is the most basic of journals. It is a chronological list of transactions. It has a very specific format for recording each transaction. Each transaction is recorded separately and consists of: 1.) a date; 2.) any and all accounts to receive a debit entry are listed first with an amount in the appropriate columnthen; 3.) any and all accounts to receive a credit entry are indented and listed next with an amount in the appropriate column; 4.) a clear description of the transaction. At least one line is then skipped to visually separate recorded transactions.

This definition is in context to Accounting. See more contextual defintions for General Journal.