What are the accounting documents? Complete list and obligations to be aware of

For its accounts to be kept properly, every company needs to record its financial transactions and keep a record of them.

This is the whole point of accounting documents: to list all financial flows, both incoming and outgoing, and to associate them with proof.

These documents need to be drawn up and kept, so that you can present them to your chartered accountant, the Urssaf or the tax authorities at their request.

Let's take a look at the main accounting documents you need to know about, their specific features and your obligations.

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The accounting books

The mandatory accounting books, which are registers used to record accounting entries, include the journal and the general ledger.

The journal book

The journal book, also known as the accounting journal, is compulsory for commercial companies. Its main role is to record all the company's debit and credit accounting transactions in chronological order. It is also used to categorise accounting entries according to their nature.

The general ledger

The general ledger is based on the same information as the accounting journal, but presented differently. It records all the company's transactions in chronological order and by account.

ℹ️ The inventory book is no longer a mandatory accounting book since 1 January 2016, but all documents drawn up previously must be kept for 10 years.

Annual accounts

The annual accounts, also known as the company accounts, must be produced once a year. They comprise :

• the balance sheet
• the profit and loss account
• and the notes to the accounts.

The balance sheet

The balance sheet is a document drawn up at the end of the financial year, giving an account of the company's assets and liabilities. It takes the form of a two-column table showing :

• on the one hand, assets, which show everything the company owns ;
• liabilities, which show what the company owes.

The profit and loss account

The profit and loss account lists the company's income and expenditure for a financial year, the difference between which is the net profit. This indicates whether the company is profitable (positive result) or in deficit (negative result). Intermediate management balances (IMB) are used to analyse the net profit by breaking it down into finer detail.

The notes to the accounts

The notes to the accounts provide additional information to make it easier to read the balance sheet and profit and loss account, and may also be abbreviated or simplified. Smaller companies are exempt from this requirement.

The accounting entries file (FEC)

The accounting entries file (FEC) is a computerised accounting document listing all the transactions for the current financial year. It is required by the tax authorities when a notice of accounting audit or a notice of accounting examination is sent to you, and must therefore be kept rigorously up to date.

Supporting accounting documents

Supporting accounting documents are the basis for drawing up a company's financial statements.

They are compulsory and include all documents that record a financial transaction, whether income or expenditure:

• invoices (for purchases and sales),
• bank statements
• receipts
• pay slips
• expense reports
• social security declarations, etc.

☝️ Every accounting entry must be accompanied by an accounting voucher, which proves its existence in the accounts. Without supporting documents, you cannot record any transactions in your accounts.

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What are the obligations relating to accounting documents?

Keeping accounting documents

Your accounting documents must be kept according to precise rules. The legal retention period for accounting books and supporting documents is 10 years, starting on the closing date of the financial year.

Filing accounting documents

There are no requirements regarding the filing system for accounting documents or their form (original documents or dematerialised versions).

The simple best practice is to use a logical system that will enable you to find any accounting document easily. You must be able to present the required documents to the tax authorities or Urssaf at any time.

If your bookkeeping is paperless, or if you are in the process of moving towards paperless accounting, there are a number of software solutions available to you. So why not take a look at :

• accounting software,
• or online accountants?

All of these tools can help make your accounting administration easier. Don't hesitate to take a look at what each of them has to offer!