Editing Chart of accounts (section)

{{Short description|Accounting term}}
{{About|accounting at the entity level|national accounting|System of National Accounts}}
{{Copypaste|date=June 2022}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2022}}
{{Accounting}}
A '''chart of accounts''' ('''COA''') is a list of financial [[Account (bookkeeping)|accounts]] and reference numbers, grouped into categories, such as assets, liabilities, equity, revenue and expenses, and used for recording transactions in the organization's [[general ledger]]. Accounts may be associated with an identifier (account number) and a caption or header and are coded by account type. In computerized [[accounting system]]s with computable quantity accounting, the accounts can have a quantity measure definition. Account numbers may consist of numerical, alphabetic, or [[alphanumericals|alpha-numeric]] characters, although in many computerized environments, like the [[SIE (file format)|SIE format]], only numerical identifiers are allowed. The structure and headings of accounts should assist in consistent posting of transactions. Each nominal ledger account is unique, which allows its [[ledger]] to be located. The accounts are typically arranged in the order of the customary appearance of accounts in the financial statements: balance sheet accounts followed by profit and loss accounts.

The charts of accounts can be picked from a standard chart of accounts, like the BAS in Sweden. In some countries, charts of accounts are defined by the accountant from a standard general layouts or as regulated by law. However, in most countries it is entirely up to each accountant to design the chart of accounts.