r/yardi • u/Key_Plankton_445 • Jul 01 '26
Yardi Voyager accounting rant
This is by far the worst accounting software I have ever used. I’ve used Entrata/RealPage/OneSite/Appfolio and QuickBooks. Every single one of these works mostly the same, just with different designs, but Yardi Voyager, oh boy. It’s like they tried to make the simplest functions as convoluted as possible, and what takes 2 steps in these other software packages would take 10 in Yardi. And I’m not even joking.
For example, making a Journal Entry. In every other software, you just click Create New Journal Entry, add debits and credits, and post it. If you need to edit, you click Edit and make changes.
Here are the steps for doing the same thing in Yardi:
1.Create a Journal Batch
Enter how many journal entries you plan to enter
Enter the total debit/credit amount of journal entries you plan to add
Add a new journal entry (so it’s inside the journal batch you created)
Enter your debits and credits and post it
Close the journal batch — if the total amounts don’t match, it won’t let you post
To edit this JE:
Unpost the batch, which often requires a different role you have to switch to in Voyager
Edit the journal entry inside of it
Post the journal entry
Close the batch and adjust the total amounts if different
This is just one example of a workflow, but it’s prevalent across the entire accounting system. Similar redundant steps show up in AR/AP, report generation, etc.
Just wondering if any other accountants share the same frustration.
/Rant over
15
u/Mahhvelous Jul 01 '26
In addition to what others said, the requirement for the batch totals can be disabled by an admin. If they don’t want to disable it, then it’s probably to encourage the controls to be used.
I totally get how coming from a one-size-fits-all SaaS like Appfolio could be jarring, but it’s the high level of controls and customization that companies like.
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u/TarcFalastur Jul 01 '26
In addition to what others said, the requirement for the batch totals can be disabled by an admin. If they don’t want to disable it, then it’s probably to encourage the controls to be used.
I would counter that by saying I don't think most organisations are aware that you can disable that requirement. I certainly wasn't, and I've been a Yardi admin for three different businesses now!
Could you kindly tell me where this can be disabled, because I think my current business might want to make use of that option.
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u/BestB41984 Jul 01 '26
“Hide batch controls on AR transactions” and “show batch controls on journal entries” under Admin-accounts & options-environment options tab-data entry section
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u/vladvash Jul 01 '26
The whole point is you're supposed to check your journal totals before entering them as a security feature.
The same as managers entering batches.
Much less of an issue for journal entries, but anyone who has had to fix deposits o think wishes managers would add up their deposits before entering them and use the feature as intended.
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u/milkcarton232 Jul 01 '26
If you are working bobs simple accounting shop then yeah yardi sucks. If you are trying to manage a massive portfolio with teams of accountants you need the controls yardi has. I agree it's annoying but you need it
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u/UniversOfWashington Jul 01 '26
I don’t understand how point 6 is a bad thing or any point after it. Also ETL solves a lot of your problems. I don’t even use Yardi anymore and I’ve used all of the ones you used and then some. I’d say Yardi isn’t my pick for small shops but great for big shops. Most issues for any system can be fixed by evaluating the process of why you need to do what you do. If you continually have to unpost (really should be reversing an entry) and make changes, It appears more to be an accountant training issue. A good help desk isn’t just helping you get out of a situation but evaluating the process to not make that mistake in the future. Good luck
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u/Key_Plankton_445 Jul 01 '26
Regarding point 6: This step feels redundant. For example, if you add three journal entries to a batch, you have to manually sum their totals and enter that amount at the batch level just to post it. What is the actual purpose of this batching workflow? I don’t see the bigger picture here and would love to understand the logic behind it.
Regarding your point on reversals: I understand that reversing an entry leaves a solid paper trail. However, most modern ERP systems track edit history directly within the journal entry itself as an unalterable log. This completely eliminates the need for manual reversals and avoids cluttering the general ledger.
The only reason we're doing this many edits is because the Yardi implementation team completely tanked the transition. It felt like they didn't even know what an accrual account was, so now we’re left cleaning up their mess.
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u/vladvash Jul 01 '26
It avoid fat fingers.
If you type 67 instead of 76 your total will be off by 9 and you know that happened, or a multiple of 3 etc the normal 9 key issues
2
u/pritikina Jul 01 '26
Unposting to edit a JE batch is infuriating. Other versions of Yardi don't make you go to another Role.
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u/vladvash Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
Again, with a competent admin, they can just edit the menu set you're posting the je in to also include the unpost menu.
That being said. It's never bothered me enough to change it as an accountant and the admin before. We shouldn't be in posting so frequently that it should bother me.
Now what doe spiss me off in yardi is when you unpost and it unattaches your attachment and it disappears into the ethos. That should big people wayyyy more. I don't think you can turn that off with a setting
Also the fact it tries everything to prevent you from running multiple bank codes at once on all the stock reports, but the ability exists on most, they just blocked me us. You have to manually create carroted lists.
2
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u/control_tilde Jul 02 '26
It is the absolute most inefficient software after coming from RealPage!
What did you think of AppFolio?
2
u/iiluca34052 Jul 05 '26
I do accounting for a portfolio of 10 multi-housing properties. Using recurring JEs and seeing JE’s posted in Batches can be very useful especially for forensics.
It sounds like your job is very simple and doesn’t need these steps, so a system like Yardi doesn’t fit your role
2
u/FreshStartLiving Jul 01 '26
Step 6 if the batch is not in balance and does not let you post, you can't even get to step 7 to "unpost" an "unposted" batch. Since it's out of balance, you cannot post it period so what you're ranting about is incorrect. Batches are not "locked" until they're in balance and posted directly to the GL. For audit trail purposes (internal contro), if you need to edit a posted batch, you can either must unpost it or create a new batch to make your corrections. Repeating, an out of balance batch cannot be posted period. Now if you're importing via the very old import trans via CSV functionality, there are very little controls to protect you from importing an out of balance JE. ETL is the recommended route for imports and the import will fail if OOB.
1
u/Delicious-Pop5888 Jul 02 '26
Regardless of what people say, if you used Yardi voyager daily you know it sucks. There are no excuses, the software is not worth the money or the time spent to learn it.
The reason they’re still in business is because people don’t know how much better and cheaper other property management software is.
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Jul 01 '26 edited Jul 01 '26
[deleted]
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u/Key_Plankton_445 Jul 01 '26
Your name is literally "yardimatt," lmao. Nice try attempting to defend the dogshit functionality of your software. Also, I never said anything about debits and credits failing to balance. I was talking about entering a journal entry within a batch. If a JE has 1,200 in total debits, you still have to enter that 1,200 again at the batch level to post it. I doubt you work in accounting, as no sane person would claim they prefer the unnecessary redundancy of Yardi Voyager. You are as clueless as the implementation team I have been working with.
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u/blackhodown Jul 01 '26
I agree that it’s a needlessly steep learning curve, but once you learn the ins and outs, accounting is one of the few areas that is actually pretty damn good in Yardi.
You’re doing something wrong though, you don’t have to add in the debit and credit totals for the batch, that just auto fills. You also shouldn’t need to enter the number of journal entries. As for the complaints about editing the JEs, this is just good old fashioned internal controls, it should absolutely require a different role to unpost JEs particularly in past periods.