Journal Entry Import
The Journal Entry import loads general ledger entries from a spreadsheet. It is how an opening trial balance enters the system at cut-over, and how bulk journals from another system are brought across.
Where to find it
Go to Setup > Import Export > Journal Entries. Import your chart of accounts first — every row posts to an account code that must already exist.
Format Data
| Column | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Source Reference | The reference from your previous system. Any value that lets you trace the entry back; leave it blank if you have nothing to carry. |
| Date | The posting date. For an opening balance this is your cut-over date. |
| Memo | The narrative on the ledger line. |
| Amount | The value. Sign determines whether the line debits or credits. |
| Account code | The GL account the line posts to. Must exist in the chart of accounts. |
| Person type | Whether the line relates to a customer, a supplier, or neither. |
| Person Name | The customer or supplier, where a person type is given. |
Each journal must balance — debits equal credits. When importing an opening trial balance, exclude receivables, payables and inventory if those arrived through their own imports, or you will double them.
Errors and exports
If rows fail, the system returns your file with a Memo column added, naming the problem on each bad row — fix those rows and upload again. Every module supports export as well as import, so you can pull current data out in the same format.
The rules common to all imports — never rename headers, dates in Y/m/d, codes must already exist, test a few rows first — are set out in Importing Your Data.
Related pages
- Opening Balances — the trial balance journal in context
- Chart of Accounts — must run first
- Importing Your Data — shared rules
- Go-Live Checklist — verifying the trial balance