Journal entries

1. In the Navigation pane, highlight the General Ledger > Journal Entries folder.
2. Click . The New Journal Entry window opens.

   

3. Enter the name of the Batch to add the journal entry to. If you are entering multiple journal entries in the same session, this field defaults to the batch name used on the last journal entry entered. Batches group journal entries for merging, proofing, or deletion.

   Examples

   The batch name could be the month, the date, "CKBK" for checkbook, the name of the person entering the postings, "JE" for journal entry, etc.

4. The Entry # field is disabled and will default to the next sequential number available for the specified batch when the record is saved, or to "1" if this is the first entry in the batch. If necessary, you can provide your own entry number; however, the number cannot have been used previously in the specified batch. To open the field for editing, put your cursor in the field and press Ctrl+Alt+U or select > Tools > Unlock Entry #.
5. Enter a Description of the journal entry. The description you enter here is also used as the default description for each of the journal detail lines.

6. In the Activity Source field, enter a description of the activity that resulted in this journal entry.

   Examples

   checkbook, AP invoice, AR invoice

7. In the Journal Detail table, enter the detail lines for the journal entry. For each detail line, enter the following:
   1. In the Account column, select the account number that will be affected by the GL posting.
   2. The table may include zero or more attribute columns. In each attribute column, select the attribute item (if applicable) to assign to the corresponding attribute for the transaction.
   3. In the Date column, enter the date to post the entry to the general ledger.

   4. Enter a Reference for the detail line to more precisely identify the entry. You can use up to 20 characters.

      Examples

      a deposit number, an invoice number, "JE" for journal entry

   5. In the Debit or Credit column, enter the amount of the journal entry to post to the selected account. Amounts can be negative.
   6. The Description column defaults from the journal entry description. If you need to override the default, enter a different description for the detail line.
   7. In the Memo column, enter any additional information you need to capture about the detail line.

   Tip

   You can use Ctrl+B to automatically balance an account's balance group for the journal entry. When you use automatic balancing, ActivityHD:

   1. Determines the current balance for the account mask, date range, and unit for the current detail line.
   2. Calculates the amount needed to balance the detail lines that match the account mask, date range, and unit.
   3. Discards any value in the posting amount field and replaces it with the calculated balance.
8. When you finish and the journal entry is in balance, save the new journal entry.

The Proof for Merge Journal Entries process analyzes the journal entries you select and determines which are valid for merging. Depending on the results, you can produce reports that show valid journal entries, exceptions, or both.

1. In the Navigation pane, highlight the General Ledger > Journal Entries folder.
2. Start the Proof for Merge Journal Entries wizard by one of the following methods:
   • To use filters to select the journal entries to proof:
     1. Right-click and select Select and Proof for Merge from the shortcut menu.
     2. On the Selection tab, define any filters to apply to the data.

        

     Note

     The selection is automatically restricted to new journal entries only.

     3. Click Next >>.
   • To hand-select the journal entries to proof:
     1. In the HD view, select the journal entries to proof. You can use Ctrl and/or Shift selection to select multiple journal entries.
     2. From the menu, select Merge > Proof for Merge.
3. ActivityHD analyzes the selected journal entries and reports how many journal entries are valid for merging.

   

   If the validation returns errors or warnings, ActivityHD lists the reasons why.

   If you want to view or print the Merge Journal Entries Proof Report, click Report. Otherwise, skip to step 10.

   

