hledger

Basic setup of hledger for personal finance.

Motivation

The configuration and use of ledger presents simplicity, speed, and notable monitoring.

In particular, the implementation hledger offers a wide range of compatible programs, such as reporting and web interface.

Structure

We use the file ~/.hledger.journal to redirect hledger to the main file in the folder designated for finances, accounts/.

; File ~/.hledger.journal

include ~/accounts/main.ledger

We use 2 configuration files and a book/ folder for transactions.

accounts/
├── book/
│   └── 2000/
│       └── 01.ledger
├── header.ledger
└── main.ledger

Configuration

main

Lists the ledger files to be used and configure the year.

header

Define the accounts and currencies.

; File main.ledger

include header.ledger

; Transactions

Y2000
include book/2000/*.ledger

;Y2001
;include book/2001/*.ledger

; File header.ledger

;==============================================================================
;                                   Assets
;==============================================================================
account assets:bank
account assets:cash
;==============================================================================
;                                 Liabilities
;==============================================================================
account debts:target
;==============================================================================
;                                   Income
;==============================================================================
account income:work
;==============================================================================
;                                  Expenses
;==============================================================================
account expenses:transports
account expenses:food
account expenses:rent

Account types.

Assets

Available resources such as bank and/or cash accounts.

Liabilities

Debts and/or obligations.

Income

Revenue, salary and others incomes.

Expenses

Expenses, costs, shopping and other output money.

Equity

The real value of properties, such as stocks, furniture, or real estate. It is also used for opening and closing balances.

Transactions

We classify them by folders for years and files (01.ledger) for months. Additionally, an initial balance file is required to indicate the initial available money.

; File book/2001/inicial.ledger

include header.ledger

01/01	*	'opening balance'
	assets:banco					1000.00 USD
	assets:cash					100.00 USD
	equity:opening

Transactions use the zero-sum principle. Preferably, the account(s) to be debited/the destination are declared first, and finally the sources. If the source is singular, the destination accounts are automatically summed; otherwise, it is necessary to declare the amounts individually.

Also necessary to declare the transaction status.

; File book/2001/01.ledger

01/02	!	'rent'
	expenses:rent					300.00 USD
	assets:bank

01/03	*	'lunch'
	expenses:food					30.00	USD
	assets:cash

01/03	 	'bus'
	expenses:transports				5.00	USD
	assets:cash

Reports

Basic balance.

$ hledger bs

Balance Sheet 2000-01-03

              || 2000-01-03
==============++============
Assets        ||
--------------++------------
assets:bank   || 700.00 USD
assets:cash   ||  65.00 USD
--------------++------------
              || 765.00 USD
==============++============
Liabilities   ||
--------------++------------
--------------++------------
              ||          0
==============++============
Net:          || 765.00 USD

Monthly balance.

$ hledger bs -M -V

Monthly Balance Sheet 2000-01-31, valued at period ends

              || 2000-01-31
==============++============
Assets        ||
--------------++------------
assets:bank   || 700.00 USD
assets:cash   ||  65.00 USD
--------------++------------
              || 765.00 USD
==============++============
Liabilities   ||
--------------++------------
--------------++------------
              ||          0
==============++============
Net:          || 765.00 USD

Income and expense report.

$ hledger is
Income Statement 2000-01-01..2000-01-03

                     || 2000-01-01..2000-01-03
=====================++========================
Revenues             ||
---------------------++------------------------
---------------------++------------------------
                     ||                      0
=====================++========================
Expenses             ||
---------------------++------------------------
expenses:transports  ||               5.00 USD
expenses:food        ||              30.00 USD
expenses:rent        ||             300.00 USD
---------------------++------------------------
                     ||             335.00 USD
=====================++========================
Net:                 ||            -335.00 USD

Monthly income and expense report.

$ hledger is -M -S
Monthly Income Statement 2000-01

                     ||         Jan
=====================++=============
Revenues             ||
---------------------++-------------
---------------------++-------------
                     ||           0
=====================++=============
Expenses             ||
---------------------++-------------
expenses:rent        ||  300.00 USD
expenses:food        ||   30.00 USD
expenses:transports  ||    5.00 USD
---------------------++-------------
                     ||  335.00 USD
=====================++=============
Net:                 || -335.00 USD

External links

• hledger
• ledger