What Ledger Colors Mean
When you display the ledger for an account, you'll notice that the individual transactions are color-coded (in black, gray, maroon, green, navy blue, and olive). This is done as a visual reference to make finding certain types of entries more apparent.
Here's what the various colors mean:
If this is an OPEN ITEM account . . .
Open Item Account - Black
Black type is used for any kind of invoice that still has an amount owing on it.
Example: You make a delivery for $176.97 but have not yet received payment for it (or a payment has been received but not yet been applied).
Black type is also used when a payment has been made but not yet applied to an invoice.
Example: You receive the payment for the delivery shown above ($176.97) but have not yet applied it to the corresponding invoice. The dollar amount of the payment will show in both the "Payment" column AND the "Pay. Bal." (Payment Balance) column.
Open Item Account - Grey
Gray type means that an invoice has been paid and the payment has been applied leaving a zero balance.
Example: You make a delivery for $63.30 and receive a payment for $63.30 which is then applied to it.
Open Item Account - Maroon
Maroon type is used to show payments that have not yet been applied.
Example: This could be a deposit for which no deliveries have been made yet or a payment that was not applied to the corresponding invoice. The dollar amount of the payment will show in both the "Payment" column AND the "Pay. Bal." (Payment Balance) column.
Open Item Account - Green
This is the most complicated example of color-coding. Green type indicates that an invoice has been entered along with a payment BUT there is still a balance due on the invoice AND the payment has not yet been applied (or has been only partially applied).
Example: You make a delivery for $150.00 and pick up a check for $50.00 for a previous delivery. However, only $25.00 of this amount was applied leaving an unapplied payment of $25.00.
Open Item Account - Navy Blue
Navy blue is used to show a deposit that has not been applied yet.
Example: A $100.00 deposit was made but no deliveries have been applied to it yet.
Open Item Account - Olive
An olive background is used to show a budget payment (whether it has been applied or not).
If this is a BALANCE FORWARD Account . . .
Balance Forward Account - Black
Normally, most of the entries on a Balance Forward account ledger will be shown in black type.
Balance Forward Account - Olive
An olive background is used to show a budget payment (whether it has been applied or not).
Balance Forward Account - Navy Blue
Navy blue is used to show a deposit that has not been applied yet.
Example: A $100.00 deposit was made but no deliveries have been applied to it yet.