diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/.snapshot b/site/doc/1.14/.snapshot new file mode 100644 index 000000000..e69de29bb diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/csv.md b/site/doc/1.14/csv.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..6bccca013 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/csv.md @@ -0,0 +1,274 @@ +# csv format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +CSV - how hledger reads CSV data, and the CSV rules file format + +## DESCRIPTION + +hledger can read +[CSV](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma-separated_values) +(comma-separated value) files as if they were journal files, +automatically converting each CSV record into a transaction. (To learn +about *writing* CSV, see [CSV output](hledger.html#csv-output).) + +Converting CSV to transactions requires some special conversion rules. +These do several things: + +- they describe the layout and format of the CSV data +- they can customize the generated journal entries using a simple + templating language +- they can add refinements based on patterns in the CSV data, eg + categorizing transactions with more detailed account names. + +When reading a CSV file named `FILE.csv`, hledger looks for a conversion +rules file named `FILE.csv.rules` in the same directory. You can +override this with the `--rules-file` option. If the rules file does not +exist, hledger will auto-create one with some example rules, which +you'll need to adjust. + +At minimum, the rules file must identify the `date` and `amount` fields. +It may also be necessary to specify the date format, and the number of +header lines to skip. Eg: + + fields date, _, _, amount + date-format %d/%m/%Y + skip 1 + +A more complete example: + + # hledger CSV rules for amazon.com order history + + # sample: + # "Date","Type","To/From","Name","Status","Amount","Fees","Transaction ID" + # "Jul 29, 2012","Payment","To","Adapteva, Inc.","Completed","$25.00","$0.00","17LA58JSK6PRD4HDGLNJQPI1PB9N8DKPVHL" + + # skip one header line + skip 1 + + # name the csv fields (and assign the transaction's date, amount and code) + fields date, _, toorfrom, name, amzstatus, amount, fees, code + + # how to parse the date + date-format %b %-d, %Y + + # combine two fields to make the description + description %toorfrom %name + + # save these fields as tags + comment status:%amzstatus, fees:%fees + + # set the base account for all transactions + account1 assets:amazon + + # flip the sign on the amount + amount -%amount + +For more examples, see [Convert CSV +files](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Convert-CSV-files). + +## CSV RULES + +The following seven kinds of rule can appear in the rules file, in any +order. Blank lines and lines beginning with `#` or `;` are ignored. + +### skip + +`skip`*`N`* + +Skip this number of CSV records at the beginning. You'll need this +whenever your CSV data contains header lines. Eg: + + + + +``` {.rules} +# ignore the first CSV line +skip 1 +``` + +### date-format + +`date-format`*`DATEFMT`* + +When your CSV date fields are not formatted like `YYYY/MM/DD` (or +`YYYY-MM-DD` or `YYYY.MM.DD`), you'll need to specify the format. +DATEFMT is a [strptime-like date parsing +pattern](http://hackage.haskell.org/packages/archive/time/latest/doc/html/Data-Time-Format.html#v:formatTime), +which must parse the date field values completely. Examples: + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "11/06/2013": +date-format %m/%d/%Y +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "6/11/2013" (note the - to make leading zeros optional): +date-format %-d/%-m/%Y +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "2013-Nov-06": +date-format %Y-%h-%d +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "11/6/2013 11:32 PM": +date-format %-m/%-d/%Y %l:%M %p +``` + +### field list + +`fields`*`FIELDNAME1`*, *`FIELDNAME2`*... + +This (a) names the CSV fields, in order (names may not contain +whitespace; uninteresting names may be left blank), and (b) assigns them +to journal entry fields if you use any of these standard field names: +`date`, `date2`, `status`, `code`, `description`, `comment`, `account1`, +`account2`, `amount`, `amount-in`, `amount-out`, `currency`, `balance`. +Eg: + +``` {.rules} +# use the 1st, 2nd and 4th CSV fields as the entry's date, description and amount, +# and give the 7th and 8th fields meaningful names for later reference: +# +# CSV field: +# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 +# entry field: +fields date, description, , amount, , , somefield, anotherfield +``` + +### field assignment + +*`ENTRYFIELDNAME`* *`FIELDVALUE`* + +This sets a journal entry field (one of the standard names above) to the +given text value, which can include CSV field values interpolated by +name (`%CSVFIELDNAME`) or 1-based position (`%N`). + Eg: + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# set the amount to the 4th CSV field with "USD " prepended +amount USD %4 +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# combine three fields to make a comment (containing two tags) +comment note: %somefield - %anotherfield, date: %1 +``` + +Field assignments can be used instead of or in addition to a field list. + +### conditional block + +`if` *`PATTERN`*\ +    *`FIELDASSIGNMENTS`*... + +`if`\ +*`PATTERN`*\ +*`PATTERN`*...