How To View Journal Entries in QuickBooks Online?

If you’ve ever stared at a QuickBooks Online report wondering “Where did this number come from?”, chances are the answer lives inside a journal entry.

Journal entries are the backbone of accounting in QuickBooks Online (QBO). They record adjustments, corrections, accruals, and behind-the-scenes transactions that don’t always show up as sales receipts or bills. Knowing how to view them isn’t just helpful—it’s essential if you want clean books and fewer surprises at tax time.

In this guide, we’ll walk through exactly how to view journal entries in QuickBooks Online, explain what you’re looking at, and share a few practical tips to make sense of them—whether you’re a beginner or just brushing up.

 

What Is a Journal Entry in QuickBooks Online?

Before diving into the “how,” let’s quickly cover the “what.”

A journal entry is a manual or system-generated record that moves money between accounts. Unlike invoices or expenses, journal entries don’t involve customers or vendors. Instead, they directly affect your ledger.

Common uses of journal entries include:

• Adjusting account balances
• Recording depreciation or amortization
• Correcting accounting errors
• Recording accruals or deferrals
• Opening balance entries when setting up QuickBooks

   

QuickBooks Online also creates automatic journal entries in the background when you record certain transactions, like payroll or inventory adjustments.

 

Why You Might Need to View Journal Entries

People usually go looking for journal entries when:

• A report doesn’t match expectations
• An account balance looks off
• An accountant asks you to review adjustments
• You want to audit changes made to the books
• You need to edit or reverse a previous entry

   

Understanding how to find and review them gives you control over your financial data instead of guessing what QuickBooks is doing behind the scenes.

 

How to View Journal Entries in QuickBooks Online (Step-by-Step)

QuickBooks Online gives you multiple ways to view journal entries. Which one you use depends on what you’re trying to find.

 

Method 1: View Journal Entries from the Chart of Accounts

This is the most commonly used method and great when you want to see how a specific account was affected.

Steps:

1. Log in to QuickBooks Online
   
2. Click Settings in the top right
3. Select Chart of Accounts
   
4. Find the account you want to review (for example, Cash, Accounts Receivable, or Equity)
5. Click View Register (or Run Report, depending on account type)
6. Look for entries labeled Journal Entry
   
7. Click on the journal entry to open and view details

    

Why this works well:
It shows journal entries in context with other transactions, making it easier to trace where balances came from.

 

Method 2: Use the Journal Entries List (Direct Access)

If you specifically want to see only journal entries, this is the cleanest approach.

Steps:

1. Click + New
   
2. Under Other, select Journal Entry
   
3. In the top left corner, click the clock icon (Recent transactions)
4. Choose Journal Entries
   

    

You’ll now see a list of journal entries with dates, reference numbers, and amounts.

Best for:
Quick reviews, editing recent entries, or locating a specific adjustment made by you or your accountant.

 

Method 3: View Journal Entries Through Reports

Reports are perfect when you want a big-picture view.

Option A: Journal Report

1. Go to Reports
   
2. Search for Journal
   
3. Open the Journal report
4. Set your date range
5. Run the report

    

This shows all journal entries, including system-generated ones, in chronological order.

Option B: General Ledger Report

1. Go to Reports
   
2. Open General Ledger
   
3. Choose your date range
4. Scroll through or filter by account

    

The General Ledger includes every transaction, but journal entries are clearly labeled.

Pro tip:
Use the Filter option to show only journal entries if the report feels overwhelming.

 

Method 4: View a Journal Entry from a Transaction

Sometimes you don’t even realize a journal entry exists—until you find it hiding behind another transaction.

For example, payroll, inventory adjustments, or bill payments often create system journal entries.

Steps:

1. Open the transaction (like a payroll run)
2. Click More
   
3. Select Transaction Journal
   

This reveals the exact debit and credit breakdown QuickBooks created behind the scenes.

 

How to Read a Journal Entry (Without the Headache)

Once you open a journal entry, you’ll see columns like:

• Account – Where money is moving
• Debits – Increase assets or expenses
• Credits – Increase income or liabilities
• Name – Optional, often blank
• Memo – Notes about the entry

   

Simple rule to remember:

Debits must always equal credits.

If they don’t, something is wrong—and QuickBooks won’t let you save it anyway.

 

Editing or Reversing a Journal Entry

If you have permission, you can edit journal entries—but do so carefully.

To edit:

1. Open the journal entry
2. Click Edit
   
3. Make changes
4. Save

    

To reverse:

• Create a new journal entry with the same accounts and amounts, but swap debits and credits.

   

Important:
If the journal entry was created by QuickBooks (system-generated), you usually can’t edit it directly. Instead, you must change the original transaction that caused it.

 

Permissions Matter: Why You Might Not See Journal Entries

If you’re unable to view or edit journal entries, it’s likely due to user permissions.

Only users with roles like:

• Admin
• Accountant
• Custom role with journal entry access

   

can view or modify them.

If you’re working with an accountant, this restriction is often intentional—to protect the books.

 

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Viewing Journal Entries

Even experienced users can trip up here. Watch out for these:

• Editing entries without understanding the impact
  
• Deleting journal entries instead of reversing them
  
• Ignoring system-generated entries
  
• Changing prior-period entries without consulting an accountant
  

   

A small change in a journal entry can ripple across multiple reports.

 

Best Practices for Managing Journal Entries in QuickBooks Online

To stay organized and stress-free:

• Always add clear memos to manual entries
• Limit journal entry access to trained users
• Review the Journal report monthly
  
• Coordinate with your accountant before making adjustments
• Keep backups or export reports before major edits

   

Think of journal entries like surgery—precise, intentional, and not something you rush.

 

Final Thoughts

Knowing how to view journal entries in QuickBooks Online gives you real insight into your financial data. It helps you understand where numbers come from, spot errors early, and work more confidently with accountants or bookkeepers.

Once you get comfortable navigating them—through the Chart of Accounts, reports, or transaction journals—you’ll stop seeing journal entries as intimidating and start seeing them as powerful tools.

If QuickBooks is the engine of your accounting system, journal entries are the gears. Learn to check them, and everything runs smoother.