{"id":2319,"date":"2026-05-01T18:15:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T12:45:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/?p=2319"},"modified":"2026-05-20T17:48:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T12:18:19","slug":"debit-vs-credit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/debit-vs-credit\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are Debits and Credits? An Accounting Guide for South African Businesses"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"summary-of-page\"><!-- wp:paragraph -->\r\n<p><strong>Quick Summary<\/strong>:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\r\n<p><em>Still find debit vs credits confusing? This guide explains what they mean, how they work across the five main account types, and why they are essential to\u00a0accurate\u00a0bookkeeping in South Africa. It also shows how modern accounting and ERP software can handle these entries more efficiently for growing businesses.<\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:paragraph -->\r\n<p><em>You'll walk away knowing: <\/em>\u00a0<\/p>\r\n<!-- \/wp:paragraph -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list -->\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\r\n<li><em>How debits and credits work in accounting.\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list -->\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\r\n<li><em>How they affect assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, and expenses.\u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\r\n\r\n<!-- wp:list -->\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\r\n<li><em>How\u00a0real business\u00a0transactions are recorded. <\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\r\n\t\r\n\t<!-- wp:list -->\r\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><!-- wp:list-item -->\r\n<li><em>Why ERP-based accounting makes day-to-day\u00a0financial management\u00a0easier. <\/em>\u00a0<\/li>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list-item --><\/ul>\r\n<!-- \/wp:list -->\r\n\r\n\r\n<\/div>\n<p>Debits and credits are among the first accounting terms most people come across, and they are often misunderstood, especially when you consider the debate around\u00a0debit vs credit. Many assume they mean the same thing. In accounting, that is not the case.<\/p>\n<p>They are part of the recording system used to track transactions correctly and keep the books balanced. For many business owners, the first step is understanding the difference between debit and credit and how each side affects the books. That is also why debit and credit bookkeeping is such a core part of everyday business accounting.<\/p>\n <div class=\"did-you-know-progress-bar\">\r\n\t <div class=\"h3\">Did you Know?<\/div>\r\n        <div class=\"stat-container\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"percentage\" data-val=\"87\">87<\/div>\r\n            <p class=\"text-small\">\u00a0of organisations that have already implemented ERP plan to replace or upgrade it within the next three years.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n            <p>Source:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gartner.com\/en\/newsroom\/press-releases\/2025-03-19-gartner-finance-survey-reveals-the-top-ten-technologies-for-future-investment-in-finance\">Gartner<\/a> <\/p>\r\n            \r\n        <\/div>\r\n        <div class=\"progress-bg\">\r\n            <div class=\"progress-fill\" data-target=\"87\"><\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Are_Debits_and_Credits\"><\/span>What Are Debits\u00a0and\u00a0Credits?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Each accounting entry is recorded through a debit and a corresponding credit. Under double-entry bookkeeping, each transaction affects at least two accounts, and total debits must always match total credits. That is what keeps the accounting equation in balance.<\/p>\n<p>Account records place debits on the left side and credits on the right side. A common question at this stage is, assets increase on which side? For asset accounts, the answer is the debit side.<\/p>\n<p>The important part is not the label alone, but the type of account being affected. In accounting, a debit can increase one type of account and decrease another.\u00a0A credit\u00a0works the same way.<\/p>\n<p><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2335\" src=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/the-golden-rule-of-accounting.webp\" alt=\"the-golden-rule-of-accounting\" width=\"1200\" height=\"874\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/the-golden-rule-of-accounting.webp 1200w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/the-golden-rule-of-accounting-300x219.webp 300w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/the-golden-rule-of-accounting-1024x746.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/the-golden-rule-of-accounting-768x559.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>At a basic level:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Debits increase assets and expenses<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Credits increase liabilities, equity, and revenue<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>The two sides must match in value for every transaction<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This system gives bookkeeping its structure. It makes it easier to\u00a0maintain\u00a0accurate\u00a0records, prepare reports properly, and trace how money is moving through the business.