\ +    *`FIELDASSIGNMENTS`*... + +This applies one or more field assignments, only to those CSV records +matched by one of the PATTERNs. The patterns are case-insensitive +regular expressions which match anywhere within the whole CSV record +(it's not yet possible to match within a specific field). When there are +multiple patterns they can be written on separate lines, unindented. The +field assignments are on separate lines indented by at least one space. +Examples: + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# if the CSV record contains "groceries", set account2 to "expenses:groceries" +if groceries + account2 expenses:groceries +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# if the CSV record contains any of these patterns, set account2 and comment as shown +if +monthly service fee +atm transaction fee +banking thru software + account2 expenses:business:banking + comment XXX deductible ? check it +``` + +### include + +`include`*`RULESFILE`* + +Include another rules file at this point. `RULESFILE` is either an +absolute file path or a path relative to the current file's directory. +Eg: + +``` {.rules} +# rules reused with several CSV files +include common.rules +``` + +### newest-first + +`newest-first` + +Consider adding this rule if all of the following are true: you might be +processing just one day of data, your CSV records are in reverse +chronological order (newest first), and you care about preserving the +order of same-day transactions. It usually isn't needed, because hledger +autodetects the CSV order, but when all CSV records have the same date +it will assume they are oldest first. + +## CSV TIPS + +### CSV ordering + +The generated [journal entries](/journal.html#transactions) will be +sorted by date. The order of same-day entries will be preserved (except +in the special case where you might need +[`newest-first`](#newest-first), see above). + +### CSV accounts + +Each journal entry will have two [postings](/journal.html#postings), to +`account1` and `account2` respectively. It's not yet possible to +generate entries with more than two postings. It's conventional and +recommended to use `account1` for the account whose CSV we are reading. + +### CSV amounts + +The `amount` field sets the [amount](/journal.html#amounts) of the +`account1` posting. + +If the CSV has debit/credit amounts in separate fields, assign to the +`amount-in` and `amount-out` pseudo fields instead. (Whichever one has a +value will be used, with appropriate sign. If both contain a value, it +may not work so well.) + +If an amount value is parenthesised, it will be de-parenthesised and +sign-flipped. + +If an amount value begins with a double minus sign, those will cancel +out and be removed. + +If the CSV has the currency symbol in a separate field, assign that to +the `currency` pseudo field to have it prepended to the amount. Or, you +can use a [field assignment](#field-assignment) to `amount` that +interpolates both CSV fields (giving more control, eg to put the +currency symbol on the right). + +### CSV balance assertions + +If the CSV includes a running balance, you can assign that to the +`balance` pseudo field; whenever the running balance value is non-empty, +it will be [asserted](/journal.html#balance-assertions) as the balance +after the `account1` posting. + +### Reading multiple CSV files + +You can read multiple CSV files at once using multiple `-f` arguments on +the command line, and hledger will look for a correspondingly-named +rules file for each. Note if you use the `--rules-file` option, this one +rules file will be used for all the CSV files being read. diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/hledger-api.md b/site/doc/1.14/hledger-api.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..134da4ac2 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/hledger-api.md @@ -0,0 +1,102 @@ +# hledger-api + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +hledger-api - web API server for the hledger accounting tool + +## SYNOPSIS + +`hledger-api [OPTIONS]`\ +`hledger api -- [OPTIONS]` + +## DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1). + +hledger-api is a simple web API server, intended to support client-side +web apps operating on hledger data. It comes with a series of simple +client-side app examples, which drive its evolution. + +Like hledger, it reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, +timeclock, timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or +`$LEDGER_FILE`, or `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). For more about this see