Yes, in QuickBooks Desktop the Journal Entry is under Company > Make General Journal Entries.
Finding the Journal Entry screen in QuickBooks Desktop can feel hidden if you mostly live in invoices and bills. This guide shows the exact menu path, the icons to look for, and a few shortcuts that get you there fast on Windows or Mac.
Quick Path To The General Journal Window
On Windows editions, open the Company menu at the top menu bar, then pick Make General Journal Entries. That menu item opens the General Journal window where you enter Account, Debits, Credits, and a memo. In the Accountant edition, the same command also lives under the Accountant menu.
On Mac, the wording and placement match. Open the Company menu and choose Make General Journal Entries. If you see a side panel with a list of past entries, that’s normal on Mac.
Other Ways To Reach Journal Entry Fast
Use the keyboard: press Alt, then C, then M in sequence on Windows to open Company, then Make General Journal Entries. If you keep the icon bar visible, you can add a shortcut button that points to the General Journal window. You can also search the Help field for “journal” to surface the command.
When To Use A Manual Journal
Manual journals are perfect for period-end adjustments, accruals, reclasses, and entries that don’t start with a form. They also help fix a one-off mistake when an original transaction can’t be edited. Every line follows double-entry rules: total debits must equal total credits before Save & Close becomes available.
Step-By-Step: Create A New Journal On Windows
1) Company menu → Make General Journal Entries. 2) Check the Date and Entry No. fields. 3) Choose the first Account, then type the debit or credit. 4) Add the offset lines until the out-of-balance shows zero. 5) Fill in Name columns if the amounts target customers, vendors, or employees. 6) Add a clear memo. 7) Select Save & Close.
Step-By-Step: Create A New Journal On Mac
1) Company menu → Make General Journal Entries. 2) Confirm the date. 3) Add lines for accounts with debits and credits. 4) Add a memo that explains the change. 5) Save.
Find, Edit, Reverse, Or Delete A Journal
Open the same window, then pick Find to search by Name, Date, Entry No., or Amount on Windows. On Mac, select an item from the list on the left. Double-click to open, then edit fields and Save. Use Reverse to create a new entry that flips debits and credits dated the first day of the next month. Use Delete or Void with care; it removes the record and impacts reports.
Tips That Save Time And Fix Errors
Turn on the Adjusting Entry checkbox when an accountant is posting end-of-period changes. Run the Journal report from Reports → Accountant & Taxes → Journal to review totals across a date range. Keep one entry per idea; large dumps get hard to track and audit. If you need many lines, keep the memo consistent so you can filter later.
Where To Find The Journal Entry In QuickBooks Desktop
Looking For The General Journal In QuickBooks Desktop? Here’s The Menu Path And Shortcuts That Open It Cleanly Without Guesswork.
Troubleshooting: Can’t See The Menu Item?
If the Company menu is missing, you may be in a mode that hides the classic menu bar. Press the Alt key once to reveal the bar, or use View → Switch to Multi-window view. Another culprit is user permissions; non-admin roles can be restricted from making journals. Ask an admin to edit your role to include create, edit, and delete rights for general journal entries.
Troubleshooting: Out-Of-Balance Or Blocked Save
The Save buttons stay disabled until debits equal credits. Scan for a stray penny from rounding, or a debit on both sides. If the Name column shows a warning, pick a customer, vendor, or employee, or clear the field if it isn’t needed. Also check that inactive accounts weren’t selected by mistake.
Reports To Verify Your Work
The Journal report gives a line-by-line view by date. Transaction Journal on any source form shows the accounting behind that form, which helps you trace a fix back to its origin. The Audit Trail shows who changed what and when. Together, these reports confirm that your manual entry hit the right accounts.
Windows: Fields On The General Journal Screen
The top band shows Date, Entry No., and Adjusting Entry. Set the date to the period you want, not today’s date by habit. The number field helps sort drafts; many firms use a pattern like JE-2025-015. Check Adjusting Entry when posting period-end work so reports can filter those lines.