4. On the Options tab, mark the checkbox(es) for the additional information to include:
   • Warnings
   • Detail. Shows detail lines for each journal entry. If this checkbox is marked, you can mark the checkbox(es) for any additional detail information you want to include.
     • Detail Attributes
     • Detail Descriptions and Units
     • Detail Memos
     • Subsidiary Detail. Journal entries have subsidiary detail if they originate in another package that posts to GL. Mark this checkbox to include subsidiary detail for these entries.
   • Timestamps
   • Memos
   • Custom Fields (only visible if custom fields are set up)
5. In the Validation Status field, select the type of entries to include on the proof report. Your options are:
   • Valid Entries. Select this option to include only valid journal entries on the report. This option is disabled if no entries are valid.
   • Exceptions. Select this option to include only journal entries with exceptions on the report. This option is disabled if all entries are valid.
   • Both. Select this option to produce a report with valid journal entries and another report with entries that produced exceptions. This option is disabled if all entries are valid or if all entries are not valid.
6. Select the Output tab.
7. In the Design field, look up and select the proof report design to use.
In the toolbar, click the icon for the type of output you want:
• - Provides access to two preview options.
  • Preview - Click the icon or click the drop-down arrow and select Preview from the drop-down menu to view the report in the Crystal Reports viewer.
  • Preview to PDF - Click the drop-down arrow next to the icon and select Preview to PDF to view the report in the PDF reader.
• - Opens the Print dialog so that you can select and configure a printer and then print a paper copy of the report.
• - Opens the Report Email dialog so that you can address and compose an email that the report will be attached to. For best results, ensure your email client is running before you attempt to send a report via email.
• - Opens the Export Report dialog so that you can save the report to a file. File types include Crystal Reports (.rpt), PDF (.pdf), Microsoft Excel (.xls), Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text (.rtf), and XML (.xml).
9. When you finish proofing the journal entries, close the Merge Journal Entries Proof Copy dialog,
10. Click Finish.

New journal entries are merged to create GL postings. Once a journal entry is merged, only its descriptions and memos can be edited.

When ActivityHD merges journal entries, it automatically separates entries by system-journal source type and accounting period so that each GL posting summarizes transactions of the same type which fall in the same accounting period.

1. In the Navigation pane, highlight the General Ledger > Journal Entries folder.
2. Start the Merge Journal Entries wizard by one of the following methods:
   • To use filters to select the journal entries to merge:
     1. Right-click and select Select and Merge from the shortcut menu.
     2. On the Selection tab, define any filters to apply to the data.

        

     Note

     The selection is automatically restricted to new journal entries only.

     3. Click Next >>.
   • To hand-select the journal entries to merge:
   1. In the HD view, select the journal entries to merge. You can use Ctrl and/or Shift selection to select multiple journal entries.
   2. Click .
3. The wizard reports the number of journal entries that are valid for merging.

   

   If the validation returns errors or warnings, ActivityHD lists the reasons why.

   If you want to view or print the Merge Journal Entries Proof Report, click Report. Otherwise, skip to step 10.

   

4. On the Options tab, mark the checkbox(es) for the additional information to include:
   • Warnings
   • Detail. Shows detail lines for each journal entry. If this checkbox is marked, you can mark the checkbox(es) for any additional detail information you want to include.
     • Detail Attributes
     • Detail Descriptions and Units
     • Detail Memos
     • Subsidiary Detail. Journal entries have subsidiary detail if they originate in another package that posts to GL. Mark this checkbox to include subsidiary detail for these entries.
   • Timestamps
   • Memos
   • Custom Fields (only visible if custom fields are set up)
5. In the Validation Status field, select the type of entries to include on the merge report. Your options are:
   • Valid Entries. Select this option to include only valid journal entries on the report. This option is disabled if no entries are valid.
   • Exceptions. Select this option to include only journal entries with exceptions on the report. This option is disabled if all entries are valid.
   • Both. Select this option to produce a report with valid journal entries and another report with entries that produced exceptions. This option is disabled if all entries are valid or if all entries are not valid.
6. Select the Output tab.
7. In the Design field, look up and select the merge report design to use.
In the toolbar, click the icon for the type of output you want:
• - Provides access to two preview options.
  • Preview - Click the icon or click the drop-down arrow and select Preview from the drop-down menu to view the report in the Crystal Reports viewer.
  • Preview to PDF - Click the drop-down arrow next to the icon and select Preview to PDF to view the report in the PDF reader.
• - Opens the Print dialog so that you can select and configure a printer and then print a paper copy of the report.
• - Opens the Report Email dialog so that you can address and compose an email that the report will be attached to. For best results, ensure your email client is running before you attempt to send a report via email.
• - Opens the Export Report dialog so that you can save the report to a file. File types include Crystal Reports (.rpt), PDF (.pdf), Microsoft Excel (.xls), Microsoft Word (.doc), rich text (.rtf), and XML (.xml).
9. When you finish with the Merge Journal Entries Proof Report, close the Merge Journal Entries Proof Copy dialog.
10. Back in the Merge Journal Entries wizard, click Next >>. ActivityHD merges the journal entries and reports its results.

