10 BULLETIIS^ 178^ U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTUEE. 



without interference witli original or current files. Cross-indexing 

 b}^ subjects can also be done by using a sj^stem of cross-index cards. 



FILING OF ACCOUNTING RECORDS. 



As the business of most cooperative organizations is, in a way, not 

 continuous, but goes by seasons, the usual procedure is to file all 

 records at the end of the season. Too often no pro\'ision is made 

 for storing these files in such a way that they are readily accessible 

 for reference. 



Matters of importance^ other than the regular financial trans- 

 actions of the business should be carefully recorded so that they will 

 not be overlooked. Papers pertaining to claims against railroads 

 and express companies are often placed in the regular correspondence 

 files and are lost sight of through a change in management or clerical 

 force. Accounts which have proven uncollectible for the time being, 

 and have been thrown into the " profit and loss " account, are also 

 apt to be entirely forgotten when opportunities for collecting them 

 are presented several seasons later. Such matters should be carried 

 in auxiliary records in small bound books or card systems, so that 

 instant reference is afforded. 



SAFEGUARDING THE CASH. 



When the amoimt of business done by an organization justifies the 

 practice, all mail should be opened by some person other than the 

 cashier, and a book or sheet should be provided on which the remit- 

 tances received can be listed and totaled for comparison with the 

 cashier's deposit slip. The letters and inclosures are then turned 

 over to the cashier for entry on the cashbook. Entries should be 

 very explicit, especially when the item goes to the credit of a general 

 account, as in the case of remittances covering net proceeds of goods 

 consigned. Here the car number and shipment number (if ship- 

 ments are numbered), or name of consignee and date shipped, should 

 be given, and account of sales and correspondence supporting this 

 item should be filed with other papers of the shipment so that the 

 same will be easily accessible for reference and verification. 



Entries not relating to the receipt or payment of money should 

 not be recorded in the cashbook, the journal being used for such 

 entries. The cashbook totals should represent the true amount of 

 mone}^ handled, as well as the correct balance. 



Each day's full receipts of cash should be deposited in the bank 

 as a total so that the debit side of the cashbook will exactly equal 

 in amount the entries on the bank pass book. Since all receipts are 

 deposited in the bank, it necessarily follows that a check must be 

 drawn for each disbursement of cash. (For petty expenditures, see 

 explanation of petty cash payments, p, 12.) All returned checks 



