The message 'Debits and credits must balance exactly' means the proposed journal totals differ or the entry has no positive value. Institution does not round an unexplained difference away. Review the individual lines against the underlying calculation before trying to save again.
- Add the amounts in the Debit column and the Credit column separately.
- Look for an omitted line, a transposed amount or a value placed on the wrong side.
- Check copied lines and imported rows for an unintended duplicate.
- Correct the source-supported line and validate the complete journal again.
If an illustrative adjustment should total 125.00 on both sides and one side totals 124.99, the one-cent difference still needs an explanation. Do not add a miscellaneous line merely to make the validation pass. The appropriate accounting treatment may require review by the person responsible for the books.
A balanced journal is only an arithmetic check. Verify the accounts, accounting date and reason as well. An entry can balance perfectly and still describe the wrong transaction or reporting period.
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