Import a Chart of Accounts

Warning: If you are importing your data from Sage 50 or Acomba software, please contact a member of our team. We have a tool that automatically imports your data.

Before starting, make sure there are no transactions in your account.
The import and creation of your chart of accounts must be done at the very beginning of your GEM-CAR setup. Your account must not contain any transactions when importing a chart of accounts.

If you have already made transactions but still want to import a chart of accounts, you have three options:

• Do not import a chart of accounts. Instead, configure your chart manually.

• Delete your few transactions one by one.

• Contact your representative or write to soutien@gem-books.com, and we will do it for you.

Importing a chart of accounts from an Excel file

To import a chart of accounts from an Excel file, you must first export our template, which you can then modify.

To begin, in the left-hand menu, click on Configurations > Import/Export.

A window will appear. Click on the Accounts tab and then on the blue Download template file with your data button.

Here’s what a complete chart of accounts might look like:

Code – Enter the account number. This is usually a four- or six-digit number.

Name – Enter the account name. Make sure the name is descriptive. For example, if it’s the account for federal remittances, name it “Federal remittances”.

Type – Enter the code corresponding to the account type:

• AC = Short-term assets

• AL = Long-term assets

• PC = Short-term liabilities

• PL = Long-term liabilities

• C = Capital

• R = Revenue

• AR = Other revenue

• D = Expenses

• AD = Other expenses

For example, if it’s a revenue account, enter the letter R. If it’s a long-term liability account, enter PL.

Crédit/DÉBIT – Indicate whether the account is debit or credit:

• C = Credit

• D = Debit

If it’s a credit account, enter C. If it’s a debit account, enter D.

Taxable – Indicate whether the account is taxable:

If it is taxable, enter Yes. If it is not taxable, enter No.

Devises – Indicate whether the account is in Canadian or U.S. currency:

• CAD = Canadian currency

• USD = U.S. currency

If the account is in Canadian currency, enter CAD. If in U.S. currency, enter USD.

Starting balance – Enter the account’s starting balance.

If the balance is a credit, enter a negative amount. If it’s a debit, enter a positive amount.
The total of the Start balance column must equal zero.

Main Account Configurations

• B = Default bank, usually 1001

• BF = Current earnings, usually 3510 (Net income)

• R = Default main revenue

• A = Default main purchases

• C = Accounts Receivable / Clients, usually 1201 (Will be $0 during import)

• P = Accounts Payable / Suppliers, usually 2100 (Will be $0 during import)

• EC = Customer discount (early payment, sales rebate), usually 4996

• EP = Supplier discount (early payment, purchase rebate), usually 5996

• TPSP = GST collected on sales (Payable), usually 2430

• TVQP = QST collected on sales (Payable), usually 2440

• TPSR = GST paid on purchases (Receivable), usually 2431

• TVQR = QST paid on purchases (Receivable), usually 2441

• AJ = Adjustment account, usually 9999

For example, if this is your default bank account, enter the letter B.
If the account does not exist, you will need to create it even if it will never be used.

Group

• HG = Group header

• SG = Subgroup account

• TSG = Subgroup total

• CG = GROUP ACCOUNT

• TG = Group total

Account codes must be unique

Warning! If you import a chart of accounts containing an account code that already exists in Active, the account in Active will be replaced by the one in the imported chart.

Example: You add a TPS Paid account with code 1007 to your Excel chart. But you didn’t realize that a TVQ Paid account with the same code 1007 already exists in Active. When importing, TPS Paid will replace TVQ Paid because they share the same code.

Active and Inactive Accounts

When you import a chart of accounts, accounts already configured in Active will become inactive, and the imported accounts will become active.
Make sure all your accounts are included in the chart of accounts you import.

Example: You’ve already configured your Petty Cash account (1002) in Active, but you want to import a chart of accounts. If the chart you import does not include account 1002 - Cash Register, that account will become inactive in the software.

Note: Main accounts of type C (Accounts Receivable; Clients) and P (Accounts Payable; Suppliers) must have a zero start balance. The trick is to sum the amounts of these two accounts and enter that total into the AJ (Adjustment account). That way, your trial balance will balance after import.
You’ll then import your receivables and payables via the Invoices tab, where Client-type lines will total the amount you had in the C account, and Supplier-type lines will total the amount in P.

Tip: In Excel, make sure to sum the Start balance column. If the total equals zero, you can proceed with the import. Otherwise, more adjustments are needed.
(Don’t forget to delete the total before importing.)

Activate an inactive account

To activate an inactive account, click on Accounting > Chart of Accounts.

Then, click on the blue list icon in the upper right corner of the screen.

In the lists dialog box, select the Inactive status and click on the green Filter button.

From the list of inactive accounts, click on the account you wish to activate.
On the account information page, select Yes under the menu titled Active.

Then click on the green Save button.

Finally, it is always wise to plan ahead and have your chart of accounts validated by the external accountant who closes your year by providing them with your Income Statement.