In Business Central, the name on a ledger entry is the person who posted it, not the person who keyed in the document. This surprises many users, especially when they open Page Inspection and see two different names on the same entry.
The same rule applies to general ledger, customer, vendor and other ledger entries. This post explains what the two system fields mean, why they can show different people, and how to find the original creator when you need it.
What the two fields mean
Every table in Business Central has system fields that record who inserted a record and who last changed it. You can see them in Page Inspection (Ctrl+Alt+F1) under Table Fields.
| Field | What it records | Does it change? |
|---|---|---|
| SystemCreatedBy | The user who inserted the record. For a ledger entry, this is the user who posted. | Never |
| SystemCreatedAt | The date and time of posting | Never |
| SystemModifiedBy | The last user who updated the record after it was created | Every time the entry is updated |
| SystemModifiedAt | The date and time of that last update | Every time the entry is updated |
The standard User ID column on the ledger entries page also shows the user who posted, so it normally matches SystemCreatedBy.
Right after posting, the created and modified fields show the same person. They only become different when someone touches the entry later.
Scenario: three users, one journal batch
Only the user who posts appears on the ledger entry. Take a common setup with three people:
- User A creates the journal batch, enters the lines and sends it for approval.
- User B approves the batch.
- User C posts the batch.
| User | What they did | Shown on the ledger entry? |
|---|---|---|
| User A | Entered the journal lines | No |
| User B | Approved the batch | No |
| User C | Posted the batch | Yes: User ID, SystemCreatedBy and SystemModifiedBy |
The reason is simple. The ledger entry does not exist until posting, so the system sees User C as the one who created it. The journal lines that User A keyed in are deleted once the batch is posted, and their creator name goes with them.
The same rule applies to G/L entries, customer and vendor ledger entries, their detailed entries and the G/L register. Posted sales and purchase documents work the same way: the posted invoice shows who posted it, not who prepared it.
Why you may see two different names
Two different names mean someone did something to the entry after it was posted. The amounts and posting date cannot be edited, but a ledger entry is still updated in the background by many everyday actions.
| Action after posting | What gets updated on the entry |
|---|---|
| Apply or unapply the entry | Open, Closed by Entry No., Closed at Date |
| Select the entry in Apply Entries, a payment journal or a cash receipt journal | Applies-to ID and Amount to Apply, even before the payment is posted |
| Edit a field with Edit List | Due Date, Pmt. Discount Date, On Hold |
| Export a payment file | Exported to Payment File |
| Reverse the transaction | Reversed |
Whoever performs any of these becomes the new SystemModifiedBy. It does not mean the posting itself was changed. You will see this most often on customer and vendor ledger entries, because they are applied and paid. G/L entries are rarely updated after posting.
For example, a finance manager posts a purchase invoice on 1 October. A few days later, an intern prepares the payment journal and selects that invoice for payment. The invoice entry now shows the manager as SystemCreatedBy and the intern as SystemModifiedBy.
Quick reference: who appears in each scenario
SystemCreatedBy always follows the poster, and SystemModifiedBy follows the last person who touched the entry.
| Scenario | Entry you are looking at | SystemCreatedBy | SystemModifiedBy |
|---|---|---|---|
| A enters the journal, B approves, C posts | The new entry | C | C |
| A posts an invoice, nobody touches it after | The invoice | A | A |
| A posts an invoice, C later posts a payment applied to it | The invoice | A | C |
| A posts an invoice, C later posts a payment applied to it | The payment | C | C |
| A posts an invoice, C selects it in a payment journal but has not posted yet | The invoice | A | C |
| A posts an invoice, C changes the Due Date with Edit List | The invoice | A | C |
| A posts an invoice, C reverses it | The original invoice | A | C |
| A posts an invoice, C applies it, D later unapplies it | The invoice | A | D |
The last row shows the limit of these fields. SystemModifiedBy keeps only the most recent user, so User C's earlier action is no longer visible there.
How to find the original creator
Standard Business Central does not keep the creator's name on posted documents or ledger entries. If you need it, there are three options.
| Option | What it shows | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Posted Approval Entries | Sender ID (who sent for approval) and Approver ID | Needs an approval workflow. The sender is usually the creator, but someone else could send another person's document. |
| Change Log | Who inserted the document or journal line, and when | Turn on Log Insertion for Sales Header (table 36), Purchase Header (table 38) or Gen. Journal Line (table 81). It only records from the day you enable it. Log a few key fields only, to protect performance. |
| Customisation | A Created By field carried from the document to the posted document and ledger entry | The only way to see the creator directly on the ledger entries page. |
For most audit needs, an approval workflow is enough. Posted Approval Entries give you the preparer and approver, and the ledger entry gives you the poster.
Summary
- Created By = who posted. Not who keyed in the document, and not who approved it.
- Modified By = who last touched the entry. Applying, selecting for payment, editing the due date and reversing all count.
- Two different names are normal. They mean a later action happened, not that the posting was changed.
- To know the original creator, use approval workflows, the Change Log or a small customisation.