When creating a chart of accounts, which category is listed first?

In accounting, when creating a chart of accounts, the first category that is typically listed is Assets. This foundational placement is important because the accounting equation states that Assets equal Liabilities plus Equity. By listing Assets first, it sets a clear structure for understanding the financial position of an organization.

Assets encompass everything that the organization owns and can be converted into cash, such as cash itself, accounts receivable, inventory, property, and equipment. This primary category provides a baseline for the balance sheet and helps in analyzing the organization's financial health.

Following Assets, Liabilities and Equities are listed to give a comprehensive picture of what the organization owes and the stakeholders' claims, respectively. While Expenses are essential for tracking operational profitability, they do not represent a fundamental category that defines the overall financial structure in the same way that Assets do. Thus, placing Assets at the top emphasizes their role as the foundation for understanding the overall financial statements.