Single Entry System

Definition and Explanation: From the very name of the system it apparently seems that a system in which only one aspect of the transaction is recorded, is called single entry system . But in fact it is not so. This system does not observe any systematic rule. Under single entry system, some transactions are recorded on both the sides like double entry system , some are recorded on one side only, while some others are not recorded. According to Arthur Fieldhouse, "single entry is faulty, incomplete, inaccurate, unscientific and unsystematic style of account keeping". For this reason many persons call the single entry system as accounting from incomplete records. Single entry system is a misnomer. So it is very difficult to give a proper definition of the system. On the whole, "single entry is that which which is not double entry". It can be said that this system is nothing but a mixture of double entry, single entry and no entry.