Journal Entry Report in BambooHR

The Journal Entry report in BambooHR facilitates the transformation of payroll data into a standard accounting format, enabling easy import into accounting software. Available post-payroll approval, it can be accessed by users with the appropriate permissions. The report can be generated from the Payroll Reports section, allowing users to select specific pay dates or date ranges. Users can customize the report format and choose from options such as Summary, Segmented by Department, or Segmented by Division. If errors occur, users are advised to contact Payroll Support. The report includes essential fields like Date, GL Code, Debit, and Credit, and can be tailored to meet specific accounting needs, including integration with systems like QuickBooks Online and Xero.

  • Jul 9, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
Journal Entry Report in BambooHR
Article Text
Journal Entry Report is part of Payroll that is an add-on feature.

Where do I run the Journal Entry report, and what data does the report include?

Purpose: This guide will explain the ins and outs of the Journal Entry report found in BambooHR.

Table of Contents:

Did you know you can create a custom journal entry report? Check out this help guide to learn how! 

But wait...there's more! We also integrate with QuickBooks Online and Xero to fit your exact payroll/accounting needs. Click here to learn more! 

Journal Entry report

With the Journal Entry report, we have made it easier than ever to transform your payroll data into a standard accounting format so that you can quickly import the necessary debit and credit information into your accounting software. This report will become available as soon as payroll is approved and has been paid out. It is viewable by users with the View Payroll Reports permission in access level settings. If you reopen payroll before the due date, the report will display a pending status until payroll is approved again.

To find this report, navigate to Reports > Payroll Reports > Pay Date or Date Range tab > Popular Reports. On the Pay Date tab, you will be able to select which pay date you want to review the data from in the dropdown menu. 

All custom reports, including custom General Ledger (GL) reports you paid BambooHR to create, will still live within the Custom Reports section. The Journal Entry report is separate from existing custom GL reports.

Journal Entry report on the Date Range tab

On the Date Range tab, you will have the ability to adjust the Date From and Date To fields to pull data from the desired date range. By default, the date range will be set to the current calendar year, starting January 1. It is recommended to keep the date range small, as the Journal Entry report’s intent is to help record your payroll transactions to your accounting books as close to the pay date as required. If you would like to view or analyze historical payroll records for a larger timeframe, we recommend using the other payroll reports on the Date Range tab.

If you have multiple syncing pay schedules with BambooHR Payroll, the Pay Schedule dropdown menu will appear. By default, all pay schedules will be selected and included when running the report. Click the dropdown arrow to select a specific pay schedule. 

Running the report

To run the Journal Entry report, hover your cursor over the name in the Popular Reports section and click on the download icon. If you apply any filters, the ability to run the report will not be available. This ensures all necessary payroll transaction information is always included in the report. 

Click on the download icon and then select from the three report options we have found to be the most common among our customers: 

  1. Summary (No Segmentation)
  2. Segmented by Department
  3. Segmented by Division

The system will remember and automatically choose the option you have selected the next time you run the report. Once you have chosen your preferred option, click Download Report to download a CSV file of the report onto your computer, allowing you to view and add to the data if necessary.

Download error

If the report is unable to balance the debits and credits, you may come across an error message. Please contact Payroll Support, and our team will work quickly to solve the issue and send you a balanced report. 

Journal Report option

All reports will have basic formatting within the Debit/Credit columns that do not include dollar signs or commas. You can easily update the formatting of these columns to fit the specifications of your accounting software.

All report options will generate a GL Code column but will be left blank for you to enter the necessary GL codes unless you have added GL Codes through Payroll settings. 

For more information on how to set up GL Codes so they automatically pull into the Journal Entry report, click here!

Summary (No Segmentation) report

The CSV download of this report will include the following fields:

  1. Date
  2. GL Code
  3. Debit
  4. Credit 
  5. Memo

Segmented by Department report

The CSV download of this report will include the following fields:

  1. Date
  2. GL Code
  3. Debit
  4. Credit
  5. Memo
  6. Department

Segmented by Division report

The CSV download of this report will include the following fields:

  1. Date
  2. GL Code
  3. Debit
  4. Credit 
  5. Memo
  6. Division

If your accounting software requires more than what this report provides or you have unique circumstances that may require custom work, BambooHR can still create a custom General Ledger report to fit your unique needs. Click here for more information.

Pay Date vs. Date Range Journal Entry report download

There are two key differences regarding how the data is presented in the Date column and within the rows. See the table below: 

 Pay DateDate Range
Date columnDisplays the date of the specific pay date selected. 

Displays the most recent pay date within the selected range.

 

(i.e. If you select the date range 1/1/2025 - 1/31/2025 and two pay dates happened in this time frame (1/12/2025 and 1/26/2025), the Journal Entry report’s Date column will populate with 1/26/2025.)

RowsEach row of data is specific to the pay date and pay schedule selected. Will add "like" data together across the multiple pay dates/pay schedules selected.

(i.e. Let's say you select the date range 1/1/2025 - 1/31/2025, and two pay dates occur within this time frame (1/12/2025 and 1/26/2025). On the 1/12/2025 pay date, your company has $100 in employee 401k deductions and $50 in employee HSA deductions. Then on the 1/26/2025 pay date, your company has another $25 of 401k employee deductions. The Journal Entry report’s 401k totals are combined for a total of $125 and shown in one row. The HSA is a total of $50 and will be shown on another row.)
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