TABLE OF CONTENTS


The Sales Journal Report is a powerful tool in CaterZen, providing insights into order payments, outstanding invoices, and financial data crucial for managing catering operations. This guide will walk you through accessing, filtering, and exporting this essential report, ensuring you stay on top of your catering business’s financials.


Accessing the Sales Journal Report 

Step 1: Navigate to the Report

    1. Click on the Accounting Tab.

    2. Select the Sales Journal Report link.


Step 2: Filter Your Data

    1. Choose your Date Range to specify the time period for the report.

    2. Select an Order Type (e.g., Pickup, Delivery, etc.).

    3. Filter by Tax Status (Taxable, Tax-Exempt, or Both).

    4. Choose a Location (for multi-unit businesses).

    5. Click Apply Filter to generate the report.


Understanding the Report Structure

Key Sections of the Sales Journal Report - Left Side 

The report contains multiple expandable sections, each offering a breakdown of sales, payments, and fees:

  1. Catering Item Sales – Displays total revenue from orders by Sales categories you designated. 
  2. Service & Delivery Fees – Details additional fees charged.
  3. Discounts & Coupons – Reflects any applied discounts.
  4. Third Party Fees – Details additional fees charged by a Third Party.
  5. Sales Tax – Shows the total tax collected.
  6. Tips – Shows the tips added to orders. 



Tip:
Expand each section to drill down into individual orders, payment types, and fees. Click the Order ID, Invoice, or Customer Name links for quick access to order details.



Expanding a section reveals the specific orders associated with that category. From there, you can click on the Order link to view full order details, the Invoice link to review billing information, or the Customer link to check payment history or outstanding balances.




Key Sections of the Sales Journal Report - Right Side 

The report includes multiple expandable sections, each providing a detailed breakdown of your available payment types along with overpayments, deposits and outstanding balances.

Payments on Sales from the Selected Date Range

A. Credit Card

  • An order was paid with a credit card and falls within the selected date range.
  • The payment was received and settled during the date range.

B. Custom Payment Type

  • Any custom payment method created in your settings will show.
  • Example: Check or ACH/EFT

C. Overpayments

  • A client overpaid for an order within the date range.
  • This commonly occurs when a customer changes an order after they have paid.

D. Deposits Applied

  • A payment was processed before the order date.
  • Once the order date occurs, the system automatically applies the deposit as payment.
  • This applies to any order type within the selected date range.

E. Invoice: Outstanding / Unpaid

  • Any unpaid order within the date range.
  • This typically appears if the date range includes future orders.

F. Refunds

  • Displays any refund issued during the selected date range.

G. Invoice: Pre-Paid

  • A payment was received during the date range, but the order has not yet occurred.
  • This would be listed as a deposit in the Accounting tab and will automatically apply on the order date.

Payments on Sales from Before the Selected Date Range

To the right of the report, you’ll also find Payments on Sales from Before the Date Range.

  • A payment was made within the selected date range, but the order date falls outside of it. (either before or after the event date) 


Options for Downloading Data

CaterZen offers two export formats:

  1. Standard Excel Export – Provides a basic summary of the report. 
  2. Detailed Excel Export – Offers a comprehensive breakdown, including separate tabs for more in-depth insights.


Steps to Export the Report (Standard) 

    1. Click Export to Excel.

    2. Open the downloaded file to review and manipulate data. When exporting the Sales Journal Report to Excel, the file will contain the same columns as those displayed on the Sales Journal page. While you can edit the data within Excel, please note that column  cannot be expanded due to formatting restrictions.



Steps to Export the Report (Detailed) 

    1. Click Export to Excel (Detailed).

    2. Open the downloaded file to review and manipulate data. The Detailed Export provides a comprehensive breakdown of the Sales Journal, including all order details that fall within your selected date range. This ensures that you have access to all payment transactions, invoices, and order information for accurate reporting and analysis. 


Understanding the Excel File Structure

Upon exporting, your Excel file will include two separate tabs, each corresponding to a section of the Sales Journal:

  • Left Side Tab: Contains details such as order information, transaction dates, and customer details.
  • Right Side Tab: Includes payment details, payment types, invoice references, and total amounts received.


These two sections mirror the layout of the Sales Journal page in CaterZen, helping you quickly locate and analyze the necessary financial data.


Practical Uses of the Sales Journal Report 

  • Track Paid vs. Unpaid Orders – Identify outstanding invoices that need follow-ups.
  • Monitor Payment Methods – See how customers are paying (credit card, check, etc.).
  • Audit Deposits & Prepayments – Ensure deposits are properly applied on the event date.
  • Verify Service & Delivery Fees – Confirm all additional charges are accounted for.


By mastering the Sales Journal Report, you can keep your catering business financially organized and ensure smooth accounting operations. Regular use of this report will help reduce unpaid invoices, track revenue accurately, and maintain a strong financial foundation for your catering business.