Bills of Exchange Simplified: Your Ultimate Guide

What is a Bill of Exchange? Your IOU Note 💌

Imagine your friend borrows ₹5,000 and promises:
“I’ll pay you back on 15th December” → That’s a Bill of Exchange (BOE)!

Simple Definition:

written promise to pay a specific amount on a fixed date.

Real-Life Example:
You sell goods to Rohan. Instead of cash, he gives you a signed paper:
“I, Rohan, will pay ₹20,000 on 30th November” → This paper is a BOE!


Image 1: BOE Example

 "Handwritten bill of exchange example"
Real BOE showing amount, date, and signatures


Key Parties Explained (With Pizza Example 🍕)

PartyRolePizza Shop Example
DrawerCreator (Seller)You (Pizza Shop Owner)
DraweePayer (Buyer)Customer (Who owes money)
PayeeMoney ReceiverYou or your Bank

💡 Remember:
Drawer → Gives the bill
Drawee → Pays the bill


Image 2: BOE Parties

 "Diagram showing drawer, drawee, payee relationships"
Money flow between parties


Why Use Bills of Exchange?

  1. Security: Legal proof of debt
  2. Flexibility: Can be transferred to others
  3. Cash Flow: Get money early via banks
  4. Common in Business: Used for credit sales

3 Simple Journal Entries

(For Your Accounting Records)

Scenario: You sell goods to Raj for ₹50,000. He gives a 60-day BOE.

1. When Sale Happens:

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Raj's A/c Dr. 50,000  
     To Sales A/c 50,000  
*(Raj owes you money)*  

2. When Raj Accepts BOE:

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Bills Receivable A/c Dr. 50,000  
     To Raj's A/c 50,000  
*(BOE replaces the debt)*  

3. On Due Date (Raj Pays):

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Cash A/c Dr. 50,000  
     To Bills Receivable A/c 50,000  
*(You get cash!)*  

Image 3: Journal Entry Flow

"Step-by-step journal entries for bill of exchange"
How to record BOE transactions


Solved Problems (Step-by-Step)

Problem 1: Basic BOE

Neha buys goods worth ₹80,000 from you on 1st Oct. She gives a 90-day BOE.
Journal Entries:

  1. Sale:textCopyDownloadNeha’s A/c Dr. 80,000 To Sales A/c 80,000
  2. BOE Accepted:textCopyDownloadBills Receivable A/c Dr. 80,000 To Neha’s A/c 80,000
  3. Payment (Due Date = 30th Dec):textCopyDownloadBank A/c Dr. 80,000 To Bills Receivable A/c 80,000

Problem 2: Discounting BOE

You need cash now! Take a ₹1,00,000 BOE (due in 60 days) to bank.
Bank charges 12% discount.

Calculation:

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Discount = 1,00,000 × 12% × (60/365) = ₹1,973  
Cash Received = 1,00,000 - 1,973 = ₹98,027  

Journal Entry:

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Bank A/c Dr. 98,027  
Discount A/c Dr. 1,973  
     To Bills Receivable A/c 1,00,000  

Image 4: Discounting Explained

 "Visual guide to bank discount calculation
How discounting works – trade future money for cash now!*

BOE Types Made Simple

TypeMeaningExample
Demand BillPayable immediately“Pay now!”
Usance BillPayable after period“Pay after 60 days”
Trade BillFor business transactionsSale of goods
Inland BillWithin same countryMumbai to Delhi

5 Exam Tips

  1. Drawer = Seller (Who creates BOE)
  2. Drawee = Buyer (Who pays)
  3. Bills Receivable is an asset for drawer
  4. Discount expense when cashing early
  5. Dishonored BOE: Reverse original entry

💡 Pro Tip:
Draw this during exams:

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Drawer → Creates BOE → Drawee  
Drawee → Pays → Payee  

Why This Matters?

  • 30% of FYBCom exams cover BOE
  • Used in export/import businesses
  • Helps manage business cash flow

Conclusion

Master Bills of Exchange to:

  • Ace accounting exams 📚
  • Understand real business transactions 💼
  • Build strong commerce knowledge 🚀

Got a BOE question?
Ask below! We’ll solve together 👇😊

 "Journey of bill from creation to payment"
Stages in a bill’s life – from creation to payment.

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