The Journals module in GATHER.nexus provides comprehensive tools for manual journal creation and management.

Accessing the Journals Module

From your GATHER.nexus dashboard, navigate to Group Financial Reporting and click on the Journals tab. This section displays all manual journals created for your group consolidation process.

(The Journals tab is highlighted in green, showing this is the active section for managing all manual journal entries.)

Journal Overview Screen

The journals dashboard provides a comprehensive view of all your manual entries with the following columns:

When you first access the journals section, you may see "No journal entries available at this time" if no manual journals have been created yet.

Creating a New Journal Entry

Click the Add Journal button in the top-right corner of the journals screen. This opens a dropdown menu with two options:

(The Add Journal button opens a dropdown showing both single and recurring journal options.)

When creating a new journal, you'll need to configure the following header details:

Narration Enter a clear, descriptive name for your journal entry (e.g., "Demo Narration"). This description will appear in your journals list and help identify the purpose of the entry.

Date Select the effective date for your journal entry (e.g., "07-09-2025"). This date determines which reporting period the journal will affect.

Group Choose the appropriate group from the dropdown (e.g., "Demo Group"). This links the journal to the correct set of companies for consolidation purposes.

Ref No # Enter a reference number for audit trail purposes (e.g., "9"). This helps with tracking and referencing the journal entry.

GRT (Group Reporting Template) Select the relevant reporting template from the dropdown (e.g., "demo template"). This ensures the journal follows the correct reporting structure.

Tag Choose an appropriate tag to categorise your journal entry. Available options include:

(The tag dropdown shows all available categories to help classify your journal entries for reporting purposes.)

Include Group Class Check the Include Group Class checkbox if you want to apply group-level classifications to your journal entry. This enables additional tracking and reporting capabilities.

Group Class Selection When enabled, select the appropriate group class from the dropdown (e.g., "Demo Class - Class Value 1"). This helps categorise the journal for management reporting and analysis.

Account Selection For each journal line, select the appropriate GRT Account from the dropdown. The system will show available accounts from your chart of accounts (e.g., "4100 - Sales Revenue", "9100 - Interest Expense").

Description Enter a meaningful description for each journal line (e.g., "Sales Revenue", "Interest Expense"). This provides detail about what each line represents.

Debit and Credit Amounts Enter the appropriate amounts in the Debit and Credit columns. The system will automatically calculate totals and show any differences to ensure balanced entries.

Add Additional Lines Click Add Another Line to create additional journal entries as needed. This allows for complex journal entries with multiple account impacts.

Tag Reporting Cadence for Journal When you check the Tag Reporting Cadence for Journal checkbox, additional options become available for recurring journal management.

Tag Reporting Cadence for Journal This tag identifies what reporting period the journal relates to:

The system automatically calculates:

Ensure your journal balances before proceeding. An unbalanced journal cannot be saved or posted.

Notes Section

Use the Notes field to add detailed explanations about the journal entry. This documentation is crucial for:

The notes field has a 500-character limit, so be concise but comprehensive.

Choose from the available save options:

Save as Draft

Click Save as Draft to save your journal without posting it immediately. This option:

Add Click Add to save and post the journal entry immediately. This option:

Cancel Click Cancel to discard your journal entry without saving.

Once your journal is created, it appears in the journals list with the following information:

Journal Entry Display

Available Actions The Action column provides several options (represented by icons):

(The published journal shows with a green "Published" status and blue "Monthly" frequency badge, indicating it's active and recurring.)

Once journals are created, they appear in the journals list with comprehensive information:Narration,Status,Frequency Badge,Tag,Group,GRT,Created,Amount.

Click the Edit icon (pencil icon) in the Action column for the journal you want to modify.

The Edit/Add Stacked Balance Sheet Journal interface opens, allowing you to modify:

Editable Journal Elements:

Journal Line Modifications:

(The journal editing interface shows updated amounts of 150 for both debit and credit entries, maintaining proper balance.)

Click the Copy icon (duplicate icon) in the Action column for the journal you want to replicate.

The system creates a duplicate journal with "_Copy_1" appended to the narration:

Copy Benefits:

(The journal list shows both original "Demo Narration" and copied "Demo Narration_Copy_1" entries with identical structures.)

Click the History icon (clock icon) in the Action column to view the complete audit trail.

The History modal displays comprehensive journal activity:

History Tracking Information:

Audit Trail Benefits:

Click the Delete icon (trash icon) in the Action column for the journal you want to remove.

A confirmation popup appears to prevent accidental deletion:

Deletion Confirmation Process:

Before Deleting Journals Consider:

Consistent Narration: Use standardised naming conventions for easy identification and searching

Detailed Documentation: Always include comprehensive notes explaining journal purpose and supporting documentation

Appropriate Classification: Choose correct tags to facilitate reporting, analysis, and audit processes

Review Before Changes: Carefully review journal impact before making modifications

Document Changes: Update notes to explain why modifications were made

User Communication: Inform relevant team members of significant journal changes

Audit Trail Maintenance: Preserve edit history for compliance and verification purposes

Template Development: Create standard journals that can be copied for regular processes

Consistent Structure: Maintain consistent account assignments and descriptions across similar journals

Regular Review: Periodically review copied journals to ensure continued accuracy and relevance

Version Control: Use clear naming conventions for copied journals to maintain organisation

Regular Monitoring: Review journal history regularly to ensure appropriate controls

Access Controls: Ensure only authorised personnel can create, edit, and delete journals

Documentation Standards: Maintain comprehensive documentation supporting all journal entries

Compliance Verification: Regular verification that journal management meets audit and regulatory requirements

Monthly Journals: Perfect for regular adjustments reflected in monthly reporting

Quarterly Journals: Ideal for quarterly reporting corrections

Annual Journals: Best for annual reclassifications, or corrections made once per year

Q: Can I edit a journal after it's been published?

A: Yes, published journals can be edited, but changes will be tracked in the audit history. Consider the impact on already-generated reports.

Q: What happens to reports when I delete a journal?

A: Deleting journals affects consolidated reports. Ensure you understand the impact and have proper authorization before deletion.

Q: How do I handle journal errors discovered after month-end?

A: Use the edit function to correct errors and document the changes in notes. Consider creating reversing entries if required by your accounting policies.

Q: Can I copy journals across different groups?

A: Journal copying typically works within the same group. For cross-group journals, create new entries using the copied journal as a template.

Q: How long is journal history maintained?

A: Journal history is maintained indefinitely for audit compliance. Contact support if you need specific history retention policies.

With comprehensive journal management capabilities, you can:

Your journal management system now provides sophisticated consolidation control with full audit compliance and operational efficiency.

Comprehensive journal management transforms your consolidation process from manual, error-prone procedures into controlled, auditable, and efficient group reporting!