crossfoot

Intermediate 💰 Finance / Accounting

Definition

To verify that the sum of row totals equals the sum of column totals in a spreadsheet, because trusting your formulas is for amateurs. It's the accounting equivalent of checking your math twice before raising your hand.

Example Usage

Always crossfoot your financial statements before presenting them to the CFO, unless you enjoy public humiliation.

Origin

Traditional bookkeeping term from manual ledger days, combining 'cross' and 'footing' (summing columns)

Fun Fact

In the pre-Excel era, crossfooting could take hours and involved actual pencils and adding machines that went 'ka-chunk.'

Source: Traditional accounting and auditing terminology

Related Terms

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See “crossfoot” in Corporate Speak, Gen-Z Slang, Pirate Speak, and more.

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