Every transaction you enter in Tally has to be recorded somewhere before it contributes to your financial reports. Whether you create a sales invoice, record a payment, make a purchase, or pass a journal entry, all these transactions first appear in one central report—the Day Book.
If you’ve ever wondered what is Day Book in Tally, think of it as the daily diary of your business transactions. It records every voucher entered during a specific day or within a selected date range in chronological order, making it one of the most useful reports for accountants and business owners.
In this guide, you’ll learn what the Day Book is, why it’s important, how to access it in TallyPrime, customize it, edit entries, export reports, and avoid common mistakes while using it.
What is Day Book in Tally?
The Day Book in Tally is a report that displays all accounting vouchers entered in chronological order for a selected day or date range. Instead of showing transactions account-wise, it presents them exactly in the sequence they were recorded. This means every Sales Voucher, Purchase Voucher, Receipt Voucher, Payment Voucher, Journal Voucher, Contra Voucher, and other voucher types appear together in one report based on the transaction date.
Traditionally, accountants maintained a physical day book where every daily transaction was manually written before posting it into separate ledgers. In modern accounting, Tally automates this entire process. As soon as a voucher is saved, it is automatically reflected in the Day Book. The Day Book is often considered the first point of daily reconciliation because it allows users to quickly verify whether every transaction has been recorded correctly before moving on to more detailed financial reports.
Businesses commonly use the Day Book to:
- Review daily business activities
- Verify voucher entries
- Detect duplicate or missing transactions
- Edit incorrect vouchers
- Generate daily transaction summaries for management
Since every voucher passes through the Day Book, it serves as the foundation for accurate accounting records.
How to Access Day Book in TallyPrime?
Accessing the Day Book in TallyPrime is quick and straightforward.
Method 1: Using the Gateway of Tally
Follow these steps:
Gateway of Tally → Display More Reports → Day Book
This opens the complete Day Book for the current working period.
Method 2: Using the Shortcut
A faster method is:
Alt + G → Type “Day Book” → Press Enter
This search-based navigation is especially useful in newer versions of TallyPrime where reports can be accessed instantly.
Screenshot Placeholder: Default Day Book screen in TallyPrime showing daily voucher entries.
Once opened, you’ll see all vouchers recorded during the active period. If needed, you can change the date range to view transactions from any day, week, month, or custom period.
Understanding the Day Book Screen
The Day Book screen provides a chronological overview of all vouchers entered into Tally. Although it looks simple, each column contains valuable information.
Here’s what you’ll typically find:
1. Date – Displays the date on which the voucher was recorded. If multiple transactions occur on the same day, they are listed together under that date.
2. Particulars – Shows the ledger or account involved in the transaction. This helps identify the customer, supplier, expense account, or bank account related to the voucher.
3. Voucher Type
Indicates the category of transaction, such as:
- Sales
- Purchase
- Receipt
- Payment
- Journal
- Contra
- Credit Note
- Debit Note
Since all voucher types appear in the same report, users get a complete picture of daily business activity.
4. Voucher Number – Every voucher receives a unique voucher number, making it easier to trace and audit transactions.
5. Debit/Credit Amount – Displays the transaction amount. Depending on the voucher type, you’ll see the debit or credit value associated with that entry.
6. Changing the Report Period
Press F2 (Change Period) to select a different:
- Day
- Week
- Month
- Quarter
- Financial Year
- Custom date range
This feature allows users to review historical transactions without leaving the report.
One of the biggest advantages of the Day Book is that it combines all voucher types into a single chronological view, eliminating the need to open separate reports repeatedly.
How to Filter and Customize Day Book Reports
Not every user needs to see every column or voucher type. TallyPrime offers several customization options to make the Day Book easier to analyze.
1. Configure the Report (F12)
Press F12 to open the configuration menu.
From here, you can:
- Show or hide specific columns
- Display additional voucher details
- Adjust report formatting
- Customize information shown on screen
2. Filter by Voucher Type
Instead of viewing every transaction together, you can filter the report to display only specific voucher types, such as:
- Sales vouchers
- Purchase vouchers
- Payment vouchers
- Receipt vouchers
- Journal entries
3. Switch Between Detailed and Condensed View
Press Alt + F1 to toggle between:
- Condensed View – displays summary information
- Detailed View – displays complete voucher details
Day Book vs Ledger in Tally
Many beginners confuse the Day Book with the Ledger because both display accounting transactions. However, they serve different purposes.
| Feature | Day Book | Ledger |
| View | All transactions | Single account |
| Arrangement | Date-wise | Account-wise |
| Includes | All voucher types | Transactions related to one ledger |
| Purpose | Daily transaction review | Account reconciliation |
| Best Used For | Daily verification | Customer, supplier, bank, or expense analysis |
How to Alter or Delete Entries from Day Book
One of the biggest advantages of the Day Book in TallyPrime is that it is not just a report for viewing transactions—it also serves as a convenient point for reviewing and correcting voucher entries. If you identify an incorrect transaction while checking the Day Book, you do not need to navigate through multiple menus to find the original voucher. Instead, you can open the voucher directly from the Day Book, make the necessary changes, and save it. This feature helps accountants and business owners resolve errors quickly, especially during daily reconciliation or month-end reviews.
