General Journal Entries

The Online System contains a General or Plain Language Journal Entries Report on the Accounting / Interface Menu. The General Journal Entries is the simplest and easiest way to interface with external accounting programs such as QuickBooks®. 

To run the report, select a starting date, ending date, and a location (for multi-location operators), and then click the Go button. The Journal Entry Report is a summary and has 16 possible items:

1. Un-deposited Funds (Cash & Check) - Total Cash and Check payments you received for the given date range. This account usually has a debit balance.
2. Un-deposited Funds (Other / Credit Card Payments) - Total other payments you received for the given date range. Other payments are usually credit card payments. This is a separate line on the report because sometimes further accounting is required, such as expensing credit card fees. This account usually has a debit balance.
3. Internal Payment Types (T, W, or Y) - Internal payment types from the Payment and Card Type parameters. Types T, W, and Y do not appear in Online System's cash drawer. For example, many Subscribers use these payment types to "write off" a transaction. If this is the case at your operation, you could debit a "bad debt expense" or similar account in your external accounting software. This account usually has a debit balance.
4. Customer Accounts (Prepay, Charge, etc.) - Sum of customer accounts. Customer accounts can include Prepay, Charge, Special, and Urgent. This line could have a debit or credit balance depending on the types of accounts and how they change position. For example, a prepay balance is a liability and increased with a credit. When a customer uses some of their prepaid funds, the liability is reduced with a debit. Here is how a prepayment account journal entry breaks down:

Cash (Asset) = Debit

Prepaid Account (Liability or Negative A/R) = Credit

Explanation: Customer Funds Account

 

Prepaid Account (Liability or Negative A/R Reduced) = Debit

Revenue = Credit

Explanation: Customer uses Funds

The reverse is true for charge accounts. Note, in most external accounting programs, Customer Accounts  is setup as an Accounts Receivable (A/R) Account. External accounting programs seem to handle negative Accounts Receivable better than they handle a positive Accounts Payable.

5. Gift Certificates - Sum of gift certificate sales and redemptions for the given date range. This line could have a debit or credit balance. When a gift certificate is sold, it is a liability, and when it is redeemed, it is revenue. Here is how it breaks down:

   Cash (Asset) = Debit

   Gift Certificate (Liability) = Credit

   Explanation: Gift Certificate Sold

    

   Gift Certificate (Liability Removed) = Debit

   Revenue = Credit

   Explanation: Gift Certificate Redeemed

6. State Sales Tax Payable - Sum of sales taxes charged and collected. Usually a credit balance.
7. City Sales Tax Payable - Sum of city sales taxes charged and collected (if local taxes enabled in your system). Usually a credit balance.
8. Municipal Sales Tax Payable - Sum of municipal sales taxes charged and collected (if local taxes enabled in your system). Usually a credit balance.
9. Aircraft and Simulator Revenue - Sum of revenues associated with aircraft and simulator operations. Usually a credit balance.
10. Flight Crew Revenue - Sum of revenues associated with staff. Usually charter pilots and flight instructors. Usually a credit balance.
11. Fuel & Oil Revenue - Sum of revenues associated with fuel and oil. Usually a credit balance.
12. Maintenance Revenue - Sum of revenues associated maintenance, such as maintenance labor and parts. Usually a credit balance.
13. Merchandise Revenue - Sum of revenues for merchandise sold. Usually a credit balance.
14. Other Revenue -  Sum of revenues for any items sold, not associated with a revenue account above, such as "general revenue". Usually a credit balance.
15. Sales Discounts - Sales discounts or credits from the receipts. These can include special offers, rebates, and general credits. Usually a debit balance. Sales discounts is a contra-revenue account.
16. Cash Expenditures - Appears if you allow cash expenditures from your cash drawer and if you have a cash expenditure. Many times this is handled as "petty cash". Usually a debit balance.

The Journal Entry Report also has a total at the bottom. If the sum of the debits does not match the sum of the credits, a red "Out of Balance" message will appear. If the report is out of balance, it is likely someone managed to do something weird while creating a receipt.

General Journal Entries Report

09/01/09 P