How to Export Payroll Journal from Accounting CS
This guide shows you how to export payroll journal data from Accounting CS to an Excel file. You might need this for payroll reconciliation, preparing data for import into Conto, audit preparation, or sharing records with external systems.
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- Thomson Reuters Accounting CS with Payroll module
- Access to the client file you want to export
- Microsoft Excel for viewing the export
1. Open Print Reports
Section titled “1. Open Print Reports”In Accounting CS with your client file open, navigate to Print Reports in the left panel.
2. Select the Payroll Journal Report
Section titled “2. Select the Payroll Journal Report”Select Payroll Journal - Detailed from the report list.
3. Set the Date Range
Section titled “3. Set the Date Range”Under Date, enter your desired date range for the export.
4. Configure Report Sections
Section titled “4. Configure Report Sections”Under Sections to Include, review the available options:
- If you want to exclude employee banking details for privacy, deselect Direct Deposit Distributions
- Keep other sections selected based on what data you need
5. Generate the Report
Section titled “5. Generate the Report”Click Print Selected in the lower right of the screen.
6. Export to Excel
Section titled “6. Export to Excel”In the Print window:
- Deselect Output to printer
- Select Output to file at the bottom of the window
- Set the file type to Microsoft Excel
- Select Open file when complete if you want to review immediately
- Click OK
7. Save the File
Section titled “7. Save the File”Save the Excel file with a descriptive name (e.g., ClientName_PayrollJournal_Q4-2024.xls).
Expected Export Columns
Section titled “Expected Export Columns”The Payroll Journal - Detailed report includes:
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Check Date | Pay date |
| Check No. | Payroll check number |
| Employee | Employee name |
| Earnings | Gross earnings by type |
| Deductions | Deduction amounts by type |
| Taxes | Tax withholdings by type |
| Net Pay | Net pay amount |
| GL Account | General ledger account |
| Debit | Debit amount |
| Credit | Credit amount |
Columns vary based on your payroll setup and which sections you include in the report.
Verification
Section titled “Verification”After exporting, confirm:
- Date range matches your requirements
- All expected pay periods appear
- Employee earnings and deductions are complete
- Totals match your payroll summary reports
- Direct deposit info excluded (if deselected)
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”Export option is grayed out
Section titled “Export option is grayed out”Verify you have the necessary permissions in Accounting CS. Contact your firm administrator if export options are unavailable.
Report is missing data
Section titled “Report is missing data”Check that the date range includes all expected pay periods. Verify no filters are excluding specific employees or departments.
Excel file won’t open
Section titled “Excel file won’t open”Ensure Microsoft Excel is installed. If using an older .xls format, try opening with Excel’s compatibility mode or a newer version.
Direct deposit information appearing when excluded
Section titled “Direct deposit information appearing when excluded”Regenerate the report and verify Direct Deposit Distributions is deselected before clicking Print Selected.