--- title: "Journal Entries | Marlin Bookkeeping" slug: "journal-entries" description: "Learn about Journal Entries in Marlin Tyre and Mechanical Workshop Software by Megabus." updated: 2026-01-27T03:10:10Z published: 2026-01-27T03:10:10Z canonical: "help.megabus.com.au/journal-entries" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.megabus.com.au/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Journal Entries **Marlin Tyre and Mechanical Workshop Software** uses Journal Entries to keep track of transactions and transactions in the General Ledger. Examples where journal entries might be used include: - Adding take-on balances for customers, suppliers and stock when taking over an existing business or when switching over to Marlin from another accounting software. - Recording salary and wage and payments. > Writing off bad debts. To access the Journal Entries module, select **Daily Activity > Journal Entry** from the menu bar. The module will open on the Search page, showing a list of current journal entries for the branch the user is logged in to. The filters to the top-right can be used to switch between branches and to show different types of journal entries. The different types of journal entry that can be shown are: - **All** journal entries. - **Current** journal entries, which have not been committed to the General Ledger or cancelled, and can be edited. - **Closed** journal entries, which have been committed to the General Ledger account and cannot be edited or cancelled. - **Cancelled** journal entries, which have been permanently abandoned without being submitted to the General Ledger and cannot be edited. Tip It is best to ask an accountant for help setting up and recording journal entries. ## Adding Journal Entries #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry To add a new journal entry, click on the **Add** action button to the top-right of the Journal Entry Search list. Tip The **Clone** function can be used to quickly add new journal entries for regular payments, such as wages or salaries. The Journal Entry window will open on the **Details** tab, containing a form for creating a new journal entry. Use the **Branch** field picker to select from a list of branches from which to record the new journal entry. By default, the **Accounting Date** is set to the day the journal entry was added, but can be edited using the calendar picker if necessary. If desired, additional notes about the journal entry can be entered in the **Notes** field. Comments for individual transactions can also be entered in the **Notes** column of the details list at the bottom. If the notes column is left blank, it will be filled with the general notes entered in the **Notes** textbox at the top of the Details tab. Journal entries cannot be committed without either something entered in the general Notes textbox, or notes entered for each of the transfer details. Tip [Adding a **Notes** column](/v1/docs/configuring-columns) to the Journal Entry Search list can be useful for identifying similar or repeat entries. The **Details** list at the bottom of the journal entry Details tab can then be used to add payment details to the new journal entry. ### GL Account Postings #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] To add a general ledger account posting to a journal entry, click on the **+Account** action button to the top-right of its Details list, or click in the topmost empty **Account** column. Use the **Account** cell picker that appears to select from a list of accounts to add to the journal entry. To add the account information to the posting and return to the Details tab, click on the **Ok** button at the bottom right of the pop-up window. In the Details list, enter the relevant amount in either the either the **Credit** or **Debit** column. Specific information information about the transaction can be entered in the **Notes** column, if necessary. ### Customer Account Postings #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] > Redo Style? To add a customer account posting to a journal entry, click on the **+Customer** button to the top-right of the Details list. The **Edit Detail** pop-up will open. In the pop-up: - Select the **Customer** - Select the **Payment Terms** - Adjust the **Due Date**, if necessary - Enter a **Customer Reference** - Click **Ok** (bottom right) The new customer line will be added to the details list. Enter **Debit**, **Credit** and **Notes** information as required. Specific information information about the transaction can be entered in the **Notes** column, if necessary. ### Bank Account Postings #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] To add a bank posting to a journal entry, click on the **+Bank** action button to the top-right of its Details list. A pop-up window will open, containing a form for adding bank account details to journal entries. Use the **Bank Account** picker to select the bank account the posting will be made to/from. If the transaction involves a cheque, enter the number of the cheque in the **Cheque Number** textbox, otherwise leave it blank. The **Account** field at the bottom of the window will automatically display the GL account number of the selected bank account. To add the bank account information to the posting and return to the Details tab, click on the **Ok** button at the bottom right of the pop-up window. In the Details list, enter the relevant amount in either the either the **Credit** or **Debit** column. Specific information information about the transaction can be entered in the **Notes** column, if necessary. ### Cash Postings #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] To add a cash posting to a journal entry, click on the **+Cash** action button to the top-right of its Details list. Use the picker that appears in the **Description List** to select a Cash Register for the posting. In the Details list, enter the relevant amount in either the either the **Credit** or **Debit** column. Specific information about the transaction can be entered in the **Notes** column, if necessary. ### Tax Postings #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] To add details about tax paid or collected to a journal entry, click on the **+Tax** action button to the top-right of the Details list. The **Edit Detail** window will open, containing a form for selecting the tax code. Use the **Tax Code** picker to select a tax code for the posting. Use the **Tax Activity Type** toggles to select a posting types: - **Tax Collected** is tax received on a sales transaction or otherwise invoicing a customer. - **Tax Paid** is tax paid on purchasing orders or invoices. - **Collected** Adjustment is tax collected through adjustments, such as credit