Tech Talks After Hours: Implementing Journal Entry Manager (JEM) now available!

On this episode of Tech Talks After Hours, Patrick Keirnan and Tom Linton walk through implementing Journal Entry Manager (JEM), covering setup from both the administrator and end-user/preparer perspectives.

Implementing JEM (Journal Entry Manager)

• What is JEM? Journal Entry Manager is part of the OneStream Financial Close (OFC) suite. It provides a centralized, organized place to manage journal entries destined for multiple external ERP systems (JD Edwards, SAP S/4HANA, NetSuite, and others) — it is not designed for top-side adjustments within OneStream itself.
• Flat-file integration: JEM currently operates as a flat-file solution with no direct live connections to ERP systems. Journals are exported as formatted files (CSV, pipe-delimited, tab-delimited, JSON) and consumed by the ERP. A direct SAP connector is planned for a future release.
• Right-to-left setup methodology: Configure in this order: Global Settings → ERPs → Field Value Lists → Templates → Journals. Decisions made on the right (ERP format, field definitions) directly shape what's available on the left (templates, journals), so understanding ERP requirements upfront is critical.
• Self-contained JEM security: JEM maintains its own security layer separate from the OneStream platform. Assign JEM users, create access groups (e.g., "JEM Banking Preparers"), and assign groups to templates. Using groups rather than individual users simplifies ongoing access management.
• Accounting periods and period override: JEM has two end dates — an accounting end date (hard cutoff) and a buffer end date for post-close entries. Admins can override the period for late journals; all overrides are captured in the audit log.
• File Explorer and SFTP connections: Journals are delivered via OneStream File Explorer folders or SFTP. Organize folders by ERP instance (a JD Edwards folder, a SAP folder, etc.) and maintain separate directories for outgoing journal extracts, processed files, and posting responses. Keep processed folders pruned to prevent File Explorer from growing too large.
• Field value lists: These are controlled dropdown lists that restrict which ERP-native values (accounts, entities, cost centers) a journal preparer can select. They enforce data integrity and can be imported in bulk via a built-in data management job — enable "Auto Import" on the ERP connection, place the list files in the designated File Explorer subfolder, and run the out-of-box sequence (schedulable via Task Scheduler).
• ERP format configuration: Configure file type (CSV, tab-delimited), delimiter, decimal separator, date format, and sign handling per ERP. Field IDs can be aliased to match the exact naming the ERP requires. JSON posting responses are recommended for transparency; the response file ties back to the OneStream journal ID for traceability.
• Templates: Templates define which ERP a journal targets, which field value lists constrain each field (header and line-item level), access group assignments, approval levels, and optional settings like auto-reversal and attachment requirements. The system validates field-value-list assignments and enforces journal balance at save time.
• Dynamic approval rules: Rules can be stacked on templates to trigger additional approvers or attachment requirements based on conditions (e.g., any journal over $10,000 requires a second approver). Apply these selectively — overly complex stacking creates maintenance burden; implement a few, train the client, and let them grow from there.
• Rejection reason codes: Approvers can reject journals and select from configured reason codes. A rejection report is available with date range filtering, exportable to Excel, making it useful for audit and control reviews.
• Reporting: Two built-in reports — a general journal status report and a rejection report — both exportable to Excel. The general report shows journal status (including a posting state column); "Ready to Send" means OneStream has done its part, but actual ERP booking depends on the receiving system.
• Key Takeaway: JEM implementation success depends heavily on upfront coordination with ERP database experts — finance staff alone cannot define the required field mappings. Gather ERP field requirements, extract existing journal lists to build field value lists, and confirm how each ERP will consume the output file before beginning configuration. The estimator template (available via support ticket) helps scope the work accurately.

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