How do I widen the columns in the Journal Entry screen? I am using the Desktop version.

Hi there, JGonzales21.

Welcome to the QuickBooks Community. This isn't the kind of feelings that I'd like you to experience while utilizing QuickBooks Desktop. I also recognize the importance of having the option to permanently widen the column on the Make General Journal Entries screen. I'll ensure you can send feedback so your suggestion for the said option will be available soon.

QuickBooks Desktop allows you to adjust the column of some transactions page. However, permanently widening the column to view the entire journal entry number is currently unavailable. You'll have to manually adjust the column by dragging the line to the left or right and save it. With this, I encourage you to submit feedback. These requests and recommendations are sent to the Product Development Team for consideration in future updates. To start with, you'll have to go to the Help icon and choose Send Feedback Online.

Lastly, you may refer to this article to view details on how you can memorize reports in QuickBooks so the same settings of the customized report are available for future use: Create, access and modify memorized reports.

I'll be around to help if you have any other questions about this concern. Just let me know by leaving a comment below,JGonzales21. Have a nice day ahead.

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@JGonzales21 wrote:

How do I permanently widen the column so I can view the entire journal entry number? 

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I think you mean the table of prior Journal Entries at the bottom of the General Journal form. If so, then you can adjust the columns by hovering over the the little column dividers between the column titles, then click and drag left or right and release. Your adjustments will then 'stick' until you change them, adjusting proportionally if you change the window width:

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 @ChristieAnn

Wrote: I also recognize the importance of having the option to permanently widen the column on the screen of all created journal entries

Which is why QuickBooks does just that. Which you'd know if you simply tried it, like I did before posting an answer.

I understand how to widen the column on the screen, but when it prints, all the columns are short and they cut off the entry when it's printed.  You can't see the full description.

Let me help you resolve the printing issue of your Journal Entry in QuickBooks Desktop, @pascal12.

You can encounter printing issues due to multiple reasons. See the list below for the most common problem:

• You update QuickBooks to the latest release.
• Your computer is connected to the printer.
• You have the latest printer driver installed.
• There are no error messages or warning lights on your printer.

Let's proceed with isolating the problem by printing from another program. Try to print from using another program or Notepad as long as it's not QuickBooks.

If you are able to print correctly, test your company file and QuickBooks installation. Otherwise, test the printer set up.

If you still can't print properly, you can run the print and PDF tool from the QuickBooks Tool Hub. It can help fix common errors. We recommend you use Tool Hub on Windows 10, 64-bit.

Here's how:

1. Close QuickBooks.
2. Download the most recent version (1.6.0.3) of the QuickBooks Tool Hub. Save the file somewhere you can easily find it (like your Downloads folder or your Windows desktop). Note: If you've installed Tool Hub before, you can find out which version you have. Select the Home tab. The version will be on the bottom.
3. Open the file you downloaded (QuickBooksToolHub.exe).
4. Follow the on-screen steps to install and agree to the terms and conditions.
5. When done with the installation, double-click the icon on your Windows desktop to open the tool hub.

Then, use the Print and PDF Repair tool. Here is an article for the detailed steps: Fix printing issues in QuickBooks Desktop.

For future reference, you can read this article to help you manage reports in QuickBooks Desktop: Customize reports in QuickBooks Desktop.

Don't hesitate to click the Reply button below if you have questions about printing reports in QuickBooks Online. I'm always here to help. Have a great day.

I have saved the column width multiple times on my recurring transactions templates.  That has never proven to work.

Now, once I open the transaction to create the JE, I adjust the first column so I can read what it is I am trying to record.  Every time I move to the next cell to enter the data, the first column shrinks, so that I am forced to repeat the adjustment multiple times each transaction.  

Please advise as to how to stop this?

Thank you!

I can see you're facing an issue where the column widths reset or don't save correctly, Clayton. Let's go through some troubleshooting steps to resolve this.
 

Bugs like this are fixed in newer versions of the software. Check if there’s an update available and install it. 
 

1. Go to Help and select Update QuickBooks Desktop.
2. Select Update Now, then Get Updates.

If the issue continues, we can use the QuickBooks Tool Hub to address common system problems and help resolve this.

1. Close QuickBooks.
2. Download the most recent version (1.6.0.8) of the QuickBooks Tool Hub. Save the file somewhere you can easily find it (like your Downloads folder or Windows desktop). Note: If you've installed Tool Hub before, you can find out which version you have. Select the Home tab. The version will be on the bottom.
3. Open the file you downloaded (QuickBooksToolHub.exe).
4. Follow the on-screen steps to install and agree to the terms and conditions.
5. Once the installation is complete, double-click the icon on your Windows desktop to launch the Tool Hub.

Also, you can run a report to review your journal entry. For detailed steps, check out the article: Create a journal entry in QuickBooks Desktop for Windows. Use the transaction journal report to spot out-of-balance transactions or incorrect entries.

Don't hesitate to reply if you need more guidance on the process. We're always around to help.