The Chart of Accounts page is your general ledger's backbone. It lists every account in the client's books, organized by financial statement category. From here you can add, edit, map, and delete accounts; import industry templates; drill into transaction history; and clean up zero-balance accounts — all in one place.
This guide walks through every section of the page, step by step, in the order you see on screen.
Getting Here
- Open the main sidebar and select a Bookkeeping Client.
- In the client sidebar, click Chart of Accounts (under the Setup section).
The page opens to the accounts dashboard. Across the top you will see four summary cards, and below them the controls bar and the full account table.
Understanding the Dashboard
Top Metrics
Four cards sit across the top of the page. They give you a quick read on the state of your chart of accounts:
| Metric | What It Shows |
|---|---|
| Total Accounts | The total number of accounts in the chart. |
| Mapped Accounts | How many accounts are assigned to a financial statement mapping. These accounts are ready to appear on reports. |
| Unmapped Accounts | How many accounts have no mapping. Click this card to jump to the Assign Mappings page. |
| Zero Balance | How many accounts have a current-year balance of zero. These are candidates for cleanup. |
Unmapped Accounts Banner
If any accounts are unmapped, a gold banner appears below the metrics:
ℹ Info: The banner tells you how many accounts need mapping and includes a Go to Assign Mappings button. Mapping accounts ensures they appear in the correct section of your financial statements.
The Chart of Accounts Table
The main table displays every account in a collapsible tree. Accounts are grouped by their financial statement mapping category and subcategory. Unmapped accounts appear first in a red-highlighted section so you can spot them quickly.
Table Columns
| Column | What You See |
|---|---|
| Account # | The unique account number. |
| Account Name | The full name of the account. Inactive accounts show a grey "Inactive" badge. |
| Type | The account type in uppercase: asset, liability, equity, revenue, expense, cogs, other_income, taxes, or other. |
| Mapping | The financial statement mapping code assigned to the account. Unmapped accounts show "Not mapped" in red. |
| CY Balance | The current fiscal year balance. Click any balance to drill into the account's transactions. |
| PY Balance | The prior fiscal year balance. |
| 2 Years Ago | The balance from two fiscal years ago (hidden by default). |
| Budget | The budgeted amount for the current fiscal year (hidden by default). |
| Actions | Icons for View Transactions, Assign Mapping, Edit, and Delete. |
Reading the Tree
- Category rows (dark grey headers) show the financial statement category name and a subtotal of all accounts within it.
- Subcategory rows (light grey headers) show a subgroup within a category, also with a subtotal.
- Account rows show the individual account details.
Click the chevron ( ) next to any category or subcategory to expand or collapse it. Use the Expand All and Collapse All buttons in the controls bar to open or close everything at once.
✓ Tip: Balances for liability, equity, and revenue accounts (credit-normal accounts) appear in red with parentheses. Asset and expense balances (debit-normal accounts) appear in black. This follows standard accounting presentation.
Actions on Each Row
Hover over any account row to reveal four action buttons:
| Icon | Action | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Eye | View Transactions | Opens the transaction history page for that account. |
| Arrow Right | Assign Mapping | Takes you to the Assign Mappings page with this account pre-selected. |
| Pencil | Edit Account | Opens the Edit Account dialog. |
| Trash | Delete Account | Prompts for confirmation, then deletes the account. |
You can also right-click any account row to open a context menu with the same four actions, plus a Delete Account option with a red highlight.
Double-clicking an account row opens its transaction history directly.
Searching and Filtering
Search
Use the search bar at the top of the controls card to find accounts quickly. The search looks across:
- Account number
- Account name
- Account type
- Mapping code
Type any part of what you are looking for and the table filters instantly. Click the X in the search bar to clear the search.
Show Non-Zero Only
Click the Show Non-Zero Only button to hide accounts that have a zero balance in both the current and prior year. The button toggles between two states:
- Showing Non-Zero (blue) — only accounts with activity are visible.
- Show Non-Zero Only (outline) — all accounts are visible, including zero-balance ones.
Managing Columns
Click the Columns button to open the Column Settings dialog. You can show or hide any of these columns:
- Account Number
- Account Name
- Type
- Mapping
- CY Balance
- PY Balance
- 2 Years Ago
- Budget
- Actions
Uncheck a column to hide it, check it to show it. Click Reset to Default to restore all columns, then click Done to apply.
✓ Tip: The 2 Years Ago and Budget columns are hidden by default. Turn them on when you need a longer comparative view or are reviewing budgets.
Adding an Account
- Click the Add Account button near the top-right of the page.
- A dialog opens with the following fields:
| Field | What To Enter |
|---|---|
| Account Number | A unique identifier for the account. Must not already exist for this client. |
| Account Name | A descriptive name for the account. |
| Financial Statement Mapping | The mapping code that determines where this account appears on financial statements. This also sets the account type automatically. |
| Parent Account | (Optional) A parent account to nest this account under. |
| Account is active | Checked by default. Uncheck to mark the account as inactive without deleting it. |
- If the mapping you need does not exist yet, click the Create New button next to the mapping dropdown. A second dialog opens where you can create the mapping inline without leaving the page.