    

    If desired, you can print or preview the proof report again, this time showing only the journal entries which were successfully merged. To do so, click Report and repeat steps 4-9.

11. Click Finish.

...before merging

You can edit any aspect of an unmerged journal entry that originated in General Ledger which could be edited when it was created.

1. In the Navigation pane, highlight the General Ledger > Journal Entries folder.
2. In the HD view, locate and double-click the journal entry you need to edit to open it in the Journal Entry window.
3. Perform only the steps below that you need to correct the journal entry.
   1. Enter the name of the Batch to add the journal entry to.
   2. The Entry # field defaults to the next sequential number available for the specified batch, or "1" if this is the first entry in the batch. You can override this value with your own entry number; however, the number cannot have been used previously in the specified batch. To open the field for editing, put your cursor in the field and press Ctrl+Alt+U.
   3. Enter a Description of the journal entry. If you change the description, ActivityHD prompts you whether to use the new description on the detail lines. Click Yes to replace the detail line descriptions. Click No to leave the detail line descriptions as they are.

      

   4. In the Activity Source field, enter a description of the activity that resulted in this journal entry.

      Examples

      checkbook, AP invoice, AR invoice

   5. In the Journal Detail table, enter the detail lines for the journal entry. For each detail line, enter the following:
      1. In the Account column, select the account number that will be affected by the GL posting.
      2. The table may include zero or more attribute columns. In each attribute column, select the attribute item (if applicable) to assign to the corresponding attribute for the transaction.
      3. In the Date column, enter the date to post the entry to the general ledger.

      4. Enter a Reference for the detail line to better identify the entry. You can use up to 20 characters.

         Examples

         a deposit number, an invoice number, "JE" for journal entry

      5. In the Debit or Credit column, enter the amount of the journal entry to post to the selected account. Amounts can be negative.
      6. In the Description column, if you need to override the current description, enter a different description for the detail line. If there are subsequent detail lines which have the previous description, ActivityHD asks whether you want to change these also. Click Yes to replace the detail line descriptions. Click No to leave the detail line descriptions as they are.

         

      7. In the Memo column, enter any additional information you need to capture about the detail line. If the detail line was created as a result of processing recurring journal entries, the default memo was copied from the memo on the corresponding detail line of the recurring entry it was generated from.

      Tip

      You can use Ctrl+B to automatically balance an account's balance group for the journal entry. When you use automatic balancing, ActivityHD:

      1. Determines the current balance for the account mask, date range, and unit for the current detail line.
      2. Calculates the amount needed to balance the detail lines that match the account mask, date range, and unit.
      3. Discards any value in the posting amount field and replaces it with the calculated balance.
4. When you finish and the journal entry is in balance, save your changes.

...after merging

After a journal entry is merged, only the journal entry description, detail descriptions, and memos can be edited. This also applies to unmerged or merged entries that come from a subsidiary package.

1. In the Navigation pane, highlight the General Ledger > Journal Entries folder.
2. In the HD view, locate and double-click the journal entry you need to edit to open it in the Journal Entry window.
3. If you need to change the Description of the journal entry, enter the new description. If you change the description, ActivityHD prompts you whether to use the new description on any detail lines which have the same previous description. Click Yes to replace the detail line descriptions. Click No to leave the detail line descriptions as they are.

   

4. If you need to change the description for a detail line, enter the new description in the Description column of the Journal Detail table. If there are subsequent detail lines which have the same previous description, ActivityHD asks whether you want to change these also. Click Yes to replace the detail line descriptions. Click No to leave the detail line descriptions as they are.

