General Ledger
The general ledger answers "what happened on this account this month". Pick a period, pick an account, and the software lists every posted entry with the running balance.
Illustration of the General ledger screen
| Filter | What it does |
|---|---|
| 1. Period picker | The period to look at, written YYYYMM; the arrows step back and forward. |
| 2. Account | The account to open, e.g. 111 cash or 131 customer (patient) receivables. |
| 3. Object | Leave it on — Summary — for everything, or pick one customer or supplier to see their balance alone. |
| 4. Search | Runs the lookup with the filters you set. |
What it is good for
- Agreeing a customer's balance: account 131 with that customer in the Object box — every charge, every payment and what is left.
- Checking a cost: open the expense account and read down the entry descriptions.
- Chasing an odd figure on a report: when the trial balance shows an account that looks wrong, open its ledger and read the entries.
Split by object when you chase debts
Before a collection call, open ledger 131 for that customer: charges and payments sit in one table, so whatever they ask about you have the answer.
Related
- Journal Entries — where manual entries are written.
- Trial Balance — every account at a glance.
- Chart of Accounts — the account list.