Journal Entry Workshop Q&As

How are journal entries routed for approval in Workday?

It depends on several factors - the Role of the JE Initiator, the Source, and FDM Worktags all play a part in determining the correct approver for a submitted JE.

Does Workday send a notification email if the costing doesn't get approved in time and will need a payroll adjustment?

Yes, this is part of the approval business process. Attend the Workday Wednesday session on March 4 to learn more about this feature.

Enroll Now in Journal Entries: Revisited

When a Manual JE is marked as reversing in Workday, does the system automatically post the reversal in the next period, and are there any exceptions?

Manual JEs will post in the month of the date entered. There are currently no exceptions to this workflow.

Is Spend Category a Driver Worktag that auto-populates additional worktags in the ledger?

No, not for manual journal entries. More information about Driver Worktags can be found on the Foundation Data Model (FDM) web page

What is the process to change the ledger on a paid supplier invoice?

You cannot update the ledger from a supplier invoice; this is intended operational functionality in Workday. Please submit an RSC ticket with specific details if you feel a change is needed.

In Oracle, I commonly used "Partner" source for my journal entries. Will this be an option in Workday?

No, "Partner" is no longer an option in Workday.

Does this process include Payroll Accruals?

Central Accounting will continue to launch Payroll Accruals at year-end for the University.

Does Sponsored Programs Accounting (SPA) still require the CTCS when processing journal entries in Workday?

Yes, refer to the SPA web pages for more information. The CTCS is submitted as an attachment along with the journal entry. Submitting the JE cannot be completed without the attachment.

Can you use the EIB Journal Entry process for costing allocations and payroll accounting adjustments?

No, Payroll Accounting Adjustments cannot use the EIB process.

When should I use a manual journal vs an adjustment, and can costs be split after the fact?

Costs cannot be split on accounting adjustments after-the-fact. For more information, refer to to the following job aids in Workday.

• Create Manual Journals
• Accounting Adjustment Event

It's noted that journal entries with the Ledger Account worktag can be submitted without a Revenue Category (RC) or Spend Category (SC) and this doesn't trigger an error/alert message to the creator. Are there actions being developed to add an error/alert when this occurs?

This is a noted issue and the Workday developers are currently identifying a solution for this scenario. Refer to the Ledger Account Posting Rules (APR) for more information related to RS/SC worktags.

What types of documents are required as attachments in order to submit a journal entry?

The policies and requirements for types of documentation have not changed due to RIT's implementation of Workday and are dependent on the specific JE that is being submitted.

How can a journal entry be copied so that it can be reused?

Attend the Workday Wednesday session on March 4 to learn more about this feature.

Enroll Now in Journal Entries: Revisited

Should the journal source for a transfer JE be "Transfer" or "Manual?"

Transfer source should be used for items such as project funding (in Oracle, these were the 6xxx object codes). Items on this source will route to the Budget Office if operationally-related. All lines must use the transfer ledger 90000 and SCxxxxx.

How do payroll accounting adjustments work?

Retroactive changes require Payroll Accounting Adjustments to be submitted in Workday. Refer to the following job aid in Workday.

Payroll Accounting Adjustment Event

What is the On-Cycle/Off-Cycle option indicate on the first page of the Create Payroll Accounting Adjustments event?

They are default values that must remain in place. These values refer to standard frequency (cycles) of payroll runs. Off-Cycles are rare, but can occur.

Is the Payroll Accounting Adjustment task the appropriate way to move student staff wages?

Yes.

Is there a way to change the default Cost Center associated with an employee or should I change their payroll Cost Center?

There is a process to follow when changing an employee's default Cost Center. A job aid in Workday is currently being developed to assist users in this process.

Is there a payroll distribution report available?

Yes, refer to the following job aid in Workday.

Payroll Distribution Report

Is there a consistent journal reference format that needs to be entered when submitting a journal entry?

This policy was due to Oracles limitations and is no longer necessary in Workday. When submitting a JE, Workday automatically formats the entry based on specific rules set up in the system (i.e. your name will appear as the Originator of the JE along with a unique journal number is auto-populated on every entry).

Use the Find Journal Lines report to filter journals by the JE Originator.

I created a manual journal and saved it for later. How can I access it?

Use the Find Journal Lines report and filter the results by Created and Originator.

Is there any guidance on what options to select for different types of transactions or reporting?

The Find Journal Lines report contains drop-down fields related to your role(s) and provide a lot of indicators for managing JEs.

At month‑end close, what is the expected process for journal entries that are still pending approval, including cutoff timing, escalation, and impact on the close?

For manual journals not approved by Day 2 at 4:30 PM, the Accounting department will change the journal date to the next period. Users will receive a task (in Workday) to re-route the JE. Operational transactions will automatically move to the next open period (for example, PCV items).

When posting month-end journal entries, which accounting date should be used? Should date for MOE reflect the last day of the reporting period, or the actual date?

The date entered must be a date within the month you are trying to enter the journal for. The last day of the month can be used if necessary (even if that date falls on weekend).

For example, if you are completing a JE on 3/2, use 2/28 to submit the JE into February close.