When you first purchase new equipment, you need to debit the specific equipment (ie, asset) account. And, credit the account you pay for the asset from.Each asset in the group purchase is identified using a serial number;. Donated capital assets should be reported at their acquisition value at the time of acquisition plus any ancillary charges, if any. Ok so I'm trying to record a car purchase but I'm a bit unsure and could use a second opinion to make sure I do this right. The short answer is a debit to an asset account and a credit to a liability account. Statement of Activities tab must then be filled in. Consider all costs at time of acquisition or construction.