- Click Create Account.
A toast confirmation appears, the account is added to the table, and the stats cards update.
⚠ Warning: The Financial Statement Mapping field is required. If you skip it, the account will appear in the Unmapped Accounts section and will not show up on your financial reports.
Editing an Account
- Hover over the account row and click the pencil icon, or right-click and choose Edit Account.
- The same dialog used for adding opens, pre-filled with the account's current values.
- Make your changes.
- Click Update Account.
⚠ Warning: You cannot change the mapping of locked accounts (system accounts like Retained Earnings). The dialog will show an error if you try.
Deleting an Account
- Hover over the account row and click the trash icon, or right-click and choose Delete Account.
- A browser confirmation dialog appears.
- Click OK to confirm.
The account is removed immediately from the table.
⚠ Warning: Deleting an account is permanent. If the account has transactions, those transactions will be orphaned. Consider marking the account as inactive instead if you may need the history.
Importing Industry Templates
Instead of building a chart of accounts from scratch, you can import a pre-built template for common industries.
- Click the Import Template button near the top-right.
- A three-step wizard opens:
Step 1: Select Industry
Choose from the dropdown list of available industries (for example, "Construction", "Retail", "Professional Services"). Each industry shows how many template accounts it includes.
Step 2: Preview Accounts
The wizard shows every account in the template, grouped by account type (Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, Expenses). Each row shows:
- A green checkmark if the account does not already exist in your chart.
- A warning icon if an account with the same number already exists, including the existing account name for reference.
Review the list and confirm you want to proceed. Existing accounts are skipped during import — they are not overwritten.
Step 3: Import Complete
A summary shows how many accounts were imported, how many were skipped (because they already existed), and any errors.
Click Close to return to the chart of accounts. The new accounts appear in the table with their mappings already assigned.
Cleaning Up Zero Balance Accounts
Over time, unused or imported-and-never-used accounts can accumulate. The Clean Up Zero Balance button removes them in bulk.
- Click the Clean Up Zero Balance button in the controls bar.
- A confirmation dialog warns that this action cannot be undone.
- Click OK to proceed.
All accounts with a current-year balance of zero are deleted. A toast confirms how many were removed.
⚠ Warning: This action is permanent and cannot be undone. Make sure you truly do not need those accounts before cleaning up. If you are unsure, use the Show Non-Zero Only filter instead to hide them from view without deleting.
Viewing Account Transactions
Every account balance is a clickable link. Click any balance amount (or the eye icon) to open the Account Transactions page for that account.
The transactions page shows:
- Account header: The account number, name, type, and current balance.
- Opening balance: The balance brought forward from before the selected date range.
- Transaction list: Every journal entry line that hits this account, with date, description, debit/credit amount, running balance, and a link to the full journal entry.
- Filters: Filter by date range, amount range, status (all, draft, posted, approved), and type (debit, credit, or all).
- Quick filters: Pre-set date ranges like "This Year", "Last Year", and "All Time".
- Search: Search transactions by description or reference number.
- Infinite scroll: Scroll to the bottom to load more transactions automatically.
Click any transaction row to open the full journal entry in a new tab.
To return to the chart of accounts, use the browser back button or the sidebar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a financial statement mapping?
A mapping tells the system where each account belongs on your financial statements. It assigns a category (like "Current Assets" or "Operating Expenses"), a subcategory, and an account type. Without a mapping, an account cannot appear on the balance sheet or income statement.
Why are some accounts highlighted in red at the top?
The red "Unmapped Accounts" section shows every account that has not been assigned a mapping. These accounts need attention — they will not appear on your reports until they are mapped.
Can I change an account's number?
Yes. Edit the account and change the Account Number field. The new number must not already be in use by another account for this client.
What is the difference between deleting an account and marking it inactive?
Deleting removes the account permanently. Marking it inactive (by unchecking "Account is active" in the edit dialog) keeps the account and its history but hides it from dropdowns and selection lists elsewhere in the application. Inactive accounts still appear in the chart of accounts table with a grey "Inactive" badge.
Why does my balance show in red with parentheses?
Credit-normal accounts (liabilities, equity, and revenue) display their credit balances in red with parentheses. This follows standard accounting convention. A credit balance means the account is in its normal state. If a liability account shows a black positive number, it has an abnormal debit balance.
What happens when I import a template and some accounts already exist?
Existing accounts are skipped — they are never overwritten. The import summary tells you exactly how many were skipped and which ones they were.
What does the TOTAL row at the bottom represent?
The TOTAL row sums all account balances with proper accounting signs: debit accounts (assets, expenses, cogs) are added, and credit accounts (liabilities, equity, revenue) are subtracted. In a balanced system, the total should be zero or near zero.
Can I undo a Clean Up Zero Balance?
No. The deletion is permanent. Always double-check before confirming. Consider exporting your chart of accounts or taking a screenshot before running the cleanup if you need a record of what was removed.