If you’ve finished (or are close to finishing) a Tally Prime course, the next hurdle is the interview itself. Recruiters for Accounts Assistant, Billing Executive, and GST Executive roles tend to ask from a fairly predictable pool of questions – this guide covers the ones that come up most often in 2026, with answers written the way you should actually say them in an interview, not textbook definitions.
If you haven’t started your Tally training yet, it’s worth going through the complete Tally Prime 3-month course syllabus first – this post assumes you already know the topics covered there (vouchers, GST, inventory, payroll, MIS reports).
Basic & Conceptual Questions
1. What is Tally Prime and how is it different from Tally ERP 9? Tally Prime is the current version of Tally’s accounting software, replacing the discontinued ERP 9. Mention the redesigned interface, the “Go To” navigation feature, built-in e-invoicing, and integrated e-Way Bill generation – interviewers want to hear that you know Prime, not just “Tally” generically.
2. What are the golden rules of accounting? Personal account: debit the receiver, credit the giver. Real account: debit what comes in, credit what goes out. Nominal account: debit expenses/losses, credit income/gains.
3. What is the difference between a Group and a Ledger in Tally? A Group is a classification (like “Sundry Debtors” or “Bank Accounts”) that organizes similar ledgers. A Ledger is the actual account (like “ABC Traders” or “HDFC Bank”) created under a group.
4. What is the “Go To” feature in Tally Prime? A universal search and navigation bar that lets you jump directly to any report, voucher, or master without going through nested menus – one of Prime’s key upgrades over ERP 9.
5. What is F11 and F12 in Tally Prime? F11 controls company-level features (GST, inventory, payroll activation). F12 controls configuration – how vouchers and reports display and behave.
6. What is a Cost Center? A unit (department, project, or branch) used to track income and expenses separately within one company, useful for department-wise profitability analysis.
7. What is the difference between Accounting and Inventory vouchers? Accounting vouchers (Payment, Receipt, Journal, Contra) affect only ledgers. Inventory vouchers (Purchase, Sales, Delivery Note, Receipt Note) affect stock along with ledgers.
8. What is Tally Vault? A security feature that encrypts company data with a password, preventing unauthorized users from opening or reading the data file even if they access the file directly.
9. How do you create a company in Tally Prime? Gateway of Tally → Create Company → enter company name, address, financial year, and currency details, then configure F11 features as needed.
10. What is the shortcut to view Balance Sheet in Tally Prime? From Gateway of Tally, go to Balance Sheet directly, or use “Go To” and type “Balance Sheet.”
Voucher & Transaction Questions
11. What is the shortcut key for Payment Voucher? F5.
12. What is the shortcut key for Receipt Voucher? F6.
13. What is a Contra Voucher used for? Recording fund transfers between cash and bank accounts, or between two bank accounts of the same company. Shortcut: F4.
14. What’s the difference between a Debit Note and Credit Note? Debit Note (F10) records purchase returns – reducing what you owe a supplier. Credit Note (F9) records sales returns – reducing what a customer owes you.
15. Can you record a transaction with multiple ledgers in one voucher? Yes – using “Multiple Ledgers” mode in Payment/Receipt vouchers, common when splitting one payment across several expense heads.
16. What is an Optional Voucher? A voucher marked “optional” so it doesn’t affect actual books but is stored for reference – useful for provisional or draft entries.
17. How do you correct a wrongly entered voucher? Open the voucher in alteration mode, edit the details, and save – Tally keeps an audit trail if the feature is enabled.
GST & Taxation Questions
18. How is GST configured in Tally Prime? Enable GST from F11 → Statutory Features, enter GSTIN and registration type, then create GST-enabled ledgers for sales, purchase, and tax (CGST/SGST/IGST).
19. What’s the difference between CGST, SGST, and IGST? CGST and SGST apply to intra-state transactions (split between central and state government). IGST applies to inter-state transactions.
20. What is GSTR-1 and GSTR-3B? GSTR-1 is the outward supply (sales) return filed monthly/quarterly. GSTR-3B is a summary return of sales, purchases, and tax liability, filed monthly.
21. Can Tally Prime generate e-Invoices and e-Way Bills? Yes – both are built into Tally Prime, unlike ERP 9 where they required manual portal upload or add-ons.
22. What is the difference between TDS and TCS? TDS (Tax Deducted at Source) is deducted by the payer on certain expense payments. TCS (Tax Collected at Source) is collected by the seller on certain sales, mainly in specified goods categories.
23. How do you reconcile GST data with the GSTN portal? Use Tally Prime’s GST reconciliation report, which compares your books against GSTR-2A/2B data pulled from the portal to flag mismatches.
Inventory & Payroll Questions
24. What is the difference between Stock Group and Stock Category? Stock Group organizes items by a common hierarchy (like “Electronics”). Stock Category classifies items by a common feature across different groups (like “Imported”).
25. What are the stock valuation methods available in Tally Prime? FIFO (First In First Out), LIFO (Last In First Out), and Weighted Average Cost – configurable per stock item.
26. What components go into payroll setup in Tally Prime? Employee masters, salary structures (Basic, HRA, DA, allowances), attendance/leave, PF, ESI, and Professional Tax – then payroll vouchers generate payslips automatically.
27. What is a Godown in Tally Prime? A location or warehouse master used to track stock separately across multiple storage points within the same company.
Reports & Advanced Questions
28. What is the difference between Trial Balance and Balance Sheet? Trial Balance lists all ledger balances to check that debits equal credits – an internal check. Balance Sheet is a formal financial statement showing assets, liabilities, and capital at a point in time.
29. What is Scenario Management used for? Running “what-if” financial projections (like provisional or reversing journals) without affecting actual books, useful for budgeting and forecasting.
30. How do you back up and restore data in Tally Prime? Gateway of Tally → F3 → Backup, select company and destination folder. Restore works the same way in reverse – this is commonly asked to check if you understand data safety practices.
Interview Tips for Freshers
- Practice live, not just theory – interviewers often ask you to walk through a screen-share or whiteboard a voucher entry
- Know current GST rates and forms – outdated rate knowledge is an instant red flag
- Mention Tally Prime specifically, not just “Tally” – signals you’re trained on the current version, not ERP 9
- Be ready to explain one end-to-end cycle – e.g., purchase to payment, or sales to GST filing – interviewers love this over isolated fact recall
FAQs
Are these questions enough to crack a Tally interview? They cover what’s most commonly asked for fresher-to-2-years roles. Combine this with hands-on practice from a structured course – see the full Tally Prime 3-month syllabus for what a job-ready curriculum looks like.
Do interviewers ask about Tally ERP 9 too? Occasionally, mainly to test if you know the difference. Focus your preparation on Tally Prime – it’s what employers are hiring for in 2026.
Is a certificate required to get shortlisted for these roles? It helps significantly. A completion certificate from a structured course, especially with a placement track record, signals practical training rather than self-study alone.
Conclusion
Most Tally Prime interviews test the same core areas: accounting basics, voucher entry, GST handling, and one or two areas of specialization (inventory or payroll) depending on the role. If you can confidently walk through the 30 questions above and demonstrate one end-to-end transaction cycle live, you’re in good shape for fresher-level accounting roles. If you’re still building these fundamentals, HTS India’s Tally Prime + GST course in Kalkaji covers everything referenced in this guide – see the complete syllabus and fee breakdown or enroll directly.
