions.

This guide explains a general process. The applicable rules depend on your situation; it does not constitute personalised advice. Report a correction.

A definition gives you a reference point. To examine your situation, clarify your question with a professional.