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Debits_and_Credits_Across_Five_Account_Types\"><\/span><strong>Debits and Credits Across Five Account Types<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To understand debits vs credits properly, it helps to look at the five account types used in most South African business records.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2334\" src=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/five-account-types.webp\" alt=\"five-account-types\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/five-account-types.webp 1200w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/five-account-types-300x268.webp 300w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/five-account-types-1024x915.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/five-account-types-768x686.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><strong>1. Assets: What the Business Owns<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Assets are the resources a business has on hand or under its control. These usually include cash, inventory, equipment, furniture, bank balances, and money customers still owe. Asset accounts\u00a0increase\u00a0the debit side, while credits reduce the balance.<\/p>\n<p>Say a customer pays for the business. Cash comes in, so the cash account is debited. When the business pays out cash, the balance drops, so the cash account is credited. Cash inflow and outflow are also recorded in the <a href=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/cashflow-statement\/\">cash flow\u00a0statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>2. Liabilities: What the Business Owes<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Liabilities refer to the amounts a business has to pay to other parties. These can include loans, accounts payable, taxes payable, and outstanding expenses. In the case of liability accounts, a credit raises the\u00a0balance,\u00a0and a debit lowers it.<\/p>\n<p>If stock is purchased on supplier credit, <a href=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/what-is-accounts-payable\/\">accounts payable<\/a> increase, so it is credited. When the supplier is paid later, accounts payable decrease, so it is debited.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>3. Equity: Owner\u2019s Stake in the Business<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Equity is the owner\u2019s share in the business after liabilities are deducted from assets.\u00a0It includes capital introduced by the owner and\u00a0retained\u00a0earnings.<\/p>\n<p>Equity balances grow when credited and fall when debited. If the owner adds money to the business, capital increases and is credited. If money is withdrawn for personal use, equity is reduced.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>4. Revenue: Money Earned<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Revenue is the income a business makes from sales or services. For revenue accounts, a credit adds to the account, and a debit takes from it. If the business makes a sale, sales revenue is credited because the income has increased.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>5. Expenses: Money Spent<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A business records expenses for the costs it takes on during normal operations. Common examples include rent, wages, power bills, software fees, and advertising costs.<\/p>\n<p>For expense accounts, the usual rule is straightforward: a debit increases the balance, while a credit reduces it. If monthly rent is paid, the rent expense is debited because that cost has increased.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_Simple_Rule_to_Remember_Regarding_Debits_and_Credits\"><\/span>A Simple Rule\u00a0to\u00a0Remember Regarding Debits\u00a0and\u00a0Credits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A practical way to remember this is:<\/p>\n<p>Debits increase assets and expenses. Credits increase liabilities, equity, and revenue.<\/p>\n<p>It also helps to stop thinking of debit and credit as positive and negative, or good and bad. They are simply two sides\u00a0of\u00a0the accounting system. Once the account type is clear, the entry usually becomes easier to work out.<\/p>\n<p class=\"did-you-know\"><strong class=\"did-you-know-title\"><em>Interesting Fact<\/em><\/strong>\u00a095%\u00a0of small businesses surveyed use digital tools to help manage their business processes.\u00a0<br>Source:<a href=\"https:\/\/quickbooks.intuit.com\/r\/bookkeeping\/ai-bookkeeping-benefits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Quick Books<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Debits_and_Credits_in_Real-Life_Examples\"><\/span>Debits and Credits in Real-Life Examples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Here are a few debit and credit examples to show how the rules work in practice.<\/p>\n<h3>Example 1 \u2013 Cash Purchase of Office Supplies<\/h3>\n<p>Suppose a business buys office supplies worth R950 and pays\u00a0immediately\u00a0in cash.