🎯 Mastering Tally Prime: The Ultimate Voucher Entry Guide 2025 for Indian Businesses

Voucher entries in TallyPrime are the foundation of accounting records. From recording sales and purchases to tracking payments, receipts, and adjustments — voucher types help maintain books accurately and efficiently. This guide covers everything a beginner to intermediate user needs to know about manual and automated voucher entries in Tally, along with shortcuts, best practices, and advanced journal usage.

✅ What Are Vouchers in Tally?

In TallyPrime, a voucher is a digital document that records a financial transaction. Each voucher type corresponds to a specific transaction — such as Sales, Purchases, Receipts, Payments, Journal, Contra, etc.

Tally provides both default voucher types and custom vouchers (via voucher classes). Each entry made via a voucher automatically updates the ledgers and financial reports.

📌 Basic Requirements to Start Voucher Entries

Before you begin recording vouchers, ensure the following:

• ✅ A company is created and active
• ✅ Chart of accounts (ledgers, groups) is properly set up
• ✅ GST, TDS, or payroll features (if applicable) are enabled
• ✅ Inventory masters are created (for stock-linked transactions)
• ✅ Tally is licensed and activated

🧾 List of Voucher Types in TallyPrime

✍️ How to Enter Vouchers Manually

Manual entry is the most common method, used for typical day-to-day transactions.

Steps to Enter a Voucher in Tally:

1. Go to: Gateway of Tally → Vouchers
2. Select Voucher Type: Press the respective shortcut key (e.g., F5 for Payment)
3. Enter the details:
   • Date (Use F2 to change)
   • Ledger selection
   • Amounts, narration
   • Applicable taxes
4. Press Ctrl + A to save

🔍 Shortcut Tip: Use Alt + 2 in Daybook to duplicate a voucher quickly.

⚙️ Auto-Creation of Vouchers via Sales/Purchase Module

You can automate voucher entries by enabling features like:

• Inventory Purchase & Sales: Automatically generates purchase/sales entries
• POS Entry: For retail billing
• Receipt/Payment from Invoices: Auto-creates receipt/payment when invoice is created and linked with settlement

📤 Sales Voucher Entry (GST-Compliant)

1. Enable GST (if not enabled already)
2. Create/Select the customer ledger
3. Add items from inventory
4. Assign correct GST rate or tax ledger
5. Review tax amount calculation
6. Save and print invoice

💡 Tally auto-calculates GST based on item and party location setup.

📥 Purchase Voucher Entry

1. Select Purchase Voucher from Vouchers menu
2. Enter supplier ledger
3. Add stock items or expense ledgers
4. Allocate input GST properly
5. Save transaction

📎 Tip: You can also attach digital copies of purchase invoices to the voucher.

🔁 Contra Voucher Entry

Use Contra to record fund transfers between:

• Cash to bank
• Bank to cash
• Bank to bank

🎯 These are non-GST transactions and often used for deposits, ATM withdrawals, etc.

🔄 Journal Vouchers & Adjustments

Journals are used for:

• Year-end adjustments
• Accrued expenses
• Prepaid expenses
• Provisions and corrections

Example:

Provision for Audit Fees Dr. xxxx
   To Audit Fees Payable          xxxx

🧠 Pro Tip: Journal vouchers should be supported by clear narrations for audit trails.

🧮 Advanced Entries: Debit/Credit Notes

These help maintain vendor/customer balances correctly in real time.

📊 Distribution of Voucher Use in SMEs (Based on Practical Survey)

Voucher Usage by Indian SMEs (example-based)

Sales Vouchers – 30%
Purchase Vouchers – 25%
Payment Entries – 20%
Receipt Entries – 15%
Journal Entries – 7%
Contra – 3%

🖥️ Report Generation from Voucher Entries

Once vouchers are recorded, you can view them via:

• Display More Reports → Day Book
• Trial Balance → Drill down to ledger
• Profit & Loss → Expense & Income Categories
• GSTR Reports (For GST Entries)
• TDS Reports (If TDS is applicable)

Use filters like date range, voucher type, or ledger name.

🌐 External Link

You can cross-check GST compliance voucher entries with GST Portal’s Invoice Guidelines.

❓FAQs on Voucher Entries in Tally

• What is a voucher in Tally?
  A voucher is a record of a financial transaction made in TallyPrime, updating the books of accounts.
• How to enter a sales invoice in Tally with GST?
  Go to F8: Sales, add customer and item details, apply tax ledgers, and save.
• Can I duplicate an existing voucher?
  Yes, go to Day Book → Select voucher → Press Alt + 2 to duplicate.
• What is the difference between Contra and Journal vouchers?
  Contra involves cash/bank transactions; Journal is used for adjustments or non-cash transactions.
• How do I track payment made to vendors?
  Use Payment Voucher (F5) and view in Outstanding Reports under Display More Reports.
• Can optional vouchers affect books?
  No, optional vouchers are for estimation and don’t impact books until regularized.
• How do I print a voucher?
  After saving, press Alt + P to print immediately or go to Voucher Register.
• Are GST tax ledgers auto-calculated?
  Yes, once setup is complete and GST enabled, Tally auto-calculates based on rules.
• Can I import vouchers from Excel?
  Yes, via Import Data under Company Info or Gateway → Import.
• What if a voucher entry is made incorrectly?
  You can alter via Day Book → Select Voucher → Press Enter → Edit & Save.

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