New Journal Entry format

Kristy Soular

Is it just me or is this new journal entry format extremely cumbersome. A person should not have to use their mouse this much.

Defaults don't automatically populate anymore - you have to manually click “add default row” for each line.

You can't hit enter anymore to go to the next line - you need to tab all the way through or hit 'add default row"

I also have to type the formatting of our account numbers properly with dashes/periods instead of just the numbers.

I keep getting a popup asking if I want to replace current values. I have to use my mouse again to make a selection because I can't tell which box is selected. After that popup is gone, I can't tab through the entry, I need to use my mouse again to get in to another field.

I can't expand the account number column in order to read the account description.

I am shocked they don't test out “enhancements” before pushing them out to us. “Enhancements” shouldn't slow you down. Maybe it's just me, but as a heavy journal entry user, this is going to irritate me because I know how nice we had it with the previous version…

John Sharp

I cannot agree more. The JE entry itself is grayed out and difficult to maneuver. In addition, with the journal status, it used to be a dropdown which I could use one key to change. Now I have to use the mouse.

LeeAnn Schmidtberger

No, it's not just you. I agree totally. The new format is extremely cumbersome. I do not like having additional “clicks" to do or adding those hyphens! It definitely is more time-consuming than before. I had really liked the way it was before when entering journal entries.

Anna M Midkiff

Everyone at my organization who regularly does journal entries absolutely hates the new format. Not at all user friendly! This is very poorly designed by someone who never does journal entries. ?

Deidre Matthews

AGREED! I had hoped I would update my computer and it resolve some of the functionality issues. Like the older version better! This is not as user friendly.

Deidre Matthews

I just spent time on the chat support hoping they could restore some of the old features…and they responded saying the quick view was removed…but could be voted to be restored at the link below

Sannyasin Siddhanathaswami

The new JE has tons of potential! I agree though, there's tons of new bugs and lots of extra clicks needed for things that didn't need any before.

I highly recommend posting very specific improvements (as did the original poster). In my experience, after a significant new release, Blackbaud developers are watching closely for what specifically is wrong, and what can be approved. Then, they make rapid changes. But that window seems to be pretty short. I'll write up something soon too.

Sannyasin Siddhanathaswami

New Journal Entry Comments and Fixes

The new journal entry batch list and entry is both an enormous improvement, and a huge step backwards. Fortunately there’s a few items to fix to make it easy to use and fast for data entry (really important).

List of Journal entry batches

1. Compact Listing: I love this. A huge improvement.
2. FIX: Column widths should be saved between sessions. Or at least it should be smarter in sizing. Description is still too narrow for us.
3. FIX: “…” should have “Copy Batch” and “Create Reversing Batch” in it.
4. I’m so glad the Quick View pane is gone. It rarely was useful for me, and was mostly opened by mistake.
5. List view and opening exiting journal entries is way faster than before. Impressive and useful
6. The display of exiting journal entries is much clearer and easier to read!

Entering a New Journal Entry

1. As others have mentioned, here’s where most critical fixes are needed ASAP. There’s WAY too many mouse clicks needed for basic data entry here.
2. FIX CRITICAL: Make tab work between fields.
3. FIX CRITICAL: Enter key should create a new Journal entry line.
4. Cosmetic Fix: Batch Defaults section takes up a huge percentage of screen space. It could just be one line. We could use more space for the journal entry.
5. Change: Automatically add a default by default…no pun intended. Now you have to click on add default. Or have defaults available as a pulldown instead of a button.
6. FIX: When I do use defaults, I often get this replace defaults message when entering data. Cancel is the “default” highlighted, so if tap the return key, it cancels. I don’t see a way to do a “Replace” without having to click on the “Replace” button. I think I always replace defaults.
7. I want to use batch defaults, but I don’t quite get the logic. If it’s to fill out default info such as date, Journal, Encumbrance, Class, that make sense to me. But then why do I have to choose “Add default row” each time? Maybe a checkbox to add the defaults automatically? If there’s supposed to be multiple defaults to chose from, it needs some easy way to access multiple defaults.
8. Column widths in the Journal entries section don’t seems change intelligently or logically logically when resizing my window. Plus there’s no way to save column widths. Account is too small, “Journal” is too big, for example.
9. FIX: The search for accounts is based on the column width of the Account column. I’m not against that, but because its way too small by default, the search results are cramped and hard to read. Also, I don’t really like that the search results appear above the box if more than 5, but below if less. It’s just confusing. Maybe the search results width should be restricted to the column width?
10. I like the “Save and new batch” addition!

In summary, if you immediately fixed tabbing between fields, and enter for a new line, that would be halfway there. Less clicking, faster data entry is extremely important. I feel like other issues can be fixed over time, if data entry works well.

Michele Aycock

Does a person really have to scroll all the way to the end of a journal entry to add a line? I can not get my lines to sort.

Anum Jaferi

Also, if they are going to open up the entire journal entry to work with, what about moving between journal entries?

There should be an option to move between journal entries as well.

