Plant Ledger
A plant ledger, also known as a property ledger or fixed asset ledger, is a record or ledger that tracks the detailed information of each property, plant, or equipment (PP&E) owned by a business. It’s a part of the broader fixed assets accounting system.
Each item in the plant ledger usually contains the following information:
- Asset description: Detailed description of the asset.
- Asset identification number: A unique number assigned to each asset for tracking purposes.
- Date of acquisition: The date the asset was acquired.
- Cost of the asset: The total cost that was incurred to acquire the asset. This may include the purchase price, transportation costs, installation costs, and any other costs necessary to get the asset ready for use.
- Method of depreciation: The depreciation method being used for the asset (for example, straight-line, declining balance, units of production, etc.).
- Useful life: The estimated period over which the asset is expected to be used by the business.
- Salvage value: The estimated residual value of the asset at the end of its useful life.
- Accumulated depreciation: The total depreciation that has been charged on the asset since it was acquired.
- Net book value: The asset’s cost minus its accumulated depreciation.
The plant ledger is used to keep track of the value of the company’s PP&E, monitor its depreciation, and provide detailed information for financial reporting, tax purposes, and management decision-making. It’s also crucial for asset tracking, especially in larger organizations with numerous fixed assets.
Example of a Plant Ledger
Let’s imagine a small manufacturing business, XYZ Furniture Inc., which recently purchased a new machine for their production line. Here’s what the entry in their plant ledger might look like:
- Asset Description: High-speed wood lathe
- Asset Identification Number: 000123
- Date of Acquisition: January 2, 2023
- Cost of the Asset: $50,000 (This includes the purchase price of $45,000, transportation cost of $3,000, and installation cost of $2,000.)
- Method of Depreciation: Straight-Line
- Useful Life: 10 years
- Salvage Value: $5,000
- Accumulated Depreciation: $0 (Since it’s a new asset)
- Net Book Value: $50,000 (Initial cost as no depreciation has occurred yet)
As the business operates and time progresses, the accumulated depreciation will increase each year and the net book value of the machine will decrease. This will be updated annually or more frequently in the plant ledger.
For instance, after one year of use, with the straight-line depreciation method, the depreciation expense for the year would be calculated as: (Cost of the Asset – Salvage Value) / Useful Life = ($50,000 – $5,000) / 10 = $4,500. This would be recorded as accumulated depreciation, and the new net book value would be: Cost of the Asset – Accumulated Depreciation = $50,000 – $4,500 = $45,500.
This process would continue for each subsequent year of the machine’s useful life, with each change reflected in the plant ledger.
