How to Process a Journal Entry


Overview

This article will demonstrate how to:

Critical Concepts

Steps to Take

Prepare a Journal in Oracle by Line

  1. Click on General Accounting, select Journals
  2. Click on Task Icon, then under heading Journals Create Journal and compete the following in each of the sections
    1. Section: Journal Batch
      1. Journal Batch: *See below for Journal Batch naming guidelines
      2. Description: Enter a description of Journal, enter any references to Services and Support Case numbers here
      3. Balance Type: Actual
      4. Accounting Period: Defaults to current period, it must be an open period
      5. Attach supporting documentation to your Journal (this will be reviewed and required during journal approval, otherwise the journal will be rejected)

        i.  Have your supporting documentation saved on your computer
        ii. Next to Attachments, click on the plus sign (+) 

        iii. Click on Browse and select your file to upload by clicking open
        iv. Update Title and Description fields
        v.  For additional files, click the plus sign (+) again next to View

        vi. If there are no more files to add, click on OK

    2. Section: Journal
      1. Journal: Use the same naming convention as used in Journal Batch above and naming guidelines below*
      2. Description: Enter a description of Journal, it can be the same as above.  Service and Support Case numbers should be referenced in the description
      3. Ledger: UCSD (unless you work in Foundation)
      4. Accounting Date: Date of entry or date of Journal posting within the open period
      5. Category: Manual
    3. Section: Journal Lines
      1. For line 1, under Account, enter the 12 segment Chart String, which can be typed in the field
        1. If you do not know a segment of the chart string, click on the Search icon
        2. Each segment must have a value (a zero value is acceptable in some segments) and title/name
        3. Use the drop down arrow to search for the segment
        4. If you know the segment value and you type it in the field, you must see the segment name display, if it is not there, you will have to click on the drop down and select the Value, then press Enter
        5. For further assistance in finding segments, refer to knowledge base article (KBA) titled How to Determine my Chart String
        6. If you can not get out of the screen, there may be a Cross Validation Issue, refer to KBA titled Cross Validation Rules
      2. Enter the Debit amount
      3. Enter a Description for the Journal
      4. Repeat for the next line
        1. There will be a minimum of 2 lines, a Debit and Credit line
        2. Total Debit amounts must equal total Credit amounts
      5. Click Save, this does NOT submit for approval
      6. Click Post, this submits the Journal for approval
      7. If you want to check to see if it was sent for approval, next to Journal Batch heading, click on Show More
      8. Click on Action Log tab, Action column, should state, Sent for approval 

Create Journal via Spreadsheet

First Time Upload

Skip this section, if you have already prepared Excel for Oracle Integration

  1. On any OFC page, click on the Navigator button on top left

https://support.ucsd.edu/sys_attachment.do?sys_id=691e68a71bb53014506f64e8624bcb6e

  1. In Tools, select Download Desktop Integration and click on Save File
  2. Go to your Downloads folder and run the file by double clicking on adfdi-excel-addin-installer.exe, click on Install
  3. Open a new Excel spreadsheet and click on Install
  4. Check download by going to select File > Options > Add-ins and then ADF Desktop Integration > Oracle ADF 11g Desktop Integration Add-in for Excel.  If the add-on is not there, restart your computer

Spreadsheet Upload

If this is the first time uploading a spreadsheet to Oracle, complete the steps in the First Time Upload section above

  1. On the OFC Home page, click on General Accounting, select Journals
  2. On the right, select Tasks panel
  3. Under Journals, select Create Journal in Spreadsheet and open the Excel spreadsheet
  4. In Excel, click on Enable Editing at the top of the spreadsheet and click OK to connect to the Oracle connection
  5. Sign in with your Oracle credentials and Company Single Sign-On (The most recent version of the Add-in must be used, therefore you may need to install an update and Excel must be restarted after the installation completes)
  6. Complete the Journal Header
    1. Journal: *See below for Journal naming guidelines
    2. Description: Enter a description of the Journal
    3. Ledger: UCSD
    4. Accounting Date: The date should be in an open period
    5. Category: Enter Manual and the cells below it blank
      1. Enter Accrual if your journal should be reversing.  This will reverse your journal in the next period on the first, unless if you enter the following fields:
        • Reversal Period
        • Reversal Date
  7. Complete columns Journal rows
    1. Columns E through P: for chartstring segments
    2. Column Q Currency: USD
    3. Columns R or S: Enter the Debit or Credit amount
    4. Column Y Line Description: Enter a description of the Journal entry
  8. Confirm that there is an black triangle in column A for each row that has data entered