notes or discounts. - **Paid Adjustment** is tax incurred through adjustments, such as credit notes or discounts. - **Exclude from Business Activity Statement** will not record the tax transaction on the BAS and should only be used when paying tax to a government agency (e.g., the Australian Taxation Office or the US Internal Revenue Service). To add the tax information to the posting and return to the Details tab, click on the **Ok** button at the bottom right of the pop-up window. In the Details list, enter the relevant amount in either the either the **Credit** or **Debit** column. Individual comments about the transaction can be entered in the **Notes** column, if necessary. ### Supplier Postings #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] To add a supplier transaction to a journal entry, click on the **+Supplier** action button to the top-right of the Details list. The **Edit Detail** pop-up window will open. Use the **Supplier** picker at the top to select a supplier. The **Payment Terms** information below will automatically be filled in, based on the selected supplier's account settings. If the supplier transaction is a credit, use the toggles to select the payment terms or use the **Due Date** calendar picker to select a specific due date for the journal entry. The journal entry will be posted to the **Accounts Payable** account, as shown in the Account textbox below. The **Activity** section at the bottom of the Edit Detail window shows further information about the selected supplier's account. To add the supplier information to the posting and return to the Details tab, click on the **Ok** button at the bottom right of the pop-up window. In the Details list, enter the relevant amount in either the either the **Credit** or **Debit** column. Individual comments about the transaction can be entered in the **Notes** column, if necessary. Tip When recording expenses through a journal (instead of Supplier Orders) any relevant [tax amount](/workshop/docs/journal-entries#adding-tax-postings-to-journal-entries) must be add as a separate line. ### Interbranch Postings #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] By default, the branch on each detail line of a journal entry will be set to the one selected using the **Branch** picker in the General section at the top of the Details tab. However, individual details can be assigned to different branches by using the **Branch** cell picker in the details list to select a different branch to assign the posting to. Transactions between branches can therefore be recorded by selecting the first branch using the General **Branch** picker, and then selecting the second Branch using the **Branch** column of the Details list. Example To distribute the expenses of a utilities bill paid by a head office between subsidiary branches, select the head office using the General **Branch** picker and add a detail line to the journal entry crediting the total expense amount to the head office. Then add other detail lines for each subsidiary's share of the expenses and use the **Branch** cell picker to attribute them to the relevant subsidiaries. Note In order to preserve the integrity of the **Trial Balance Report for Individual Branches**, an opposite debit or credit detail is automatically generated for every interbranch posting, once a journal entry is committed. The account posted to when this occurs is usually called the **Interbranch Control** account. Its overall balance is always zero, but may be non-zero when viewed on a per branch basis. These balancing transactions are listed in the transactions tab and on printouts for the journal entry but do not represent actual postings or transactions. ### The Subledger Cell and Pop-Up Window #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] The subledger that a detail will be posted to is displayed in the **Subledger** cell at the end of the relevant detail line. Clicking on the Subledger cell will open the **Subledger** pop-up window, containing notes on the selected subledger, as well as a drop-down menu of other active subledgers. This information cannot be edited and is for informational purposes only. ## Committing Journal Entries #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] For a journal entry to be committed to the general ledger, its credits and debits must balance. The **Total Debits**, **Total Credits** and **Balance** of a journal entry are displayed in the bottom right of its Details tab. Once all the details for a journal entry have been entered and balanced, click the **Commit** action button to the top-right of the journal entry window. The **Commit** pop-up window will open. Use the **Document Delivery Methods** list at the top to generate a record of the journal entry, if desired. To commit the journal entry to the general ledger, click the **Commit** button at the bottom right of the pop-up window. WARNING! Once committed, journal entries cannot be edited or cancelled. Incorrectly committed Journal Entries can be balanced by being [reversed](/v1/docs/journal-entries#reversing-journal-entries). Audit Numbers and Journal Numbers for committed journal entries are displayed in the journal entry’s **Transactions** tab. Tip To require another user to approve the journal entry before it is committed, see the help guide on [Journal Entry Approvals](/v1/docs/journal-entry-approvals). ## Cancelling Journal Entries #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry > [Journal Entry] To cancel a draft journal entry, first **Open** it from the Journal Entries Search list. To the top-right of the Journal Entry window, click the **Cancel** action button. The **Cancel Journal** pop-up window will open asking to confirm the cancelation. To cancel the journal entry and return to the Search list, click the **Cancel Journal** button at the bottom of the pop-up window. ## Reversing Journal Entries #### Daily Activity > Journal Entry Incorrect journal entries can be quickly rectified using the Reverse function, which creates a clone of a journal entry with its credit and debit amounts switched. To reverse a committed journal entry, first **Open** it from the Journal Entry Search list. At the top-right of the module window, click on the **Reverse** action button. A reversed draft of the journal entry will open in **Edit** mode. If necessary, changes can be made or additional postings can be added at this stage. Saving or committing the reversed journal entry will then record it as a new journal entry in the Journal Entries list, balancing out the original incorrect posting(s). Note Reversed journal entries can be discarded by clicking the **Close** action button to the top-right of the Details tab before they are saved or committed.