Manual journal entry

Upload, review, and approve manual journal entries in Recurly RevRec.

Overview

Use manual journal entries to upload accounting adjustments directly into Recurly Revenue Recognition (RevRec). This process gives you full control over the journal data, posting period, and approval workflow, which is useful when an entry must be recorded outside the system’s automated revenue recognition logic.

Prerequisites

Before you upload a manual journal entry file, make sure:

  • Your file is complete and properly formatted.
  • All mandatory columns are included.
  • Posting details such as Books and Period are known in advance.
  • The data has been reviewed for accuracy, including accounts, amounts, currency, and segment values.

Limitations

  • Manual journal entries operate independently from automated RevRec rules.
  • RevRec does not derive or populate values from data rules, revenue schedules, or existing system logic.
  • You must manually provide all required financial dimensions and segments in the upload file.
  • If Start Date and End Date are blank, the full amount is recognized in the uploaded period.
  • If Auto Reversal is set to Yes, the current-period entry is reversed in the next period.

Definition

A manual journal entry is a journal entry that you upload into RevRec using a prepared file. After upload, the entry moves through a review and approval workflow before it is posted to the selected books and period.

Key benefits

  • Record accounting adjustments with precise control.
  • Post entries to specific books and accounting periods.
  • Support approval before posting.
  • Reflect manual adjustments in RevRec reporting, including waterfall and balance reports.

Prepare the upload file

Your manual journal entry file must include the mandatory columns listed below. You can also include additional columns if needed for your process.

ColumnRequirementNotes
Subscription NumberRequiredEnter the subscription identifier.
Subscription LineRequiredEnter the subscription line.
Account TypeRequiredUse one supported value such as Asset, Liability, Revenue, COGS, or Deferred COGS.
AssetConditionalUse when the entry affects an asset account.
LiabilityConditionalUse when the entry affects a liability account.
RevenueConditionalUse when the entry affects a revenue account.
COGSConditionalUse when the entry affects a cost of goods sold account.
Deferred COGSConditionalUse when the entry affects deferred cost.
Start DateOptionalCan be blank.
End DateOptionalCan be blank.
Dr AmountRequiredEnter the debit amount.
Cr AmountRequiredEnter the credit amount.
AccountRequiredEnter the account number, including segments.
Auto ReversalRequiredEnter Yes or No, depending on the scenario.
CurrencyRequiredEnter the transaction currency.
Company CurrencyRequiredEnter the company currency.
Ex-RateRequiredEnter the transaction exchange rate.
Company Ex-rateRequiredEnter the company exchange rate.

Upload a manual journal entry

  1. Go to Import / Export > Journals.
  2. Select the + icon to create a new manual journal entry.
  3. Upload your prepared manual journal entry file.
  4. Select the posting details:
    • Books: Choose the accounting books where the journal entry should be loaded.
    • Period: Choose the accounting period for the entry, such as Sep-25.
  5. Select Save.

After you save the file, the entry does not post immediately. RevRec changes the status to Approval Pending and displays an arrow icon next to the entry.

Review and approve the journal entry

  1. Select the arrow icon next to the uploaded file.
  2. Open the entry in the Revenue Workbench.
  3. Review the uploaded journal entry carefully, including:
    • Debited and credited accounts
    • Amounts
    • Descriptions
    • Any additional relevant values
  4. Enter review comments.
  5. Choose one of the following actions:
    • Approve to post the journal entry permanently.
    • Reject to cancel the transaction and prevent it from affecting the books.

Once approved, the process is complete and the transaction is reflected in reports for the selected period.

How dates affect recognition

The values in Start Date and End Date determine how RevRec reflects the entry:

ScenarioResult
Start Date and End Date are blankRevRec recognizes the full amount in the uploaded period.
Start Date and End Date are populatedRevRec reflects the entry in the waterfall based on the provided dates.

How auto reversal works

If Auto Reversal is set to Yes, RevRec reverses the current-period entry in the next accounting period.

Reporting examples

The following examples describe common manual journal entry scenarios and where their impact appears in RevRec reports.

Recognize revenue from liability

Use this entry when revenue is recognized from a liability balance such as deferred revenue.

Journal impactResult
Debit Liability (Deferred Revenue)Decreases deferred revenue, reflecting that the obligation has been fulfilled.
Credit RevenueIncreases recognized revenue for the period.

Report impact

  • Revenue appears in the Revenue Waterfall Report.
  • The reduced liability balance appears in the Liability Balances Report.

Recognize cost (COGS)

Use this entry to recognize cost associated with revenue.

Journal impactResult
Debit COGSRecognizes cost as expense.
Credit Deferred COGSDecreases the deferred cost balance.

Report impact

  • Recognized cost appears in the Cost Waterfall Report.
  • The updated deferred cost balance appears in the Cost Balances Report.

Recognize revenue with an asset

Use this entry when revenue is recognized against an asset account, such as accounts receivable.

Journal impactResult
Debit AssetIncreases assets, reflecting an amount owed to the company.
Credit RevenueRecognizes revenue for the period.

Report impact

  • Revenue appears in the Revenue Waterfall Report.
  • The asset balance appears in the Asset Balances Report.

Important considerations

Manual journal entries give you precise control, but they also place full responsibility for the entry on the uploader. Keep these points in mind:

ConsiderationDetails
Fully manual processRevRec posts the data exactly as provided in the file.
No automated derivationThe system does not apply revenue rules, data rules, or other configuration logic.
Segment responsibilityYou must manually enter all applicable segments and reporting dimensions, such as department, product line, region, or cost center.
Accuracy mattersAlways verify accounts, amounts, dates, currencies, and comments before upload and approval.

FAQs

Q: Does RevRec derive values for a manual journal entry from system rules?
A: No. Manual journal entries are independent from RevRec’s automated rules and configurations. You must provide all required values in the upload file.

Q: What happens if I leave the start and end dates blank?
A: RevRec recognizes the full amount in the period selected during upload.

Q: What happens if I populate the start and end dates?
A: RevRec reflects the entry in the waterfall based on the dates you provide.

Q: Can I reverse a manual journal entry automatically?
A: Yes. Set Auto Reversal to Yes in the upload file to reverse the current-period entry in the next period.

Q: Does the journal entry post immediately after upload?
A: No. After upload, the file status changes to Approval Pending. The entry must be reviewed and approved in the Revenue Workbench before it is posted.