General Ledger Journals

General Ledger Journals


Overview

The Journals function in d6 Finance allows authorised users to manually post entries directly between General Ledger accounts and Projects. This is used to make corrections, reverse incorrect postings, reallocate costs, or record any financial transaction that cannot be processed through the standard Cashbook module.

Finances > General Ledger > Journals

Purpose of Feature

Journals give financial administrators a controlled way to adjust the General Ledger directly. All journal entries must balance — meaning total debits must equal total credits — before they can be posted. Once posted, a journal becomes a permanent part of the financial record and cannot be deleted.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. How to Create a Journal

  • Navigate to Finances > General Ledger > Journals and click Add Journal.

  • Select the date that the journal must reflect.

  • The Journal Number is automatically assigned by the system and cannot be changed.

  • Enter a Description explaining the reason for the journal.

  • Under the Journal Items section, select the relevant General Ledger account or Project. The left-hand dropdown displays all GL/project codes; the right-hand dropdown displays their descriptions.

  • Enter a line description for each account — this is the description that will appear on the ledger account when viewing a transaction list.

  • Enter the amount to be posted and select whether the account must be Debited or Credited.

  • To add additional lines, click Add Line and repeat the process. The system will automatically attempt to balance the journal by pre-filling the amount and debit/credit fields on the new line — you can still adjust these if needed.

  • To remove a line, tick the checkbox on the left of the line and click Delete Line.

  • Once all lines are captured and the journal balances, click Continue.

  • The journal is now created with a Created status — it still needs to be posted.

2. How to Find or Preview a Journal

  • Under Choose Journals For, click the dropdown arrow and select the relevant date period.

  • Select the journal type you want to view, or choose All Journals to see everything.

  • Select the specific journal from the list.

  • Click Preview to open a PDF version of the journal, which can also be printed.

3. How to Edit a Journal

  • Under Choose Journals For, select the relevant date period.

  • Select the journal type you want to edit.

  • Select the specific journal.

  • Click Edit, make your changes, then click Save.

  • Only journals with a Created status can be edited. Posted journals cannot be changed.

4. How to Delete a Journal

  • Under Choose Journals For, select the relevant date period.

  • Select the journal type — only journals with a Created status can be deleted.

  • Select the specific journal.

  • Click Delete. The system will ask you to confirm — select Yes to proceed or No to cancel.

5. How to Post a Journal

  • Under Choose Journals For, select the relevant date period.

  • Under Choose Journals, select Created to filter unposted journals.

  • Select the journal you want to post.

  • Click Post Journal. The system will ask you to confirm — select Yes to post or No to cancel.

6. How to Reverse a Journal

  • Under Choose Journals For, select the relevant date period.

  • Under Choose Journals, select Posted.

  • Select the journal you want to reverse.

  • Click Reverse Journal. The system will ask you to confirm — select Yes or No.

  • A reversed journal is created with a Created status and must still be posted before it takes effect.

System Behaviour

  • Automatic Balancing Assist: When you click Add Line, the system automatically pre-fills the balancing amount and debit/credit direction. You can override this if the values need to differ.

  • Journal Numbering: Journal numbers are system-generated and sequential. They cannot be manually assigned or changed.

  • Status Flow: Journals move through the following statuses: Created → Posted. Only journals with a Created status can be edited or deleted. Reversal journals revert to Created status and must be posted separately.

Restrictions & Reasons

  • Balanced Entries Only: A journal cannot be posted unless total debits equal total credits. This protects the integrity of the General Ledger Trial Balance.

  • No Posting to Control or Bank Accounts: You cannot post journals directly to any Control Account, Bank Account, or any General Ledger account linked to a Payment Option. These are managed through their respective sub-ledger modules to maintain system integrity.

  • No Deletion of Posted Journals: Once a journal is posted it becomes a permanent record. Any correction must be made by creating a reversal journal.

  • Period Restrictions: Journals cannot be posted to a locked financial period. During the Year-End Process, journal posting rules change depending on the active step — refer to the Financial Year End article for details.


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