Differences between
| 
   
Item 
 | 
  
   
Single Entry 
 | 
  
   
Double Entry 
 | 
 
| 
   
1. Meaning 
 | 
  
   
Accounting system in which
  only single entry requires for every financial transaction 
 | 
  
   
Accounting system in which
  two entries requires for every financial transaction. 
For every debit, there is
  equaling credit is posted 
 | 
 
| 
   
2. Nature 
 | 
  
   
Simple 
 | 
  
   
Complex 
 | 
 
| 
   
3. Preferable for 
 | 
  
   
Small enterprises 
 | 
  
   
Big enterprises 
 | 
 
| 
   
4. Preparation of
  Financial Statements ( such as P & L Account and Balance Sheet) 
 | 
  
   
Difficult 
 | 
  
   
Easy 
 | 
 
| 
   
5. Suitable for Tax
  purpose 
 | 
  
   
No 
 | 
  
   
Yes 
 | 
 
| 
   
6. Knowledge of
  Book keeping 
 | 
  
   
Not required 
 | 
  
   
Required 
 | 
 
| 
   
7. Existing from 
 | 
  
   
Since time immemorial 
 | 
  
   
Since 1494 * 
 | 
 
| 
   
8. Detection of
  errors 
 | 
  
   
Difficult 
 | 
  
   
Easy 
 | 
 
* Double entry book keeping was developed by Luca
Pacioli, an Italian mathematician.  He is
referred as "Father of Accounting and Book Keeping". He
described book keeping along with other accounting topics in 9th chapter (150
pages) in his book  "The Summa
de arithmetica"
***