Overview
A Journal Entry is used to record accounting adjustments or other manual postings that are not entered through the normal sales, purchasing, banking, or payroll transaction screens.
Main purposeRecord a balanced manual accounting transaction.
Core ruleTotal debit must always equal total credit before saving.
Typical examplesAccruals, adjustments, reclassifications, and period-end corrections.
Where To Find It
Common Path: Accounts > Journal Entry
Saved journal entries may also appear in journal lists, general ledger review, or related account transaction analysis.
When To Use It
Use a journal entry when finance needs to post directly between accounts without going through a more specific operational screen.
| Use Journal Entry | Use Another QBM Screen Instead |
|---|---|
| Adjustments, accruals, corrections, reclassifications, and controlled finance entries. | Customer sales, vendor bills, payments, banking movements, refunds, or other transactions that already have their own dedicated screens. |
Important: If a business process already has its own normal transaction screen, it is usually better to use that screen instead of a manual journal entry. That keeps reporting and document history cleaner.
Header And Line Fields
| Area | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Date | The accounting date of the journal entry. This affects the period and reporting date. |
| Reference | An internal note or external reference that helps identify why the journal was created. |
| Currency | The currency context of the journal entry where currency selection is relevant. |
| Location | The location linked to the entry when location-based accounting is used. |
| Line Type | The type of line being entered where QBM offers line-specific behavior. |
| Account | The general ledger account affected by the line. |
| Description | The line-level explanation of the posting. |
| Debit | The debit amount for the line. |
| Credit | The credit amount for the line. |
| Payee | An optional reference to the related party where the business wants that detail recorded. |
| Tax | Tax information where a journal needs tax-related treatment or analysis. |
| Job | A project or job reference for job-costing environments. |
| Total Debit / Total Credit | The screen totals used to confirm the journal is balanced before saving. |
| Documents Or Attachments | Supporting files linked to the journal entry when supporting evidence should be stored with it. |
How To Enter A Journal Entry
- Open the Journal Entry screen and review the date, reference, currency, and location.
- Add the first line and select the correct account.
- Enter a clear line description, then enter either a debit or a credit amount for that line.
- Add the remaining lines until the full transaction is represented.
- Use payee, tax, or job information only when your accounting process requires it.
- Check the total debit and total credit values and confirm they are equal.
- Save the journal entry, then print or review it if needed.
Review Before Saving
- Confirm the date is in the correct accounting period.
- Check that each line uses the correct account and description.
- Confirm the totals are balanced.
- Review tax and job details only where those are truly required.
- Attach supporting documents if the journal should have an audit trail inside QBM.
Best Practice
Best practice: Use meaningful references and line descriptions so the journal can be understood later without needing outside explanation.
Important: Manual journals can affect financial reports immediately. Review them carefully, especially at month-end and year-end.
- Keep journals simple and easy to review.
- Use one journal for one clear business purpose whenever possible.
- Do not use journal entries as a shortcut for routine sales or purchasing activity.
- Attach support for unusual or high-value journals.