hledger(1), +hledger\_journal(5) etc. + +The server listens on IP address 127.0.0.1, accessible only to local +requests, by default. You can change this with `--host`, eg +`--host 0.0.0.0` to listen on all addresses. Note there is no other +access control, and hledger-api allows file browsing, so on shared +machines you will certainly need to put it behind an authenticating +proxy to restrict access. + +You can change the TCP port it listens on (default: 8001) with +`-p PORT`. + +API methods look like: + + /api/v1/accountnames + /api/v1/transactions + /api/v1/prices + /api/v1/commodities + /api/v1/accounts + /api/v1/accounts/ACCTNAME + +See `/api/swagger.json` for a full list in Swagger 2.0 format. (Or you +can run `hledger-api --swagger` to print this in the console.) + +hledger-api also serves files, from the current directory by default, +and the `/` path will also show a directory listing. This is convenient +for serving client-side web code, in addition to the server-side api. + +## OPTIONS + +Note: if invoking hledger-api as a hledger subcommand, write `--` before +options as shown above. + +`-f --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`-d --static-dir=DIR` +: serve files from a different directory (default: `.`) + +`--host=IPADDR` +: listen on this IP address (default: 127.0.0.1) + +`-p --port=PORT` +: listen on this TCP port (default: 8001) + +`--swagger` +: print API docs in Swagger 2.0 format, and exit + +`--version` +: show version + +`-h --help` +: show usage + +## ENVIRONMENT + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## BUGS + +The need to precede options with `--` when invoked from hledger is +awkward. diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/hledger-ui.md b/site/doc/1.14/hledger-ui.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..7f4232fe7 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/hledger-ui.md @@ -0,0 +1,429 @@ +# hledger-ui + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +hledger-ui - curses-style interface for the hledger accounting tool + +## SYNOPSIS + +`hledger-ui [OPTIONS] [QUERYARGS]`\ +`hledger ui -- [OPTIONS] [QUERYARGS]` + +## DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1). + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
+ +hledger-ui is hledger's curses-style interface, providing an efficient +full-window text UI for viewing accounts and transactions, and some +limited data entry capability. It is easier than hledger's command-line +interface, and sometimes quicker and more convenient than the web +interface. + +Note hledger-ui has some different defaults (experimental): + +- it generates rule-based transactions and postings by default + (--forecast and --auto are always on). +- it hides transactions dated in the future by default (change this + with --future or the F key). + +Like hledger, it reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, +timeclock, timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or +`$LEDGER_FILE`, or `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). For more about this see hledger(1), +hledger\_journal(5) etc. + +## OPTIONS + +Note: if invoking hledger-ui as a hledger subcommand, write `--` before +options as shown above. + +Any QUERYARGS are interpreted as a hledger search query which filters +the data. + +`--watch` +: watch for data and date changes and reload automatically + +`--theme=default|terminal|greenterm` +: use this custom display theme + +`--register=ACCTREGEX` +: start in the (first) matched account's register screen + +`--change` +: show period balances (changes) at startup instead of historical + balances + +`-F --flat` +: show accounts as a list (default) + +`-T --tree` +: show accounts as a tree + +`--future` +: show transactions dated later than today (normally hidden) + +hledger input options: + +`-f FILE --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`--rules-file=RULESFILE` +: Conversion rules file to use when reading CSV (default: FILE.rules) + +`--separator=CHAR` +: Field separator to expect when reading CSV (default: ',') + +`--alias=OLD=NEW` +: rename accounts named OLD to NEW + +`--anon` +: anonymize accounts and payees + +`--pivot FIELDNAME` +: use some other field or tag for the account name + +`-I --ignore-assertions` +: ignore any failing balance assertions + +hledger reporting options: + +`-b --begin=DATE` +: include postings/txns on or after this date + +`-e --end=DATE` +: include postings/txns before this date + +`-D --daily` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by day + +`-W --weekly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by week + +`-M --monthly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by month + +`-Q --quarterly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by quarter + +`-Y --yearly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by year + +`-p --period=PERIODEXP` +: set start date, end date, and/or reporting interval all at once + using [period expressions](manual.html#period-expressions) syntax + (overrides the flags above) + +`--date2` +: match the secondary date instead (see command help for other + effects) + +`-U --unmarked` +: include only unmarked postings/txns (can combine with -P or -C) + +`-P --pending` +: include only pending postings/txns + +`-C --cleared` +: include only cleared postings/txns + +`-R --real` +: include only non-virtual postings + +`-NUM --depth=NUM` +: hide/aggregate accounts or postings more than NUM levels deep + +`-E --empty` +: show items with zero amount, normally hidden (and vice-versa in + hledger-ui/hledger-web) + +`-B --cost` +: convert amounts to their cost at transaction time (using the + [transaction price](journal.html#transaction-prices), if any) + +`-V --value` +: convert amounts to their market value on the report end date (using + the most recent applicable [market + price](journal.html#market-prices), if any) + +`--auto` +: apply [automated posting + rules](journal.html#automated-posting-rules) to modify transactions. + +`--forecast` +: apply [periodic transaction](journal.html#periodic-transactions) + rules to generate future transactions, to 6 months from now or + report end date. + +When a reporting option appears more than once in the command line, the +last one takes precedence. + +Some reporting options can also be written as [query +arguments](#queries). + +hledger help options: + +`-h --help` +: show general usage (or after COMMAND, command usage) + +`--version` +: show version + +`--debug[=N]` +: show debug output (levels 1-9, default: 1) + +A @FILE argument will be expanded to the contents of FILE, which should +contain one command line option/argument per line. (To prevent this, +insert a `--` argument before.) + +## KEYS + +`?` shows a help dialog listing all keys. (Some of these also appear in +the quick help at the bottom of each screen.) Press `?` again (or +`ESCAPE`, or `LEFT`) to close it. The following keys work on most +screens: + +The cursor keys navigate: `right` (or `enter`) goes deeper, `left` +returns to the previous screen, +`up`/`down`/`page up`/`page down`/`home`/`end` move up and down through +lists. Vi-style (`h`/`j`/`k`/`l`) and Emacs-style +(`CTRL-p`/`CTRL-n`/`CTRL-f`/`CTRL-b`) movement keys are also supported. +A tip: movement speed is limited by your keyboard repeat rate, to move +faster you may want to adjust it. (If you're on a mac, the Karabiner app +is one way to do that.) + +With shift pressed, the cursor keys adjust the report period, limiting +the transactions to be shown (by default, all are shown). +`shift-down/up` steps downward and upward through these standard report +period durations: year, quarter, month, week, day. Then, +`shift-left/right` moves to the previous/next period. `t` sets the +report period to today. With the `--watch` option, when viewing a +"current" period (the current day, week, month, quarter, or year), the +period will move automatically to track the current date. To set a +non-standard period, you can use `/` and a `date:` query. + +`/` lets you set a general filter query limiting the data shown, using +the same [query terms](/hledger.html#queries) as in hledger and +hledger-web. While editing the query, you can use [CTRL-a/e/d/k, BS, +cursor +keys](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/brick-0.7/docs/Brick-Widgets-Edit.html#t:Editor); +press `ENTER` to set it, or `ESCAPE`to cancel. There are also keys for +quickly adjusting some common filters like account depth and transaction +status (see below). `BACKSPACE` or `DELETE` removes all filters, showing +all transactions. + +As mentioned above, hledger-ui shows auto-generated periodic +transactions, and hides future transactions (auto-generated or not) by +default. `F` toggles showing and hiding these future transactions. This +is similar to using a query like `date:-tomorrow`, but more convenient. +(experimental) + +`ESCAPE` removes all filters and jumps back to the top screen. Or, it +cancels a minibuffer edit or help dialog in progress. + +`CTRL-l` redraws the screen and centers the selection if possible +(selections near the top won't be centered, since we don't scroll above +the top). + +`g` reloads from the data file(s) and updates the current screen and any +previous screens. (With large files, this could cause a noticeable +pause.) + +`I` toggles balance assertion checking. Disabling balance assertions +temporarily can be useful for troubleshooting. + +`a` runs command-line hledger's add command, and reloads the updated +file. This allows some basic data entry. + +`A` is like `a`, but runs the +[hledger-iadd](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-iadd) tool, +which provides a curses-style interface. This key will be available if +`hledger-iadd` is installed in \$PATH. + +`E` runs \$HLEDGER\_UI\_EDITOR, or \$EDITOR, or a default +(`emacsclient -a "" -nw`) on the journal file. With some editors (emacs, +vi), the cursor will be positioned at the current transaction when +invoked