   

5. If you need to change the memo for a detail line, enter the information you need to capture about the detail line in the Memo column of the Journal Detail table. If the detail line was created as a result of processing recurring journal entries, the default memo was copied from the memo on the corresponding detail line on the recurring entry it was generated from.
6. Repeat steps 4 and/or 5 for each detail line you need to change.
7. When you finish, save your changes.

The Posting Calculator is used to set the balance of an account to a specified amount or to set the period activity of an account to a specified amount. The Posting Calculator is available in the Journal Entry window and can be accessed by pressing Ctrl+P or by selecting > Tools > Posting Calculator.

The Posting Calculator is particularly useful when adjusting balances in statistical and budget ledgers or when adjusting net period activity in statistical and budget ledgers.

Balance tab

In the New field, enter the new balance of the account. You can use this to set the balance to a certain amount without having to know what the original balance is. After you enter the target balance amount, ActivityHD does the following:

• Determines the current balance of the account as of the specified date.
• Calculates the transaction amount necessary to bring the balance up to the target amount.
• Replaces the balance amount with the calculated transaction amount.

Period Activity tab

In the New field, enter the amount of period activity on the account. You can use this to set the activity to a certain amount without having to know what the original balance is. After you enter the target activity amount, ActivityHD does the following:

• Determines the current period activity of the account for the specified period ending date.
• Calculates the transaction amount necessary to bring the period activity to the target amount.
• Replaces the period activity amount with the calculated transaction amount.

Placing a new journal entry on hold prevents it from being merged. Use this feature when you know you need to make changes to a journal entry later or when the journal entry is not complete and you are not ready to merge it.

To flag a journal entry as "on hold":

1. With the journal entry open in the Journal Entry window to the Journal Entry tab, mark the Hold checkbox.
2. Save your changes.

You can automatically reverse a new journal entry at the beginning of the next period of the default calendar. When the entry is merged, the reversing entries are included below the merged journal entry. The reverse posting amount is obtained by reversing the numeric sign of the source posting amount, not by changing the financial sign from DEBIT to CREDIT or vice versa.

To flag a journal entry for automatic reversal at the beginning of the next period of the calendar:

1. With the journal entry open in the Journal Entry window to the Journal Entry tab, mark the Reverse checkbox.
2. Save your changes.

The posting date on reversal detail lines defaults to the first day of the period that follows the posting date of the corresponding source detail lines. Occasionally, a situation arises in which the reversal posting date of the system-generated reversal detail lines needs to be entered manually.

When you need to change the reversal date, be aware of the following behaviors:

• The reversal date cannot precede the posting date.
• A Reversal column is only visible in the Journal Detail table if the Reverse checkbox is marked on the journal entry.
• When you enter a new detail line on a reversal entry, the Date and Reversal field values are copied from the previous line to the new line.
• If you change the value in the Date column, the value in the Reversal column changes to match the reversal date on the first previous line with a matching posting date (looking backward). If no previous lines have a matching posting date, the new line's reversal date is set to the first day of the next period after the posting date.
• If the reversal date has been changed and you need to revert to the default reversal posting date (i.e., the first day of the next period following the posting date), simply blank out the date in the Reversal column and press Tab.
• If you change the value in the Reversal column, ActivityHD prompts you whether to copy down the change to subsequent detail lines with the same reversal date.

To change the reversal date:

1. Open the journal detail line for which you need to change the reversal date in the Journal Detail window.
2. In the Reversal Date column, enter the correct reversal date for the reversal detail line. Remember the date cannot precede the date in the Date field.
3. Save your changes.

The Void Process for journal entries that originate in General Ledger creates a reversal entry which offsets the debits and credits from the original journal entry. If Bank Reconciliation transactions are associated with the journal entry, they are automatically voided as well.

A few caveats apply to voiding a journal entry:

• Only merged journal entries can be voided.
• Reversal journal entries or voided journal entries cannot be voided.
• Journal entries from a subsidiary ledger cannot be voided. Voids for these journal entries must originate in the subsidiary package. The necessary reversing entries for General Ledger are created there.
• Closing journal entries cannot be voided on a different date.

