balance = credit_balance - debit_balance
In the table above, the balance for
bal_abc123 is -20000, indicating that debits exceed credits, resulting in a negative balance. On the other hand, bal_def456 has a positive balance of 10000 because credits exceed debits.
How to avoid negative balances
Negative balances are not a cause for alarm. However, if you prefer to avoid negative balances in your ledger, here’s how you can adjust your setup.1
Designate a funding pool balance in your General Ledger.
Use a designated funding pool balance to pre-fund your ledger balances with starting balances. This approach ensures you can post transactions on those balances without triggering overdrafts.
2
Apply overdrafts when funding from the funding pool balance.
This ensures that only the funding pool balance incurs a negative balance, while your customer balances and other critical balances remain unaffected.