=====General Ledger (G/L) Number Accounts=====
General ledger numbers (also called general ledger accounts) are the accounts that all costs, receipts, and inventory charges must go against. Taken all together, they form the complete general ledger, the total accounting ledger for your company. 
{{entry>0;General Ledger/Accounts;-}} {{entry>0;General Ledger/Chart of Accounts;-}}{{entry>0;General Ledger/Setup;-}}{{entry>0;General Ledger/Scan;-}}  

These numbers are stored in the **Accounting > G/L Maintenance > G/L Scan** area.\\ 
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_accessscan.png|Accessing the General Ledger Number Scan}}]

From the scan you can see the opening and current balances for each G/L number, as well as assignments for the chart of accounts. 
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_glscan.png|Scanning General Ledger numbers.}}] 

Use the toolbar menu to **Add** or **Edit** G/L codes from the scan. 
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_editglno.png|Edit or Add a G/L number.}}]

Select **Apply** to exit and see a summary of the code’s properties and amounts by accounting period.
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_reviewandprintreport.png|Review or print a G/L Statement}}] 

 Pick **Report** from the menu to go to the G/L statement report, which can also be found in the **Accounting > G/L Financials > G/L Statement** area. 

====Special/System G/L Accounts====
Certain general ledger accounts should always be present in the system for proper usage of CATS and proper accounting procedures. They are denoted by what is shown in the **Key** field on the account review screen, called **System Name** in the scan. 
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:glmaintenance_scan_systemname.png|Scanning the special G/L accounts in CATS.}}]
These include:
  * **Cash Accounts** - These are bank accounts. They can only be used to enter transactions via a bank. The **Key** field on these accounts should read **''CASH''**. 
  * **Accounts Payable** - The **Key** fields on this account should read **''GL_AP''**.
  * **Accounts Receivable** - The **Key** field on this account should read **''GL_AR''**.
  * **Inventory Account** - The **Key** field on this account should say **''GL_IN''**.
  * **Bank Transfer Account** - Used to process bank transfers, as the offset account. The **Key** field on this account should say **''GL_TRAN''**.
  * **Suspense Account** - Used to transfer money internally and for temporary placement of transactions. The **Key** field on this account should say **''GL_SUS''**.
  * **Retained Earnings Account** - Takes the sum of Expenses and Revenue accounts and condenses them into one account for the purposes of reporting (on the Balance Sheet). The **Key** field on this account should read **''GL_RET''**.
  * **Inventory Adjustment Account** - General journal entries should be made into this account for the value of inventory, to see a complete picture of your profit and loss. Values from the Inventory Transactions, Futures, and Overall Position reports are used to create these journal entries. 

====Chart of Accounts/Tools menu====
From the G/L Scan, you can also set up the Chart of Accounts. The chart of accounts is the way G/L numbers are grouped on the Trial Balance, Balance Sheet, and the Income Statement.

Pick **Tools > File > Chart Categories** to change the G/L Assignment for these reports.
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_toolsmenu.png|The Tools Menu for the G/L Scan.}}]
 
CATS will show you the current Chart of Accounts Main Types. Each Form type has a beginning and ending G/L number. All G/L numbers that fall between these two numbers will be in that category.
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_chartofaccountsmaintypes.png|Chart of Accounts Main Types Account Ranges.}}]

Pick **Exit** to return to the G/L Accounts scan.

You can also go to **Tools > File > Chart Types** to view or change the account Chart Types assignment.
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_chartofaccountstypesscan.png|View the chart types currently set in the system.}}]

<note important>When you add a new G/L number or change the chart of accounts types, you can use the **Tools > Calculate** options to ensure that it will show up in the correct Group and Category.</note> 

<note tip>You can create custom report assignments for Income Statements and Balance Sheets from the Tools area as well. This allows you to have more than one format for these reports, in case you need to see a separate one for bank than for your internal company. See New Data Systems for more information on custom G/L groupings on reports.</note> 
====Setting Opening Balances=====
Occasionally, you may need to alter the opening balance for G/L accounts in CATS. You can do so from the G/L Scan Accounts area. 

Enter the opening balances in the **OpnYrBalanceUSD** column (or the **OpnYrCurBalance** column if this G/L account is for a non-default currency).
[{{:cats:procedures:accounting:generalledger:glaccounts_openingbalancecolumninscan.png|Enter the opening balances in the OpnYrBalanceUSD column.}}]

<note important>Once you have changed the opening balance for a G/L account, you will need to [[cats:questions:accounting:readaccountrecalc|run an Accounting Recalculation]] to calculate the balance for that account. </note>

Even if you change the opening balances for the system GL_AP and GL_AR accounts, CATS will still calculate them on its own. This is how you end up with discrepancies on the accounting recalculation. 
{{tag>"general ledger" "tools menu" GL_Number chart_of_accounts}}