This guide will explain how to quickly and easily add, edit, delete, and upload manual journals within Joy Pilot. Manual journals are a flexible tool to manage your accounting records—ideal for correcting mistakes, transferring funds between accounts, or entering specific, one-off transactions.
❗Manual Journals aren't always straightforward. It's totally okay to double-check or ask for help if you're unsure.
What is a Manual Journal?
A Manual Journal is an entry you manually create to adjust your accounting records. You might use manual journals to:
Correct mistakes or omissions
Move amounts between different accounts
Record non-standard or one-time transactions
Using manual journals ensures that your debit and credit balances always stay accurate and balanced.
Accessing Manual Journals
You can manage all your manual journals directly through your Joy Pilot account.
To access Manual Journals:
Go to the Accounting menu.
Select Manual Journals from the dropdown list.
You will see:
An interface to Add a New Manual Journal at the top.
A List of Existing Manual Journals below, where you can review, edit, or delete entries.
How to Add a Manual Journal
Follow these simple steps to create a manual journal:
Enter the Date
Select the date for the manual journal. This is the accounting date of the entry.Provide a Description
Add a clear description explaining the purpose of the journal.Input Line Items
For each line item:
Choose an account from the Chart of Accounts dropdown.
Enter the Debit or Credit amount.
Note: Total debits must exactly match total credits.
Add or Remove Rows
Click the Green Plus (+) button to add additional line items.
Click the Trash Can icon to remove unnecessary rows.
Save Your Journal
Once all details are entered and the debits/credits are balanced, click Create to save the journal. Note: if your total debits do not match your total credits entered, you will be unable to save the journal.
Editing or Deleting a Manual Journal
You can easily update or remove manual journals at any time:
To Edit an Existing Journal:
Scroll down to the list of manual journals.
Find the journal you want to change and click Edit.
Update the details and click Update to save changes.
To Delete a Journal:
Locate the journal you wish to remove.
Click Delete to permanently remove the entry.
⚠️ Important: Deleted journals cannot be recovered. Always double-check before deleting.
Uploading Multiple Manual Journals via CSV
If you need to create many journal entries at once (e.g., for payroll or bulk adjustments), you can use the CSV upload feature.
How to Upload Journals via CSV:
Click the arrow next to Upload via CSV.
Review the help guide showing the required CSV format.
Download the Sample CSV Template if needed.
CSV File Format
Your CSV file should include the following columns:
Date – The journal date (format: DD/MM/YYYY)
Description – A brief explanation of the journal
Code – The Chart of Accounts code
Debit – Debit amount
Credit – Credit amount
Uploading the File
Prepare your CSV file following the template.
Click Upload via CSV.
Select your file and upload it.
You will see a Success Message once the upload is complete.
❗ If the upload fails:
Check that your CSV file matches the correct format and all fields are populated correctly.
Summary
You now have the tools and knowledge to confidently create, update, delete, and bulk-upload manual journal entries using Joy Pilot. Manual journals help keep your accounts accurate, balanced, and easy to manage. If you found this guide useful, you might also want to check out related articles such as:
Uploading Transactions from Your Bank Statement for NZ users or UK & EU users