Loyola University Chicago

Financial Services

Standard Journal Entry Instructions

  1. After opening the form, click "Enable Macros" or "Enable Content" if prompted.
  2. Enter the Standard Journal Number for the entry. (General Accounting assigns all Standard Journal Entry Numbers. If you don’t have a Standard Journal Number assigned, leave this field blank.)
  3. Enter today’s in the ‘Posting Date’ field.
  4. Enter a short description in the ‘SJ Description’ field, if necessary. 
  5. At the top right corner, enter your name in the "Prepared by" field and enter the Department Approver's name in the "Department Approval" field.
  6. Enter a meaningful description for the Expense Transfer in the box labeled "Enter an Explanation for this Expense Transfer." Note: This field is required.
  7. Enter the Accounting Unit (6-digit), Account (4-digit), Amount (negative amounts DECREASE an expense account’s actual balance—thereby increasing the accounting unit’s total available balance; positive amounts INCREASE an expense account’s actual balance—thereby decreasing an accounting unit’s total available balance), Document Number (10 char. max) and Transaction Description (30 char. max). The ‘Document Number’ field is required for entering reference information (i.e., PO#, check #, etc). 
  8. Continue entering data on subsequent lines. AU and Account Descriptions will automatically fill in as AUs and Accounts are entered.
  9. Confirm that your totals balance to zero before submitting the form for approval. This can be verified by checking the value calculated in the ‘Control Totals’ field located at the top center of the form. Once all lines have been entered, the ‘Control Totals’ field should equal zero.
  10. After saving and/or printing the form for your records, click the "Click Here to Send the Expense Transfer" button.
  11. A blank email message will be created containing the form as an attachment.  If this does not happen automatically, please save the file and attach it to a new email message.
  12. In the ‘To’ field on the new message, enter your supervisor’s email address, if necessary. Once approved, the form should be sent to: ACCOUNTING@LUC.EDU (General Accounting) or GRNTCON@LUC.EDU (Sponsored Program Accounting), depending on the accounting units used on the form.

    Accounting units beginning with 1, 3, 4 or 6 will be sent to ACCOUNTING@LUC.EDU.

    Accounting units beginning with 2, 5, or 9 will be sent to GRNTCON@LUC.EDU.
  13. Indicate an explanation for the Standard Journal Entry in the body of the email message and attach any supporting documentation. Hard copies can also be sent by interoffice mail to the appropriate Department at Loyola University Chicago, Lewis Towers, 13th Floor.
  14. Please direct any questions or form issues to Financial Systems @ FINANCIALSYSTEMS@LUC.EDU