tally

Tally is a term used to refer to a count, total, or score that is kept during an activity. As a verb, to tally means to count, or to record and reconcile figures; tallies are used to compare data from different sources or to confirm consistency.

Tally marks are a traditional method for recording counts. In the common system, four vertical strokes are made and a fifth stroke is drawn across them to form a group of five. This makes it easy to estimate totals and to count items quickly on paper or in the field.

Tallies are used in a wide range of contexts, including sports scoring, inventories, votes, surveys, and financial or operational record-keeping. A tally sheet or log keeps a running total and can be consulted to verify results or trace changes over time.

In computing and software, tally can refer to a simple counter that accumulates occurrences, or to a software product such as Tally, an accounting and enterprise resource planning package popular in several countries. Tally Solutions provides modules for accounting, inventory, payroll, and taxation.

Historically, tallies have roots in tally sticks and other devices used to record debts and counts before modern bookkeeping and digital systems.

The idiomatic phrase tally with or tally up means to correspond with another record or to sum figures to reach a total.

See also: tally marks, tally sheet, tallying, Tally ERP.