  1. If additional rows are needed, insert rows within the rows that are shaded and a black triangle should automatically appear
  2. Ensure that Total Entered Debit and Total Entered Credit net to zero
  3. If additional rows are needed, insert rows between the already existing data rows and only add rows that will have data entry and complete steps 7 and 8
  4. In the toolbar, go to tab Create Journal > Submit to upload Journal to Oracle

  1. In Submission Options dialog box:
    1. Select Submit Journal Import, this uploads to Oracle, but does not process the upload through for approval and allows for edits and attachments to be made to the journal (do not select the option with Posting unless
    2. Select Yes with validation under Import Descriptive Flexfields
    3. Click Submit

Attach supporting documentation to spreadsheet journal

  1. Go to General Accounting > Journals > Tasks panel on right, select Manage Journals
  2. Search by Journal Name or Journal Batch and click on Search
  3. Click on your journal
  4. Attach supporting documentation to your Journal (this will be reviewed and required during journal approval, otherwise the journal will be rejected)
    1. Have your supporting documentation saved on your computer
    2. Next to Attachments, click on the plus sign (+)

    1. Click on Browse and select your file to upload by clicking open
    2. Update Title and Description fields
    3. For additional files, click the plus sign (+) again next to View

    1. If there are no more files to add, click on OK
  2. Click Save, this does NOT submit for approval
  3. Click Post, this submits the Journal for approval

*Journal and Journal Batch Naming Guidelines

Each Journal and Journal Batch name should start with: VC Abbreviation + Sub Department Abbreviation (if applicable) + Preparer Initials + Journal number (use a 4 digit number)

For Fiscal Year End closing (period 12) reversal journal entries, prefix the entire name with YE## (## being the last two digits of the year) + VC Abbreviation + Sub Department Abbreviation (if applicable) + Preparer Initials + Journal number

  1. VC Abbreviation: Use the following abbreviations for the Entity  (Central Offices see second chart below)
EntityVC AreaVC Abbreviation
16110Academic AffairsVCAA
16120Marine ScienceVCMS
16130Health ScienceVCHS
16143Health Physician Groupn/a **
16144Population Health Svc Orgn (PHSO)n/a **
16150Chief Financial OfficerVCCFO
16160Student AffairsVCSA
16170Resource Management and PlanningVCRMP
16180Research AffairsVCRA
16191Academic SenateVCAS
16192Office of the Presidentn/a ***
16193AdvancementVCA
16194Equity Diversity InclusionVCEDI
16195ChancellorVCC
16196Campus Operationsn/a ***
16198Sanford Consortiumn/a ***
16242CEO of Medical Centern/a **
16499UCSD UCOP Current (ALPHA ledger ALPHA funds)n/a ***
16597UCSD FoundationGP
99941Medical Center UCOP Elimination Entriesn/a **

**   MC/PG/PHSO are to follow Medical Center Journal naming structure

*** Entities where there are no real departments, therefore VC Area does not apply and should not be used

Central Offices

Central Offices (CO)CO Abbreviation
Financial OperationsFINOPS
Internal Controls and AccountingICA
Campus Budget OfficeCBO
Disbursements DT
PayrollPY
  1. Sub Department Abbreviation - include if applicable and guidelines are based on Department selection
    • For example, VCMS SIO
  2. Preparer's Initial
    • Include the first initial of First and Last name of the preparer after the Sub Department abbreviation
    • If there are multiple people in the department with the same initials, use a middle name initial to differentiate personnel. 
  3. Journal Number
    • Use a 4 digit number to keep track of your journal, start with 0001, then 0002 etc

Withdraw a Journal

A journal can be withdrawn after it has been submitted for approval, but has not been posted with final approval.  If a journal is withdrawn, it will be removed from the approver's que and you can make changes or add attachments and then resubmit for posting/approval.

  1. Click on General Accounting, select Journals
  2. Click on Task Icon, then under heading Journals Manage Approvals

  1. Highlight the desired journal and click Withdraw

Review and Approve Journal

The Journal is first sent to creator's assigned Line Manager (Department Manager) per the Oracle Directory for approval.  Once approved by the Department Manager, the journal will be sent to the Central Office for approval.  The journal will post after both Departments approve the Journal Entry.

For reviewing and approving journals:

  1. Go to General Accounting > Journals > Manage Approvals, look for the notification at the top right on the Bell icon that there is an Approval Pending
  2. We recommend clicking on the Journal to review and then click on Post to approve, rather than Approving without reviewing
  3. If you click on Reject it will send an email notification to the preparer to review and resubmit
  4. Another way to review is to click on the Task icon, then Manage Journals, then look for the Journal to approve, click on Post to Approve the Journal

If you still have questions or need additional assistance, please submit a ticket