To alter a voucher, open the Day Book and select the transaction you want to edit. Press Enter to open the voucher, make the required changes, and save it. If a voucher has been entered by mistake and is no longer required, you can delete it by opening the voucher and pressing Alt + D. TallyPrime will ask for confirmation before permanently removing the entry.
Before editing or deleting any voucher, it is important to understand its impact on your books of accounts. Since every voucher is linked to financial reports such as the Ledger, Trial Balance, Profit & Loss Account, Balance Sheet, and GST reports, any modification will automatically update these reports. For this reason, businesses should exercise caution while making changes to live data and ensure that only authorized users have permission to alter or delete vouchers.
Exporting Day Book to Excel or PDF
The Day Book report can be exported in different formats, making it easy to share daily transaction records with managers, auditors, accountants, or other stakeholders. Exporting the report is particularly useful when preparing audit documentation, creating management reports, or maintaining offline records for future reference. Since the exported report retains the transaction details from TallyPrime, it provides a reliable summary of the business’s daily accounting activities.
To export the Day Book, first open the report and press Alt + E. TallyPrime allows you to choose from multiple export formats, including Excel, PDF, and XML. After selecting the preferred format, specify the destination folder and complete the export process. Excel files are useful for further analysis, sorting, and reporting, while PDF files are ideal for sharing read-only reports with clients, management, or auditors without the risk of accidental modifications.
Common Day Book Errors and How to Fix Them
Although the Day Book is straightforward to use, users occasionally encounter issues that can make transactions appear incorrect or incomplete. In most cases, these problems are caused by report settings rather than missing data, and they can be resolved quickly with a few simple checks.
One of the most common mistakes is selecting the wrong reporting period. If expected transactions are not visible, verify the date range by pressing F2 (Change Period) and selecting the correct day or custom period. Another frequent issue occurs when report filters remain active after a previous search. For example, if the Day Book has been filtered to display only Sales vouchers, users may incorrectly assume that Purchase or Payment vouchers are missing. Clearing the filters restores the complete report.
Another common misunderstanding is using the Day Book for account-wise reconciliation. While the Day Book provides a chronological view of all vouchers entered during a selected period, the Ledger is designed to display transactions related to a single account across multiple dates. Understanding the purpose of each report helps users work more efficiently and reduces confusion during reconciliation and auditing.
Conclusion
The Day Book is one of the most practical and frequently used reports in TallyPrime because it provides a chronological record of every voucher entered into the system. Whether you want to review daily transactions, verify accounting entries, identify errors, or prepare reports for management and auditors, the Day Book offers a clear and organized view of your business’s financial activities.
Understanding what is Day Book in Tally and learning how to access, customize, edit, and export it can significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of your accounting process. As you become familiar with this report, you’ll find it easier to reconcile daily transactions and maintain reliable financial records. To deepen your understanding of TallyPrime, you can also explore our guides on Stock Groups in Tally and Types of Vouchers in Tally, which explain other essential features that support efficient business accounting.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How do I see yesterday’s transactions in Tally?
To view yesterday’s transactions, open the Day Book and press F2 (Change Period). Select yesterday’s date, and the report will display all vouchers recorded on that day in chronological order.
2. Can I print Day Book in Tally?
Yes. TallyPrime allows you to print the Day Book directly from the report. You can also export it as a PDF before printing if you need to share the report electronically or maintain digital records.
3. What is the difference between Day Book and Cash Book?
The Day Book contains all voucher types entered during a selected period, including Sales, Purchase, Payment, Receipt, Journal, Contra, Debit Note, and Credit Note vouchers. The Cash Book, on the other hand, displays only transactions that involve the cash ledger. Businesses use the Day Book for reviewing overall daily activity, while the Cash Book is used specifically to monitor cash receipts and cash payments.
4. Can I filter Day Book by voucher type?
Yes. TallyPrime allows users to filter the Day Book by voucher type, making it easier to review specific transactions such as only Sales, Purchases, Receipts, Payments, or Journal entries. This feature is especially useful during audits, reconciliation, and daily transaction verification.
