The work book or books mean books of accounts and keeping implies maintaining in proper form and order. Thus bookkeeping may be defined as the art of recording business transactions in books in a regular and systematic manner. It has been defined by different experts as:
- "The science and art of correctly recording in books of accounts all those business transactions that result in the transfer of money's worth."
- "The art and science of recording business transactions in such a systematic way as a trader may know the result of his trade at the end of a certain period and may also prove the accuracy of such record."
- "The science and art of correctly recording business dealings in a set of books with a view to having a permanent record of transactions and the financial result thereof."
It should be noted from the above definitions that bookkeeping primarily deals in the art of recording transactions in books.