Definition: The voucher register is a journal that records all vouchers once they are approved. Sometimes the voucher register is called the book of original entry because all the vouchers are entered into the voucher register before they are entered into any other part of the accounting system.
What Does Voucher Register Mean?
The voucher register is to vouchers like what a check register is to checks. It records all of the vouchers that are approved, so management can look up and access the vouchers at a later date.
Example
For instance, if a manager wanted to examine the purchase orders and invoices from a particular supplier, he could look up the vouchers in the voucher register for that vendor and see what purchases were approved on different dates throughout the period.
The manager can then go to the voucher files and examine the source documents for the individual transactions like the purchase request, purchase approval, and cash disbursement approval.
The voucher register can also be used as an audit trail for fraudulent transactions and transfers. Internal controls like segregation of duties only allows certain people to access and record new transactions in the voucher register. Thus the register can be used to identify vouchers that are authentic and properly approved and others that were simply run through the system for fraudulent orders or cash payments.
