Journal Entry Distributions—Purchase Orders
Purchase order transactions are posted to the General Ledger in the following manner:
Purchase Orders Journal
| Transaction | Debits | Credits | 
|---|---|---|
| Purchase of expense on account | Purchase Expense | Accounts Payable | 
| Purchase of stock or assembly items on account | Inventory | Accounts Payable | 
| Purchase of non-stock, labor, or service items on account | Salary and Wages Expense (or miscellaneous item expense) | Accounts Payable | 
| Credit memo | Accounts Payable | Inventory or Purchase Expense | 
Note: For companies using the cash-basis accounting method, Accounts Payable is replaced with <Cash Basis> and is not recorded in the General Ledger. Instead, expense (or inventory) and cash are recorded when the purchase is paid.