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Debit:\u00a0<\/strong>Office supplies expense R950<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Credit:<\/strong>\u00a0Cash R950<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The expense increases, so it is debited. Cash decreases, so it is credited.<\/p>\n<h3>Example 2 \u2013 Making a Sale\u00a0for\u00a0Cash<\/h3>\n<p>A retailer sells goods for R3,800 and receives cash\u00a0immediately.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Debit:<\/strong>\u00a0Cash R3,800<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Credit:<\/strong>\u00a0Sales revenue R3,800<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Cash, which is an asset, increases. Revenue also increases, so sales revenue is credited.<\/p>\n<h3>Example 3 \u2013 Providing Services\u00a0on\u00a0Credit<\/h3>\n<p>A service business completes work worth R7,500, but the customer will pay later.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Debit:<\/strong>\u00a0Accounts receivable R7,500<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Credit:\u00a0<\/strong>Service revenue R7,500<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Accounts receivable\u00a0increases\u00a0because the customer now owes the business money. Revenue also increases.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Example 4 \u2013 Paying Monthly Rent<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>A business pays R5,500 in rent for the month.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Debit:\u00a0<\/strong>Rent expense R5,500<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Credit:<\/strong>\u00a0Cash R5,500<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Rent expense rises, while cash falls.<\/p>\n<h3>Example 5 \u2013 A SaaS Subscription Transaction<\/h3>\n<p>A business pays R650 for a monthly software subscription.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Debit:<\/strong>\u00a0Software subscription expense R650<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Credit:\u00a0<\/strong>Bank\/cash R650<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The subscription cost is an expense, so it is debited. The payment account is reduced, so it is credited.<\/p>\n<p>These debit and credit examples are simple, but the same logic applies across routine business accounting. Billing, stock purchases, tax entries, software payments, and supplier transactions all follow the same double-entry principle.<\/p>\n<div class=\"plan-cta-main\">\r\n    <div class=\"cta-wrapper\">\r\n        <div class=\"h2\">Take Full Financial Control With VasyERP\u00a0<\/div>\r\n        <p class=\"text-large\">Manage accurate records, and keep billing, inventory and reporting connected in one ERP system.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n        <div class=\"cta\">\r\n            <a href=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/book-a-free-demo\">\r\n                <button type=\"button\" class=\"sasi-btn sasi-btn-primary\">\r\n                    <span>Book a Demo<\/span>\r\n                    <span class=\"sasi-icon\"><i class=\"ss-arrow-right\"><\/i><\/span>\r\n                <\/button>\r\n            <\/a>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_Balance_Sheet_Accounts_Debits_or_Credits\"><\/span>Are Balance Sheet Accounts Debits\u00a0or\u00a0Credits?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Balance sheet accounts include assets, liabilities, and equity. These account types do not all behave in the same way.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Assets normally carry a debit balance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Liabilities normally carry a credit balance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Equity normally carries a credit balance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>That is why cash, inventory, and receivables usually increase with debits, while loans, payables, and owner\u2019s capital usually increase with credits.\u00a0So\u00a0when someone asks if balance sheet accounts are debits or credits, the better answer is that each category has its own normal balance.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Debits_and_Credits_in_Income_Statement_Accounts\"><\/span>Debits and Credits\u00a0in\u00a0Income Statement Accounts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Income statement accounts\u00a0mainly include\u00a0revenue and expenses.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Revenue accounts usually have a credit balance because revenue increases with credits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Expense accounts usually have a debit balance because expenses increase with debits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So\u00a0when a business earns income, it credits revenue. When it incurs rent, salaries, software costs, transport charges, or other operating expenses, it debits the relevant expense account. That is part of what gives the income statement its structure. It separates money earned during the period from money spent during the same period.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Special_Case_You_Should_Know_Contra_Accounts\"><\/span>Special Case You Should Know: Contra Accounts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Contra accounts are tied to related accounts and reduce their reported value. They do this without removing the original account from the books.