General Journal Entry window
General Journal # |
When you begin to create a transaction in this window, this field automatically displays the next AccountEdge GJ (General Journal) number available. If you highlight the field, Auto # appears. This text indicates that the transaction will be given an actual transaction number automatically when it's recorded. This ensures that two or more users won't create transactions with the same transaction number at the same time. You can choose to delete Auto # and enter a new number for the transaction. If you enter a number here, consider leaving the GJ prefix assigned to the number, so it’s easy for you to distinguish the transaction as a General Journal transaction. If you choose to enter a number in the ID # field, the next time you record a General Journal transaction, the ID number will automatically revert to the next available AccountEdge GJ number; it won’t increase the number you entered by one. |
Date |
Enter the date of the transaction. |
Memo |
Using up to 255 characters, enter a description of the transaction. This description will appear on various AccountEdge reports, as well as the General Journal. |
Multicurrency icon |
Click this button to open the Exchange Rate window, where you can select another currency and enter an exchange rate for the transaction, if necessary. |
Acct # column |
Enter the number of the account you want to assign this transaction to. |
Name column |
This column displays the name of the account. |
Debit column |
If you want to assign a debit amount to the account you entered in the Acct # column, enter that amount in this column. If you wish to assign a credit amount for the account, press TAB to move the highlight to the Credit column. For each line, you can enter an amount in either the Debit column or the Credit column only; you can’t enter amounts in both columns in the same line. (In other words, you can’t debit and credit the same account on one line.) You can, however, use the same account on multiple lines. Negative numbers can’t be entered in this window. If you want to record a negative debit amount, enter the amount as a positive number in the Credit column. Likewise, if you want to record a negative credit amount, enter a positive number in the Debit column. If the Out of Balance field at the bottom of the window lists an amount other than zero, this field will display a default amount that matches the Out of Balance amount. You can change this amount, if you wish. If you don’t want to enter an amount in either the Debit or the Credit column, move to the next line. Keep in mind, however, that lines without amounts aren’t recorded as part of a journal entry. |
Credit column |
If you want to assign a credit amount to the account you entered in the Acct # column, enter that amount in this column. If you wish to assign a debit amount for the account, press TAB to move the highlight back to the Debit column. For each line, you can enter an amount in either the Debit column or the Credit column only; you can’t enter amounts in both columns in the same line. (In other words, you can’t debit and credit the same account on one line.) You can, however, use the same account on multiple lines. Negative numbers can’t be entered in this window. If you want to record a negative debit amount, enter the amount as a positive number in the Credit column. Likewise, if you want to record a negative credit amount, enter a positive amount in the Debit column. If the Out of Balance field at the bottom of the window lists an amount other than zero, this field will display a default amount that matches the Out of Balance amount. You can change this amount, if you wish. If you don’t want to enter an amount in either the Debit or the Credit column, move to the next line. Keep in mind, however, that lines without amounts aren’t recorded as part of a journal entry. |
Job column |
If you need to assign an amount from one account to more than one job, use multiple lines to record the transaction. For example, assume you want to credit your Miscellaneous Sales account $100, but you want to assign $30 to job 12 and $70 to job 43. To do this, enter the Miscellaneous Sales account number in the Acct # column, then enter $30 in the Credit column and 12 in the Job column. Move to the next line, enter the Miscellaneous Sales account number again, enter $70 in the Credit column and 43 in the Job column. |
Total |
This field displays the total amounts of the Debit and Credit columns entered above. If the amounts are the same, you can click Record to record the transaction. |
Out of Balance |
This field displays the amount by which this journal entry is out of balance. If the amount appears below the Debit column, the debit amount is larger than the credit amount. If the amount appears below the Credit column, the credit amount is larger than the debit amount. To record a journal entry, the total debit amount must equal the total credit amount -- in other words, no amount should appear in the Out of Balance field if you want to record the journal entry. |
Journal button |
Click this button to open the Transaction Journal window |
Save Recurring button |
Click this button to open the Save Recurring Template window and create a recurring General Journal template which will be saved in a separate “holding area” where you can retrieve the transaction as many times as you want in the future. You can change the information on a recurring template as needed. Until you record them, recurring General Journal templates have no effect on your financial records. If you’ve saved the journal entry as recurring and you want to record the transaction as an actual General Journal entry now, click the Record button in the General Journal Entry window. If you don’t want to record the transaction at this time, click the Cancel button. |
Use Recurring button |
Click this button to open the Select a Recurring Transaction window and select a recurring General Journal template. |
Record button |
Click this button to record the transaction you’ve entered in this window. When the Out of Balance amount is zero, you can record the transaction. |
Cancel button |
Click this button to remove all the entries you’ve made and close the window. |
Fields in the General Journal Entry window