To void journal entries:

1. In the Navigation pane, highlight the General Ledger > Journal Entries folder.
2. In the HD view, highlight the merged entries you need to void. You can use Ctrl and/or Shift selection to select multiple journal entries.
3. Click . The Void Journal Entries wizard starts.

   

4. In the Reversal GL Batch field, specify the batch file to include the reversal entries in. Your options are:
   • Original GL Batch. Use the same batch(es) that were used for the journal entry(ies) you are voiding.
   • Specify a GL batch by selecting the second option and entering a batch name in the field.
5. In the Reversal GL Date field, specify the posting date to assign to the reversal entries. Your options are:
   • Original GL Date. Use the same date(s) as the date(s) assigned to the original journal entry(ies).
   • Specify the date to assign for all detail records on the reversal journal entry(ies) by selecting the second option and entering or selecting a date.
6. Click Next >>. You are prompted to confirm that you want to void the journal entry(ies).

   

7. Click Yes. ActivityHD processes the reversal(s) and reports its results.

   

   If the process returns errors or warnings, ActivityHD lists the reasons why.

8. If you want to view the reversals that were created, click Next >>.

   

9. When you finish, click Finish.

The reversal journal entry for a void

When you void a journal entry, a reversal entry is created which has a source type of "GL-Void".

When you open a reversal entry record, a banner displays below the toolbar that indicates the batch and entry number of the original journal entry.

A reversal entry is flagged as merged when it is created; therefore, a reversal entry cannot be changed. In particular, you cannot void a reversal. If you discover that you have voided a journal entry in error, open the original entry and use the New Copy function to reproduce it.

New journal entries can be deleted with no restrictions.

To delete a new journal entry, highlight the journal entry in the HD view and click , or open the journal entry and select > Edit > Delete. In either case, ActivityHD prompts you to confirm your action. Click Delete to delete the journal entry.

Use the procedure below to create detail postings to track the "Due To" and "Due From" amounts when one company (typically the parent company) does business on behalf of another company (typically a subsidiary company). These entries are NOT intercompany elimination entries to eliminate profit/loss transactions between companies in a consolidated financial statement. The entries created in this process would still need to be eliminated on a consolidated financial statement.

To use this method to create detail postings, you should be in a multi-company environment and must have intercompany detail configured on the General Ledger tab of the Options window.

To create intercompany postings on a journal entry:

1. Verify that the intercompany options are correctly set up in the Options dialog ([right-click the company folder] > Options > [select General Ledger tab]).
2. Create a journal entry and enter all journal detail except for the intercompany "Due To" and "Due From" postings.

3. In the Journal Entry window, navigate to > Tools > Create Intercompany Detail, or press Ctrl+I. The Create Intercompany Postings popup opens.

   

4. In the Company field, select the base company. The default base company is the company for the account on the first line of the journal entry; however, you can select any company.
5. Click OK. The intercompany "Due To" and "Due From" postings are automatically added to the bottom of the journal entry.

More on creating intercompany GL detail postings

If the company segment on a detail line is different than the base company you entered in the popup dialog and the balance option on the ledger is "Period" or "Daily", the "Due To" and "Due From" postings are created to keep each company in balance and to reflect the intercompany receivables and payables.

If a detail line debits the "other" company, the following intercompany postings are created:

• A credit to the "other" company's "Due To" account (intercompany liability)
• A debit to the base company's "Due From" account (intercompany receivables)

If a detail line credits the "other" company, the following intercompany postings are created:

• A debit to the "other" company's "Due From" account (intercompany receivables)
• A credit to the base company's "Due To" account (intercompany liability)

While you can delete system-created intercompany postings, you cannot change the account, date, or debit/credit amount on them.

If you use the Create Intercompany Detail option again on the same journal entry, the existing intercompany detail is deleted from the journal entry and new intercompany lines are created based on the current posting detail.

ActivityHD identifies the company segment by looking for the segment which requires balancing. If no segments require balancing, the Create Intercompany Detail option is unavailable. If multiple segments require balancing, the company code is constructed by appending values from all balancing segments in left-to-right order from the formatted account number.