Accounting

Source Documents

The original records that provide evidence a financial transaction occurred, forming the basis of accounting entries.

What does Source Documents mean?

Source documents are the foundation of the accounting cycle. Every journal entry should be backed by a source document. Common types include invoices, receipts, purchase orders, bank statements, credit notes, debit notes, delivery notes, payment vouchers, checks, deposit slips, and contracts. In the UAE, the FTA requires businesses to retain source documents for at least 5 years for VAT and corporate tax audit purposes.