The grid has columns for Account, Debits, Credits, Name, and Memo. Pick accounts by typing the first few letters or pressing Tab to open the list. Only one side can carry a number on each line. If the out-of-balance box shows anything other than zero, add or fix lines until it clears.
You can flag a class, a customer job, or an item if your chart allows it. Those optional fields roll to job costing and class reports. Use them only when the amount belongs to that dimension; otherwise leave the field blank.
Do’s And Don’ts For Clean Journals
Do write a memo that would make sense to a new staffer next year. Do tie the entry to a source document name in the memo, such as bank slip, amortization sheet, or payroll journal. Don’t post to Accounts Receivable or Accounts Payable without a Name, or aging will be wrong. Don’t post directly to sales tax control accounts unless an accountant directs it.
Common Scenarios And Sample Lines
Accruals: debit expense and credit accrued liabilities, then reverse on the first day of the next month. Prepaids: debit prepaid asset and credit cash or payables; later amortize from prepaid to expense. Reclasses: move an amount from one income or expense account to another using equal and opposite lines. Currency gains or losses: use the exchange gain or loss account when your books track foreign balances.
Shortcuts And Setup That Speed Daily Work
Add the General Journal command to the icon bar: from View → Customize Icon Bar → Add → Choose Make General Journal Entries → OK. Place it near Chart of Accounts and Reconcile so month-end steps stay together. Power users keep the keyboard habit: press Alt, then C, then M on Windows; on Mac, use the menu search field and type journal.
Permissions: Why You Might Not See The Command
Company owners can restrict access by role. If your role can’t create journals, you’ll still open the window but Save will fail or menus will be dimmed. Ask an admin to open Company → Set Up Users and Roles and grant create, modify, and delete for general journal tasks. Document the change for auditors.
Reversals: What Happens Behind The Scenes
When you press Reverse on an entry, the software creates a new record dated the first day of the next month. Every debit becomes a credit on the same account and line, and the memo gains the word Reversing. This keeps the original month accurate while clearing the accrual automatically in the following month.
Reporting: Filters That Help You Review
Open Reports → Accountant & Taxes → Journal. Use the Customize button to set the date range, add columns like Name and Memo, and filter for Adjusting Entry equals Yes for accountant-posted changes. The Audit Trail shows edits and deletions; it’s the fastest way to spot a mistake after a late save.
Data Entry Safety Checks Before You Save
Scan the accounts for typos caused by similar names. Many lists have both Expense and Other Expense versions; pick the correct type. Confirm that account numbers match the workpaper. Read the memo out loud; it should tell a story in one line. Check that classes or jobs are applied only where they make sense.
Why General Journal Isn’t A Fix For Every Problem
Some changes belong on a source form instead of a manual journal. Fix a bill by editing the bill, not by reclassing the expense with a journal, or you risk doubled amounts. Use a journal for items that never had a form or when a form can’t be edited due to a closed period.
Link: Official Help For Steps And Screens
If you want screenshots and menu labels straight from Intuit, read the Make General Journal Entries help. For the accountant flag and reversing behavior, see Intuit’s note on the adjusting entry checkbox and reversal steps inside its community article adjusting entry flag steps.
Checklist Before Posting
Balance equals zero. Accounts are correct types. Memo is clear. Names set on receivable or payable lines. Classes or jobs applied only where they belong. Date matches the month you intend. Adjusting Entry box ticked if this is period work.
Table: Menu Paths And Shortcuts
Here’s a compact reference you can print or pin. It lists the standard menu path and a quick method for the two desktop platforms.
| Platform | Menu Path | Quick Method |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Company → Make General Journal Entries | Alt, C, then M; icon bar shortcut |
| Mac | Company → Make General Journal Entries | Menu search for “journal”; Command+S to save |
You now know the menu path, the keyboard habit, and the guardrails that keep balances correct. Pin the shortcut to the icon bar and keep the table handy for month end. That’s all you need to work fast each month.