Can journal entries be imported?

If you want to import your journals into the GL instead of typing them one by one you can set up a spreadsheet with a significant amount of detail or very little depending upon your needs and use the import tool to create the journals.  To find the tool go to File Maintenance > General Ledger > GL Journal Import.  

You will be mapping your spreadsheet to the journal entry fields found is a standard journal entry. Follow the instructions in the dialog box to the right. Here is that text:  Additional general notes:  

• The spreadsheet needs to be saved to a directory without spaces in the name (probably best saved to a directory on the C: drive) and as a .csv file.  Be sure to select comma-delimited not MS DOS or MAC.
• This process creates unposted General Ledger Journal entries. You must use the standard Edit and Post routine found in the Process tab on the Journal Entry Supertab in the General Ledger module to run an edit and post the entries. Refer to Processing Journal Entries under FIMS Help for more information.

• Create AP  - Determines whether the journal entry should automatically create a Check Reconciliation entry in Accounts Payable when it is posted. The value should only be a yes for checking account lines.  Thus it should either be a no value or mapped to a column in the spreadsheet. Note that various FIMS versions have issues with this field and it might be necessary to set it to no and edit the journals after creation, but before edit and post.

  The default value is No. Change it to Yes if you want to create a reconciliation entry.

Running the Import:

1. In the Import File field, enter the path and file name of the spreadsheet that contains the data you want to import.
2. If you want to limit the number of rows that you import, enter the desired range of row numbers in the Import Row From / Through fields. The default values for these fields are 1 though 99999 , which imports all rows.
3. In the remaining fields, click the arrow in the drop down box and do one of the following:
   • If you did not include the information in the spreadsheet itself, and you want to apply the same information to all entries in the spreadsheet, choose Select . An entry field opens to the right of the drop-down box, where you can enter the information that you want to apply to the entries (for example, if all of the entries will have the same Debit Account, choose Select , and then enter the appropriate Debit Account key).
   •  If you included the information associated with the field in your spreadsheet, choose the column letter associated with the information (for example, if you included the Debit Account number on your spreadsheet, select the letter of the spreadsheet column that contains the Debit Account information).
4. Use a Journal Key Code of IE (Imported Entry) for your imported entries to differentiate them from other types of entries. If you do not already have this code in your Journal Key Code Table, you will have to add it - otherwise you will receive an error on the GL Edit report.  However, most foundations do use the usual manual GJ journal key.
5. If you want to save your import settings to use in a later import, click the Defaults button and save your settings. Refer to Saving Report Settings in the FIMS Reports Guide for more information about saving your settings.
6. Click the Import button, and then click Run Report in the window that opens. The G/L Journal Import report opens in the FIMS Viewer.  Note: This report works like other FIMS Edit reports, and must be error-free before FIMS will allow you to create the journal entries.
7. Review the report, and then click Create GL Journal Entries on the FIMS Viewer menu bar. A confirmation message appears to tell you how many entries were created. Click OK in the message window.  
8. Open the General Ledger > Journal Entries tab to view the new entries.   
9. Verify that the entries are correct, and then run an Edit report and post the entries. Refer to Processing Journal Entries  under FIMS Help for more information.

There is no sample file available.  Depending upon your needs, your spreadsheet could contain as little as one column of fund ids or several columns containing fundid, natural accounts, debits and credits and descriptions.  Typically, the number of columns falls in the 4-6 column range.  The utility is extremely flexible. Negative values will automatically create credits if entered as "debit" values. Values that are similar across the entire journal need not be in the data, but can be entered in the set-up.

Use the defaults to set up standard imports for payroll, accrual, allocation, and other monthly or standard entries.