Journal Report

The Journal Report lists all items going into and out of your general ledger (chart of accounts) as the result of transaction.

Although a report of financial transactions by journal (for example, General Ledger journal) is a standard generic feature of an ERP system, several countries also require an external statutory version which often, but not always, uses pre-printed numbered/stamped paper.

Typically, transactions are numbered with a protocol number (Document Date/Taxation type/Document number). This number is separate from the Document Number and any Transaction numbers which, typically, are entered or generated at transaction input, and may have canceled documents and/or gaps in the sequencing; whereas, the protocol number is generated subsequently at final report stage, at, or after period close, and without gaps. There should also be a correspondence between journal protocol numbering and transaction date chronology.

If user-defined transaction types are deployed in the General Ledger, then, typically, there would be a protocol number series per transaction type. It is common that such transaction types represent a segregation of duties, with different people being responsible for separate transaction types, for example, Receivables and Payables postings would be separated. Once defined, transaction types would be set for the accounting year, and only revised at the year end. Typically, protocol numbers are reset to '1' at the start of a new year.

The report is generated monthly, may be in paper or electronic format, and is required in both summary and detail versions, by month and by year.

Separate debit and credit columns are required.