<\/p>\n<p>A typical contra-asset account is accumulated by depreciation. Assets normally carry debit balances, but accumulated depreciation usually carries a credit balance. It reduces the recorded value of fixed assets over time.<\/p>\n<p>Other common examples include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Allowance for doubtful accounts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Sales returns and allowances<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li>Sales discounts<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These accounts improve the quality of reporting. Instead of overstating assets or revenue, they show the reduction clearly within the records.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Modern_Accounting_Software_Manages_Debits_and_Credits\"><\/span><strong>How Modern Accounting Software Manages Debits and Credits<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The rules behind debit and credit\u00a0are the same as they have always been, but the recording process has changed significantly. Manual debit and credit bookkeeping becomes harder to manage as transaction volume increases.<\/p>\n<p>Sales entries, supplier bills, <a href=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/purchase-order\/\">purchase orders<\/a>, tax postings, stock movements, and subscription charges can build up quickly. That creates more opportunities for errors and more time spent checking the books.<\/p>\n<p>A large part of this workload can be reduced with modern accounting software. Once the transaction is entered correctly, the system can handle much of the posting automatically. That means there is less need to\u00a0write\u00a0both sides of each journal entry manually, while the correct accounts, general ledger, and records stay updated.<\/p>\n<p>It also improves reporting, receivables, payables, and audit tracking by keeping the entry trail easier to follow.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-2333\" src=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/erp-accouting-connected.webp\" alt=\"erp-accouting-connected\" width=\"1200\" height=\"1180\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/erp-accouting-connected.webp 1200w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/erp-accouting-connected-300x295.webp 300w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/erp-accouting-connected-1024x1007.webp 1024w, https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/erp-accouting-connected-768x755.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Debits and Credits in ERP-based Accounting<\/h3>\n<p>As businesses grow, recording debits and credits manually becomes harder to manage across billing, inventory, tax, and reporting. ERP-based accounting helps simplify debit and credit bookkeeping by linking financial entries to day-to-day business activity, so transactions are not recorded in isolation.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Why ERP-Based Accounting Matters<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>In an ERP environment, accounting connects with sales, purchases, inventory, billing, warehouse activity, tax calculations, and reporting. That means debit and credit entries are recorded alongside the operational activity behind them, which makes the records easier to\u00a0maintain\u00a0and interpret.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>How This Works in Practice<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>For example, when a sale is processed through a POS machine, an ERP system automatically generates an <a href=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/blog\/invoice-vs-receipt\/\">invoice and receipt<\/a>; in the backend, accounting and operational effects can happen together. Revenue is recognised, cash or receivables are updated, stock levels can be adjusted, and reports can refresh without teams having to update them manually.<\/p>\n<p>The same logic applies to purchases, VAT-compliant invoicing, warehouse movement, and business analytics. Instead of treating bookkeeping as a separate task after the transaction, the ERP system keeps financial entries aligned with the actual business event.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts_Once_You_Get_This_Accounting_Becomes_Logical\"><\/span><strong>Final Thoughts: Once You Get This, Accounting Becomes Logical<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Debit vs credits often sound harder than they are. Once the difference between debit and credit is clear, and once you know which account types increase on each side, the system starts to make sense.<\/p>\n<p>That matters because\u00a0accurate\u00a0accounting improves clarity. When debits and credits are recorded properly, reports become more dependable, mistakes are easier to\u00a0identify, and decisions can be made with better information.<\/p>\n<p>In a connected ERP system such as\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/vasyerp.com\/en-za\/\">VasyERP<\/a>, billing, inventory, reporting, and accounting can stay aligned in a far more practical way.