How to Create Journal Entry

Last reviewed: June 9, 2026

llms-full.txt
On this page

Use this workflow to post a balanced manual journal entry in PAX.

Before you start

Confirm the entry is approved for manual posting and does not belong in another workflow. Use the dedicated PAX workflow when the activity is an invoice, customer payment, vendor invoice, vendor payment, credit card expense, bank reconciliation adjustment, depreciation posting, inventory adjustment, receiving transaction, shipment, or production transaction.

You need:

  • Journal entry reference.
  • Posted date.
  • Accounts for each line.
  • Debit and credit amounts that balance.
  • Project ID, if project tracking applies.

The posted date must belong to an open fiscal period.

Screen path

Dashboard > Finance > GL & Close > Journal Entries > New Journal Entry

The same screen can also be opened from Dashboard > Finance > Reports > Journal Entries.

Create the journal entry

  1. Open Journal Entries.
  2. Select New Journal Entry.
  3. Enter Reference.
  4. Confirm or change Posted Date.
  5. On the first line, select the debit or credit account.
  6. Select a Project if the line should be tracked to a finance project.
  7. Enter either a debit amount or a credit amount.
  8. Complete the second line with the offsetting account and amount.
  9. Use Add Line if more accounts are needed.
  10. Confirm Total Debits and Total Credits are equal.
  11. Select Post Entry.

If a project is selected on line 1, PAX automatically fills line 2 with the same project. Change or clear the project on any line if the project assignment should be different.

What happens after posting

PAX validates the entry before it saves anything. The entry must have a reference, posted date, account on each line, an amount on each line, and balanced debits and credits.

PAX then finds an open fiscal period for the posted date. If the posted date is not in an open period, the entry is blocked.

When posting succeeds, PAX creates the journal entry header and journal entry lines. The new entry appears in the Journal Entries list and in the General Ledger Overview for the selected date range and account.

Troubleshooting

Total debits must equal total credits

Likely cause: The debit and credit totals do not match.

Safe fix: Review each line amount. Add, remove, or correct lines until the totals match.

Contact support if: The totals appear equal on screen but PAX still rejects the entry.

Each line must have an account and amount

Likely cause: A line is missing an account, or a line has neither debit nor credit amount.

Safe fix: Complete the missing line or remove the extra line if it is not needed.

Contact support if: The line appears complete but still fails validation.

No open fiscal period was found

Likely cause: The posted date is outside open fiscal periods or belongs to a closed period.

Safe fix: Confirm the correct accounting date. Do not change the date just to bypass a closed period without finance approval.

Contact support if: The date should be open but PAX blocks posting.

Was this page helpful?

Vote *