Docs
The general ledger and the expense payments screen
One screen that both shows your account movements and records an expense without writing a journal entry.
What is the general ledger screen?
The Expenses Payment screen under Finance does two things: it shows your account movements, and it gives you a quick form for recording an expense without writing a journal entry by hand.
Where to find it
Finance → Expenses Payment, or /dashboard/general-ledger.
Permission: general_ledger:view or reports:general_ledger. Creating needs general_ledger:add.
The ledger is not a stored table
A small technical point that is useful to know: the general ledger is not stored as its own table.
The system builds it on the fly from journal entry lines joined to accounts. It is a view of your data, not a second copy of it.
The practical consequence: any entry posted — automatic or manual — appears in the general ledger immediately, with no extra step.
The expense payment form
The most useful shortcut on the screen, for the case that recurs daily: you spent money on an expense.
| Field | Required? | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Expense account | ✅ | Rent, electricity, salaries, transport… |
| Payment account | ✅ | Cash or bank — where the money left from |
| Amount | ✅ | The amount paid |
| Expense date | ✅ | When the money actually went out |
| Reference no | No | The receipt or invoice number |
| Notes | No | Any further detail |
The entry it posts
| Account | Debit | Credit |
|---|---|---|
| The expense account | Amount | |
| The payment account | Amount |
A balanced entry, written automatically. There is no draft — it posts on save.
When to use it and when not
| Situation | The right screen |
|---|---|
| Paying rent, electricity or salaries | Expenses Payment ✅ |
| Settling a supplier invoice | Payment Entries |
| Depreciation or a year-end adjustment | Journal Entries |
| Recording an expense with operational detail | Outcomes |
Cannot find the expense account?
It does not exist in your chart of accounts yet. Open Finance → Accounts and create it:
- Category: Expense
- Type: Operating Expense
- Normal balance: Debit
Create an account for each kind of expense you want to track — rent, utilities, salaries, transport, marketing. That is what makes the expenses report actually useful.
Following up
| Report | What it shows |
|---|---|
| General Ledger report | Every movement, with filters on account, party and voucher type |
| Expenses report | A summary with total debit, total credit and net expense |
| Profit and Loss | Expenses in the full picture |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between this and journal entries?
This screen is a shortcut for the most common case: you spent money on an expense. You pick two accounts and an amount and the system writes the balanced entry itself. Journal entries are for more complex cases needing more than two lines.
How does it differ from the Incomes and Outcomes screens?
Expense payments post a real accounting entry into the general ledger. The Outcomes screen records expense movements with more operational detail such as expense type, supplier and cheque number.
Does the entry post immediately?
Yes. There is no draft. The moment you save, the entry posts: debit the expense account, credit the payment account.
I cannot find the expense account I want
It does not exist in your chart of accounts. Open Finance -> Accounts and create it with category Expense and type Operating Expense.
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