search icon

Boost your accounting with general ledger software

General ledger accounting is an essential part of managing your business finances. Software and systems that can handle general ledgers can further streamline your accounting tasks, allowing you to focus on growing your business.
Explore our general ledger solutions

What is general ledger accounting software?

General ledger accounting software is a tool that helps businesses manage their financial data. It provides a central repository for all financial transactions and enables companies to keep track of all the financial transactions that occur within their organisation, including sales, purchases, payments and receipts.

General ledger accounting software typically includes features such as:

  • Chart of accounts management: This feature allows businesses to create and manage their chart of accounts, which is a list of all the accounts used in their financial transactions.
  • Transaction recording: enables businesses to record all financial transactions in a central location, making it easier to monitor cash flow, and maintain accurate financial records.
  • Financial reporting: is the creation of a range of financial reports, such as balance sheets, income statements and cash flow statements.
  • Automation of accounting processes: automate many of the routine accounting tasks, such as creating journal entries, reconciling bank accounts and generating invoices. This can save businesses significant amounts of time and reduce the risk of errors.

What are the essential features of GL accounting software?

General ledger accounting functionality is a staple of a good accounting software suite. It enables automated GL functions that increase the efficiency, accuracy, security and visibility of your accounts.

Automated invoice capture

Capture receipts, invoices and expenses with intuitive technology.

Vendor management

Stay on top of vendor agreements to pay on time and accurately.

Real-time reporting

Get easy access to AP data and improve efficacy and agility.

Integrations

Seamlessly connect to your bank, tools, and other systems, to save time.

Workflow automation

Track, route and approve with an automated, seamless workflow.

GL accounting software solutions

The right cloud nonprofit accounting software could shave weeks off your reporting cycle and free up much-needed budget and time. Our HR systems allow you to develop your people with leadership training and succession planning. Find your product today.

Sage Intacct

The leader in cloud accounting and financial management software. Perfect for scale-ups to global enterprises. Bespoke pricing, tailored to your business.
  • Track multiple accounts in real-time.
  • Consolidate multiple entities and more in minutes.
  • Collaborate from a single source of truth.
  • Make strategic decisions with dimensional reporting and analytics.
  • Open APIs allow multiple, stable, secure integrations.

To be blunt, our ledger system was archaic and no longer fit for the size of our company.

Mike Newton
Finance Director, L W Cole

If Sage Intacct got taken away from us tomorrow, I’d feel like the business would go back twenty years.

Henry Shaw
Managing Director, L W Cole

General ledger software FAQs

A general ledger, or GL, is a record of a business or organizations total accounts. This can include assets, liabilities, equity, expenses, revenue, and/or income.

General ledger software is typically an instance of accounting software that is focused on the total accounts of an organisation. A good GL accounting software is typically a module of accounting software that automates processes like invoice capture, reporting, workflow. Online GL accounting software can give you reliable visibility across your accounts on the go.

General ledger software allows you to connect your bank and sync your accounts for automated reconciliations and real-time visibility across your chart of accounts. It saves businesses time by automating workflows and increasing accuracy of your accounts and day-to-day financials.

While both general ledgers and journals keep track of accounting transactions, the key difference is that journals simply consist of a list of raw transaction data listed by date in sequential order, whereas general ledgers segment financial data into five key categories: assets, liabilities, expenses, equity and revenue or income.

Get practical advice about GL accounting software

Sage advice

Read our blog and get articles, insights and tips for your business.
Three-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it matters

Three-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it matters

Struggling with invoice errors? See how 3-way matching in accounts payable ensures accurate payments, reduces risk, and improves efficiency.

Read More
Read More
What is a pro forma invoice? 

What is a pro forma invoice? 

What is a pro forma invoice? Learn how it outlines transaction details before payment and how Irish businesses can create one efficiently.

Read More
Read More
Accounts payable management best practices 

Accounts payable management best practices 

Master accounts payable management best practices to strengthen supplier relationships, optimise cash flow, and improve financial control.

Read More
Read More
Three-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it is important

Three-way matching in accounts payable: What it is and why it is important

Discover how 3-way matching in accounts payable protects your business from errors and fraud. Learn the process, benefits, and how to implement it effectively.

Read More
Read More
What is a purchase order? 

What is a purchase order? 

Learn what a purchase order is, how it differs from invoices, and why POs are essential for managing your business finances efficiently.

Read More
Read More
What is invoice factoring? 

What is invoice factoring? 

Learn everything about invoice factoring for Irish businesses, including benefits, how it works, and whether it's right for your company.

Read More
Read More
What is a trial balance?

What is a trial balance?

Discover what a trial balance is and how this essential report confirms your general ledger debits and credits are accurate each accounting period.

Read More
Read More
Sage Copilot: Secure by design, AI made ready for finance

Sage Copilot: Secure by design, AI made ready for finance

Sage's AI speeds finance with secure by design controls that keep data private, honour roles and leave clear audit trails for confident deployment.

Read More
Read More

Have any questions?

Expert advice

Want to find our more about our general ledger software? We'd be happy to help you explore which solution is the best fit for your business.

Request more information