Melissa Bethancourt

Good morning - I am a member of the FENXT product team and I wanted to assure you that your feedback is not going out into the void. As Sannyasin mentioned yesterday, we do watch this space for feedback.

I would like to extend an invitation to contact me if you would like to speak with me directly to share your thoughts - my email is melissa.bethancourt@blackbaud.com.

Otherwise, please keep engaging with us on the community - this helps us keep a pulse on what is top of mind for everyone.

Heather Craig

I would agree that the page layout is cumbersome - the entry should be available immediately when you open the batch, not way down where you need to scroll to it.

In addition to YES making the defaults really defaults, I would ask the developers to make the columns moveable. It is messing me up to have the Journal Reference before the Credit & Debit columns. I would also like the ability to remove columns (such as custom fields) that we are not using at present, with the option to add them back to the grid when we start using them.

I also miss being able to copy the cell above - this was a big timesaver in the Database view.

Sylvia Cook

I am generally ok with the new JE format. But some things I miss are:

1. the fly-out window, which made it easy to quickly see JEs and flip between them.
2. I would like to be able to move with keystrokes, not mouse, to copy and paste from lines above
3. I haven't tried the default section yet, but agree it should work as it did before. (I tend to use JE batch creator in Excel for length JEs.)

Janet Tucker

I agree with you. It is cumbersome. When I use a default batch each line I add a message pops up “Replace current values? Transaction default values already exist for this account."

also have an issue with it saying "distribution amount must equal zero. Mine does. If I don't use the default set it works just fine.

Beth Strickland

It is awful.

Anne Swearingin

Not a fan of the Journal Entry. I also agree that it is cumbersome. What is with the “Replace current values?" So much quicker the old way. Easier on the eyes as well.

Melissa Bethancourt

Hello! I wanted to updated the group that we have implemented and released some changes based on your feedback.

In Journal Entry, when in Edit mode, you should now be able to move and resize columns. Also, back by popular demand - the fly-out has returned (my apologies to those users who were happy to see it gone - we are evaluating ways to make this optional in the future).

You might also notice that the Batch defaults button has moved. We are currently working on making the defaults auto-fill as you move thru rows and we are moving the Notes section to the right side of the form where we have extra white space.

I will continue to update as we release new changes. As always, please let me know if you have any other feedback or questions.

Janet Tucker

Progress! Thank you! At least the default entries are smoother with less clicks.

Janet Tucker

Agree with your comments. ability to remove columns that are not being used.

Steve Harris

It is much better but still need to be able to change the width or hide columns and have that change stick!

Leia Bridgham

being able to sort by account number would be super helpful!

LeeAnn Schmidtberger

@Kristy Soular
Is anyone else missing the post date showing in the “add batch defaults”? I do not like that the date must be manually entered on each new row added in the batch instead of entering it once in the batch default.

Lisa Ford

@Kristy Soular
I totally agree. It's very frustrating to have to use the mouse all the time. I want to be able to use the enter key like before. Then I noticed when you put the G/L number in unless you click on it when it appears it won't take. It disappears! I used to be able to right click to “copy above cell” to copy the description. Where did that go?? Having to add the “default” every time is also cumbersome. And it doesn't save the previous “default”. I change the date when I need to but sometimes I enter several JE's with the same date. Why do I have to keep changing the previous date? I also have to delete a cash account GL (that I did not set up) every time.?

Amy Dybala

@LeeAnn Schmidtberger
Being forced to move to NXT against my will….trying to make a journal entry. Can we no longer use Control and the Arrow Keys to quickly move above a journal entry? I use JE for 100% of my job and it should be just as fast in NXT so that we are not losing efficiencies.

Anna M Midkiff

Has anyone tried the Excel add on for Journal Entries? It eliminates many of these annoyances. I use it for nearly all my JEs except for the ones I can easily copy from the prior month or period. I never used FE much, almost all my work has been done in NXT since 2019, and I find it much easier than database.

Susan Trippe

@Anna M Midkiff I agree!! I use it all the time too…mainly because the direct entry method is so cumbersome. It is pretty irritating to have to switch back and forth between keyboard and mouse so much.

Rhoda Hatzenbeller

@Anna M Midkiff
How do you handle when there is an inactive account? The database used to give you a report on the account and what is wrong with it. Now you have to guess. Blackbaud's answer to me was run a query (which is only available in database still) with all accounts and statuses and do a vlookup to find which one is inactive. Talking about cumbersome. Also, entering manually in the NXT the date disappears as I'm typing a lot. You don't have that problem?

Janet Tucker

@Rhoda Hatzenbeller
In NXT there is a way to view Active accounts only or all accounts. Under General Ledger/Accounts/Filters. When I am entering a Journal Entry and I come across an account that won't pull up for me; I open up another tab for NXT so I can keep my Journal Entry going.

Entering dates is slow to respond.

Robin Arwood

@Kristy Soular I am also having issues with the direct journal entry in NXT. I do usually use the Excel add-in except when I have a lot of expenses which have to be split between projects. My batch defaults don't work anymore, and I don't have an add default row button, only an add row button. So frustrating.