Lesson 7 of 8 · 2 min

Journals, for your accountant

For what no document covers: the owner's money in, a correction, depreciation, clearing tax. Never to customers, suppliers or stock.

  1. Almost every entry makes itself from a document. A journal is for the rest, usually written by your accountant: the owner putting money into the business, moving an amount to the right account, depreciation, clearing the tax accounts.
  2. Accounts → Journals

    Accounts, then Journals, then New journal: the date, what it's for, and lines of accounts, each a debit or a credit (Add a line for more). Post the journal only goes through once the debits and credits agree.
  3. A journal never touches Accounts receivable, Accounts payable or Stock: they aren't even offered. Invoices, bills, payments and stock adjustments keep those, so the customer, supplier and stock lists always agree with the balance sheet. To change what a customer owes, change the invoice or the payment.
  4. A journal is voided (Void, on the journal), never deleted, and only whoever keeps the books (the owner, an admin or the accountant) can post one; everyone else can only read them. Neither Leo nor any AI assistant can.

Try it

Opens Ledger. You'll be asked to sign in first; new businesses get a free week, no card needed.

Make a new journal

Quick check

One quick question. Pick an answer and Leo will tell you how you did.

1. A customer was charged Rs 2,000 too much. Can your accountant fix it with a journal to Accounts receivable?

Try it in Ledger, free for a week

Every lesson's Try it opens the real page, with Leo pointing the way.

Free for the first week · no card to start · Rs 1,500 a month afterFree for the first week · no card to start · £5 a month afterFree for the first week · no card to start · $6 a month after