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs_Regarding_Debits_and_Credits\"><\/span>FAQs Regarding Debits and Credits<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div class=\"accordion\" id=\"faq-items\"> \r\n\r\n    <div class=\"accordion-item border-0 mb-3\"> \r\n        <div class=\"accordion-header h2\" id=\"headingOne\"> \r\n            <button class=\"accordion-button fw-bold\" type=\"button\" \r\n                data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" data-bs-target=\"#collapseOne\" \r\n                aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"collapseOne\"> \r\n                Does a debit always mean money is leaving the business? \r\n            <\/button> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n        <div id=\"collapseOne\" class=\"accordion-collapse collapse show\" \r\n            aria-labelledby=\"headingOne\" data-bs-parent=\"#faq-items\"> \r\n            <div class=\"accordion-body\"> \r\n                <p> \r\nNot at all, this trips up a lot of people. On your bank statement, a debit usually means money has gone out. In accounting, it just means the left side of an entry. It could mean cash coming in, or an expense being recorded. It all depends on which account is being affected.\r\n                <\/p> \r\n            <\/div> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n    <\/div> \r\n\r\n    <div class=\"accordion-item border-0 mb-3\"> \r\n        <div class=\"accordion-header h2\" id=\"headingTwo\"> \r\n            <button class=\"accordion-button fw-bold collapsed\" type=\"button\" \r\n                data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" data-bs-target=\"#collapseTwo\" \r\n                aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapseTwo\"> \r\n                What is double-entry bookkeeping? \r\n            <\/button> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n        <div id=\"collapseTwo\" class=\"accordion-collapse collapse\" \r\n            aria-labelledby=\"headingTwo\" data-bs-parent=\"#faq-items\"> \r\n            <div class=\"accordion-body\"> \r\n                <p>\r\nIt's a system where every transaction gets recorded in two places, one debit and one credit, always of equal value. So if something goes up on one side, something else must balance it on the other. This keeps your books accurate and makes mistakes much easier to catch.\r\n                <\/p> \r\n            <\/div> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n    <\/div> \r\n\r\n    <div class=\"accordion-item border-0 mb-3\"> \r\n        <div class=\"accordion-header h2\" id=\"headingThree\"> \r\n            <button class=\"accordion-button fw-bold collapsed\" type=\"button\" \r\n                data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" data-bs-target=\"#collapseThree\" \r\n                aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapseThree\"> \r\n                Are balance sheet accounts debits or credits? \r\n            <\/button> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n        <div id=\"collapseThree\" class=\"accordion-collapse collapse\" \r\n            aria-labelledby=\"headingThree\" data-bs-parent=\"#faq-items\"> \r\n            <div class=\"accordion-body\"> \r\n                <p>\r\nIt depends on which account you're looking at. Assets normally sit on the debit side, so they increase with debits. Liabilities and equity sit on the credit side, so they increase with credits. There's no single answer; each account type has its own normal balance.\r\n                <\/p> \r\n            <\/div> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n    <\/div> \r\n\r\n    <div class=\"accordion-item border-0 mb-3\"> \r\n        <div class=\"accordion-header h2\" id=\"headingFour\"> \r\n            <button class=\"accordion-button fw-bold collapsed\" type=\"button\" \r\n                data-bs-toggle=\"collapse\" data-bs-target=\"#collapseFour\" \r\n                aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"collapseFour\"> \r\n                What is ERP-based accounting and how is it different from standard accounting software? \r\n            <\/button> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n        <div id=\"collapseFour\" class=\"accordion-collapse collapse\" \r\n            aria-labelledby=\"headingFour\" data-bs-parent=\"#faq-items\"> \r\n            <div class=\"accordion-body\"> \r\n                <p>\r\nStandard accounting software keeps your books. ERP-based accounting keeps your entire business connected. Instead of updating your records separately after a sale or purchase, an ERP does it automatically as part of the transaction, stock levels, receivables, VAT, and reports all update together in one go.\r\n                <\/p> \r\n            <\/div> \r\n        <\/div> \r\n    <\/div> \r\n\r\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Debits and credits are among the first accounting terms most people come across, and they are often misunderstood, especially when you consider the debate around\u00a0debit vs credit. Many assume they mean the same thing. In accounting, that is not the case. They are part of the recording system used to track transactions correctly and keep [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[224],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-accounting"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>What is Debit vs Credit? A Guide for South African Businesses<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Debits vs credits don&#039;t have to be confusing. 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