Journal Entry

The Journal Entry page lets you add, edit, and delete journals.

Option Description
Member selection panel This panel lets you filter the Journals panel by period, version, journal type, and posting status. You can select only one member for the periods and version. You can select multiple members for the journal type and posting status.

The Start/End lists include all members of the Period/Year dimensions regardless of the view setting.

To select multiple members, hold down the Ctrl key and select each member. Once the selections are set, click Refresh List to view a customized list that includes only those journals that are within the selected scope.

Journals panel Displays any journals that match the selections in the Member selection panel. A red check mark indicates the journal is currently selected. The journal ID is displayed along with the name.
Journal list List of journal types.
New Create a journal. The button is enabled if you have read-write access to the version displayed in the journal list, not the selected version on the new journal.
Submit Save the journal to the model.
Reset Revert to the last saved state of the journal.
Copy Copy the journal.
Delete Delete the journal.
Reverse Create a reverse journal.
Id Displays the journal ID. This ID is system generated.
Name Specify a unique name for the journal. You can specify up to 40 characters.

Case does not matter when naming journals. JOURNAL1 is the same as journal1 or Journal1. These characters cannot be used in a journal name:

& * : , " ! ' [ ] ~ _

These words cannot be used as the name of a journal. You can use these words as part of the journal's name but cannot comprise the entire name:

  • all
  • allocation
  • downfoot
  • expr
  • xltgain
Description Optional. Specify a description for the journal. You can specify up to 255 characters. These characters cannot be used in a journal description: " '
Status Displays the status of the journal.

When you create a journal using the New, Copy, or Reverse buttons, its status is automatically set to Working - Not Available for Posting. You can submit a journal with this status, but it is not posted during a consolidation. This protects the journal from being posted until the accountant is ready. Journals with the Working - Not Available for Posting status display in the Journal Definition report and the Audit by Journal Name reports as unposted.

Once the journal is ready to be posted, you can change the status to Available for Posting and submits the journal (this status may not be available in all views). Changing the status does not post the journal; it only marks the journal as ready to be posted during a future consolidation. Journals with the Available for Posting status display in the Journal Definition report and the Audit by Journal Name reports as unposted.

Version List of versions. The version defaults to the member selected in the journal list.
Periodicity List of periodicities. Choose from:
  • Monthly (Default) periodicity
  • Quarterly periodicity
  • Semi-Annual peridicity
  • Yearly periodicity
Effective Specify the effective life using a leaf period of the schedule periodicity.
  • A journal can only post to a period that is a leaf period of the schedule's periodicity. For example, a monthly journal can only post to a month (such as January). Similarly, a quarterly journal can only post to a quarter (such as Quarter 1).
  • The start and end periods for an effective life range must be defined using the leaf periods of the journal periodicity. For example, a valid effective life for a quarterly journal is Quarter 1-Quarter 2. A valid effective life for a monthly journal is January-March.

    If the start and end periods are not leaf periods but the range includes a leaf period (e.g., January-April for a quarterly journal would include Quarter 1), the effective life is still invalid.

  • The minimum range for an effective life is one period. The maximum range is all periods and all years.
  • The effective life can begin with a future accounting period that is outside the focus range.
  • A journal cannot post to an opening balance period or to a period that is outside the focus range.
  • When changing the effective life of a posted journal, the revised effective life must include all periods to which the journal has already posted. The effective life beginning period can be changed to the first posted period or earlier, and the effective life end period can be changed to the last posted period or later (the Journal Entry page displays the posted periods beneath the effective life fields).
Posted Displays the posted date. This field only displays for posted journals. Once the journal status is changed to Available for Posting and the journal is submitted, a consolidation can post the adjustments. If at least one adjustment in a journal is posted, the status for the entire journal is marked as "posted." Journals with a posted status display in the Audit reports as posted only if the report parameters include all the dimension members adjusted by the journal.
Adjustments Adjustments are specified in terms of debits or credits. Each adjustment is stored in the database as a positive or negative number in relationship to the natural sign of the line. If an amount is specified with a sign that is opposite to the natural sign of the line, the amount is stored as a negative number.
Total Debits Displays Total Debits when all adjustment lines refer to the same unit.
Total Credits Displays Total Credits when all adjustment lines refer to the same unit.
Add Line Add a line to the adjustment table using the Add Adjustment Line dialog box.
Edit Line Edit the selected line in the adjustment table.
Delete Line Delete the selected adjustment line.
Print Grid Print the adjustments table.
Export Grid to Excel Export the adjustments table to Microsoft Excel.
Journal Note Specify any comments or notes.
Modified Displays the last modified date.
Author Displays the user ID of the last person to modify the journal.
Reversals Displays any reverse journals.