30 Work with Journal Entries
This chapter contains these topics:
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Section 30.1, "Reviewing Batches of Payroll Journal Entries,"
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Section 30.6, "Reviewing the General Ledger Posting Journal."
After you run the final update, you review your batch of payroll journal entries. The final update creates the actual journal entries, and updates the Account Ledger table (F0911). Depending on your company constants, you can have the system automatically post journal entries to the Account Balances table (F0902). If you do not automatically post the journal entries, you must post them manually. You must also post journals manually when the system could not automatically post a batch of journals due to errors.
You review a batch to verify that the journal entries within the batch are not in error. You can then revise any incorrect journal entries before you post them to the general ledger. After you review or revise a batch of payroll journal entries, you might need to approve it before posting can occur. This depends on whether your company requires management approval before posting a batch. The approval status is set in the general accounting constants.
30.1 Reviewing Batches of Payroll Journal Entries
From Payroll Master (G07), choose Pay Cycle Processing
From Pay Cycle Processing (G0713), choose P/R Journal Batch Review
You review a batch to verify that the journal entries within the batch do not have errors before you post them. When you review journal entries for posting, you can display a list of batches based on your user ID, the batch number, a posting status, or a specific date range. For example, you could review all of the batches that are unposted.
You can review batches of journal entries that you created during the standard pay cycle journal procedures or during a special timecard post. The system uses batch types to group the various kinds of journal entries. The system processes different batch types during the standard pay cycle than during a special timecard post.
The standard pay cycle processes the following batch types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Batch type 4 | Pro forma journal entry records created during the journal entries step of the payroll cycle, but not yet updated to the general ledger. For this batch type, you can review summary information only. |
| Batch type 7 | Actual journal entries created during the final update step of the payroll cycle. Depending on the way in which your system is set up, these entries might have been automatically posted during final update. You can also manually post them after final update. You can review detail records for this batch type. |
| Batch type # | Journal entries integrated with Accounts Payable system. When the Batch Description field value is JE (Journal Entry), the entries are for actual vouchers created during the final update. You can review detail records for these entries. When the Batch Description field value is Edit, the entries are for pro forma vouchers. You can review only summary information for pro forma batches. |
A special timecard post processes the following batch types:
| Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Batch type 5 | Pro forma journal entry records created when the system generated timecard journals during a special timecard post, but not yet updated to the general ledger. For this batch type, you can review summary information only. |
| Batch type P | Actual journal entry records created when the system posted journals to the general ledger. This batch type is equivalent to batch type 7 for standard pay cycle journal entries. You can review detail records for this batch type. |
To review batches of payroll journal entries
On Payroll Journal Batch Review
Figure 30-1 Payroll Journal Batch Review screen
Description of ''Figure 30-1 Payroll Journal Batch Review screen''
Display all batches for all users, or limit your search by completing one or more of the following fields:
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User ID
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Batch Number
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Batch Date From
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Batch Date Thru
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Batch Status
| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Batch Number | A number that identifies a group of transactions that the system processes and balances as a unit. When you enter a batch, you can either assign a batch number or let the system assign it through Next Numbers. When you change, locate, or delete a batch, you must specify the batch number. |
| Batch Status | A user defined code (98/IC) that indicates the posting status of a batch. Valid codes are:
blank – Unposted batches that are pending approval or have a status of approved. A – Approved for posting. The batch has no errors, is in balance, but has not yet been posted. D – Posted. The batch posted successfully. E – Error. The batch is in error. You must correct the batch before it can post. P – Posting. The system is posting the batch to the general ledger. The batch is unavailable until the posting process is complete. If errors occur during the post, the batch status is changed to E (error). U – In use. The batch is temporarily unavailable because someone is working with it. |
30.2 Revising Payroll Journal Entries
From Payroll Master (G07), choose Pay Cycle Processing
From Pay Cycle Processing (G0713), choose P/R Journal Batch Review
After you review a list of batches, you can access transaction detail within a specific batch of actual journal entries. You cannot access transaction detail for pro forma journal entries. For example, you can review the number of journal entries within a batch. You can also select a specific journal entry for review and revision. You revise payroll journal entries that have errors to ensure that you post the correct information to the general ledger.
You can revise the associated explanations and the general ledger distributions of an unposted journal entry. You cannot change the following information:
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Document type
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Document number
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Document company
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General ledger date
To revise payroll journal entries
On Payroll Journal Batch Review
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Locate the appropriate list of batches.
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For the batch that contains inaccurate journal entries choose the General Journal Review option.
Figure 30-2 General Ledger Batch Review screen
Description of ''Figure 30-2 General Ledger Batch Review screen''
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On General Ledger Batch Review, choose the Individual Document Review option for the journal entry you want to revise.
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Complete the steps to manually post journal entries.
30.3 Approving Payroll Batches for Posting
From Payroll Master (G07), choose Pay Cycle Processing
From Pay Cycle Processing (G0713), choose P/R Journal Batch Review
After you review or revise a batch of payroll journal entries, you might need to approve it before you can post it. This depends on whether your company requires management approval before posting a batch. Based on your company requirements, as defined in the general accounting constants, the system assigns either a pending or an approved status to the batch. You approve a batch of payroll journal entries to prepare the batch for posting. You cannot post journal entries that are not approved.
To approve a payroll batch for posting
On Payroll Journal Batch Review
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Choose the appropriate batch.
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Complete the following field:
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Approved (A)
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| Field | Explanation |
|---|---|
| A | A code that indicates whether a batch is ready for posting. Valid codes are:
A – Approved, ready for posting. P – Pending approval. The batch will not post. If the system constants do not specify manager approval, the system automatically approves batches that are not in error. Form-specific information If the batch has an ERROR status, you must access each item and correct the error. When you exit to Timecard Journal Batch Review, the program automatically assigns an APPROVED status. |
30.4 Posting Payroll Journal Entries Manually
From Payroll Master (G07), choose Pay Cycle Processing
From Pay Cycle Processing (G0713), choose Manual Payroll Journal Post
You post payroll journal entry batches to update your general ledger. When you post journal entries, the system posts the batches that have been approved and are ready to post to the Account Balances table (F0902).
You post journal entries manually for the following reasons:
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Your company requires manager approval before you post transactions
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Your system is set to automatically post during the final update step, but the system detects errors during final update. The system does not post a batch of journal entries that contains errors.
If you do not specify a batch selection, the program posts all approved batches for all dates and all users.
If you set the payroll company constants to automatic post and your batches contain no errors, the system posts journal batches automatically during the final update step of the payroll cycle.
30.5 Reviewing the Posting Edit Report
When you post journal entries, the system prints the Posting Edit report for your review.
Review the Posting Edit report for any applicable posting error messages.
30.6 Reviewing the General Ledger Posting Journal
When you post journal entries, the system prints the Posting Edit and General Ledger Posting Journal reports for your review.
The General Ledger Posting Journal lists all journal entries. The column titles and information are similar to the Pay Period Journal Batch Proof report. However, the General Ledger Posting Journal prints the journal entry number, general ledger date, and the account descriptions instead of the document reference numbers.
The level of summarization on this report is controlled by the Journal Summarization Rules.
Figure 30-5 General Ledger Posting Journal report
Description of ''Figure 30-5 General Ledger Posting Journal report''