Journal review

Journal entries hold an entry date, source, description, status, accounting period and organization. Their lines carry debit or credit amounts, posting type and ledger account. A reviewer can compare the rolled-up debit and credit totals, count the lines and inspect the out-of-balance result before deciding whether the entry is ready for posting.

For example, the Staff Accountant prepares an accrual for a period-end charge. The entry belongs to the relevant organization and open period. Its lines identify the debit and credit accounts. The Controller can review the full entry and source documentation without searching across unrelated documents. A reversed entry remains distinct from a posted one, preserving the state of the accounting review.

• Prepare. Staff Accountant chooses the organization, period, source and line-level accounts.
• Check. The reviewer compares debit and credit totals and investigates an out-of-balance result.
• Review. Controller examines posting state and supporting evidence by period.

Agree on the chart of accounts and the account group policy before entering journals. Decide when staff should use a standard, accrual, reversing or allocation line, and how the source value should be selected. Set a naming pattern for entry descriptions and a rule for attaching support. This makes later searches and close review easier.

Define who can move an entry from Draft to Posted, how reversals are documented and when a period moves from Open to Closed or Locked. The period record gives the review context; the team should agree how it enforces its own posting policy. Treat the out-of-balance result as a check to investigate, along with the underlying line amounts and accounts.

Create a journal for a lease-related expense adjustment in the correct organization and period. Enter two lines with equal debit and credit amounts and confirm the entry totals agree. Attach the calculation used by the accountant. The Controller opens the review screen, checks the line coding and verifies that the entry is ready for its intended posting state.

Next change a line amount in a rehearsal copy so the entry is out of balance. The review should surface the difference before anyone treats the entry as complete. Restore the line and check the totals again. Then review a reversed entry separately and make sure the original evidence is still available. At the end of a period, compare the entry register with the period’s open or closed state and document any exception for the Controller.

• GL Entry Review — Entry source, period, entity and balance check together.
• Journal Entries Unposted — Draft entries waiting for accountant or Controller follow-up.

Follow journal and period review or see the data model.