from the register and transaction screens, and at the error +location (if possible) when invoked from the error screen. + +`q` quits the application. + +Additional screen-specific keys are described below. + +## SCREENS + +### Accounts screen + +This is normally the first screen displayed. It lists accounts and their +balances, like hledger's balance command. By default, it shows all +accounts and their latest ending balances (including the balances of +subaccounts). if you specify a query on the command line, it shows just +the matched accounts and the balances from matched transactions. + +Account names are shown as a flat list by default. Press `T` to toggle +tree mode. In flat mode, account balances are exclusive of subaccounts, +except where subaccounts are hidden by a depth limit (see below). In +tree mode, all account balances are inclusive of subaccounts. + +To see less detail, press a number key, `1` to `9`, to set a depth +limit. Or use `-` to decrease and `+`/`=` to increase the depth limit. +`0` shows even less detail, collapsing all accounts to a single total. +To remove the depth limit, set it higher than the maximum account depth, +or press `ESCAPE`. + +`H` toggles between showing historical balances or period balances. +Historical balances (the default) are ending balances at the end of the +report period, taking into account all transactions before that date +(filtered by the filter query if any), including transactions before the +start of the report period. In other words, historical balances are what +you would see on a bank statement for that account (unless disturbed by +a filter query). Period balances ignore transactions before the report +start date, so they show the change in balance during the report period. +They are more useful eg when viewing a time log. + +`U` toggles filtering by [unmarked status](/journal.html#status), +including or excluding unmarked postings in the balances. Similarly, `P` +toggles pending postings, and `C` toggles cleared postings. (By default, +balances include all postings; if you activate one or two status +filters, only those postings are included; and if you activate all +three, the filter is removed.) + +`R` toggles real mode, in which [virtual +postings](/journal.html#virtual-postings) are ignored. + +`Z` toggles nonzero mode, in which only accounts with nonzero balances +are shown (hledger-ui shows zero items by default, unlike command-line +hledger). + +Press `right` or `enter` to view an account's transactions register. + +### Register screen + +This screen shows the transactions affecting a particular account, like +a check register. Each line represents one transaction and shows: + +- the other account(s) involved, in abbreviated form. (If there are + both real and virtual postings, it shows only the accounts affected + by real postings.) + +- the overall change to the current account's balance; positive for an + inflow to this account, negative for an outflow. + +- the running historical total or period total for the current + account, after the transaction. This can be toggled with `H`. + Similar to the accounts screen, the historical total is affected by + transactions (filtered by the filter query) before the report start + date, while the period total is not. If the historical total is not + disturbed by a filter query, it will be the running historical + balance you would see on a bank register for the current account. + +Transactions affecting this account's subaccounts will be included in +the register if the accounts screen is in tree mode, or if it's in flat +mode but this account has subaccounts which are not shown due to a depth +limit. In other words, the register always shows the transactions +contributing to the balance shown on the accounts screen.\ +Tree mode/flat mode can be toggled with `T` here also. + +`U` toggles filtering by [unmarked status](/journal.html#status), +showing or hiding unmarked transactions. Similarly, `P` toggles pending +transactions, and `C` toggles cleared transactions. (By default, +transactions with all statuses are shown; if you activate one or two +status filters, only those transactions are shown; and if you activate +all three, the filter is removed.) + +`R` toggles real mode, in which [virtual +postings](/journal.html#virtual-postings) are ignored. + +`Z` toggles nonzero mode, in which only transactions posting a nonzero +change are shown (hledger-ui shows zero items by default, unlike +command-line hledger). + +Press `right` (or `enter`) to view the selected transaction in detail. + +### Transaction screen + +This screen shows a single transaction, as a general journal entry, +similar to hledger's print command and journal format +(hledger\_journal(5)). + +The transaction's date(s) and any cleared flag, transaction code, +description, comments, along with all of its account postings are shown. +Simple transactions have two postings, but there can be more (or in +certain cases, fewer). + +`up` and `down` will step through all transactions listed in the +previous account register screen. In the title bar, the numbers in +parentheses show your position within that account register. They will +vary depending on which account register you came from (remember most +transactions appear in multiple account registers). The \#N number +preceding them is the transaction's position within the complete +unfiltered journal, which is a more stable id (at least until the next +reload). + +### Error screen + +This screen will appear if there is a problem, such as a parse error, +when you press g to reload. Once you have fixed the problem, press g +again to reload and resume normal operation. (Or, you can press escape +to cancel the reload attempt.) + +## ENVIRONMENT + +**COLUMNS** The screen width to use. Default: the full terminal width. + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## BUGS + +The need to precede options with `--` when invoked from hledger is +awkward. + +`-f-` doesn't work (hledger-ui can't read from stdin). + +`-V` affects only the accounts screen. + +When you press `g`, the current and all previous screens are +regenerated, which may cause a noticeable pause with large files. Also +there is no visual indication that this is in progress. + +`--watch` is not yet fully robust. It works well for normal usage, but +many file changes in a short time (eg saving the file thousands of times +with an editor macro) can cause problems at least on OSX. Symptoms +include: unresponsive UI, periodic resetting of the cursor position, +momentary display of parse errors, high CPU usage eventually subsiding, +and possibly a small but persistent build-up of CPU usage until the +program is restarted. diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/hledger-web.md b/site/doc/1.14/hledger-web.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..cca02ec33 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/hledger-web.md @@ -0,0 +1,317 @@ +# hledger-web + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +hledger-web - web interface for the hledger accounting tool + +## SYNOPSIS + +`hledger-web [OPTIONS]`\ +`hledger web -- [OPTIONS]` + +## DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1). + + +
+ + + + + + +
+ +hledger-web is hledger's web interface. It starts a simple web +application for browsing and adding transactions, and optionally opens +it in a web browser window if possible. It provides a more user-friendly +UI than the hledger CLI or hledger-ui interface, showing more at once +(accounts, the current account register, balance charts) and allowing +history-aware data entry, interactive searching, and bookmarking. + +hledger-web also lets you share a ledger with multiple users, or even +the public web. There is no access control, so if you need that you +should put it behind a suitable web proxy. As a small protection against +data loss when running an unprotected instance, it writes a numbered +backup of the main journal file (only ?) on every edit. + +Like hledger, it reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, +timeclock, timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or +`$LEDGER_FILE`, or `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). For more about this see hledger(1), +hledger\_journal(5) etc. + +## OPTIONS + +Command-line options and arguments may be used to set an initial filter +on the data. These filter options are not shown in the web UI, but it +will be applied in addition to any search query entered there. + +Note: if invoking hledger-web as a hledger subcommand, write `--` before +options, as shown in the synopsis above. + +`--serve` +: serve and log requests, don't browse or auto-exit + +`--host=IPADDR` +: listen on this IP address (default: 127.0.0.1) + +`--port=PORT` +: listen on this TCP port (default: 5000) + +`--base-url=URL` +: set the base url (default: http://IPADDR:PORT). You would change + this when sharing over the network, or integrating within a larger + website. + +`--file-url=URL` +: set the static files url (default: BASEURL/static). hledger-web + normally serves static files itself, but if you wanted to serve them + from another server for efficiency, you would set the url with this. + +`--capabilities=CAP[,CAP..]` +: enable the view, add, and/or manage capabilities (default: view,add) + +`--capabilities-header=HTTPHEADER` +: read capabilities to enable from a HTTP header, like + X-Sandstorm-Permissions (default: disabled) + +hledger input options: + +`-f FILE --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`--rules-file=RULESFILE` +: Conversion rules file to use when reading CSV (default: FILE.rules) + +`--separator=CHAR` +: Field separator to expect when reading CSV (default: ',') + +`--alias=OLD=NEW` +: rename accounts named OLD to NEW + +`--anon` +: anonymize accounts and payees + +`--pivot FIELDNAME` +: use some other field or tag for the account name + +`-I --ignore-assertions` +: ignore any failing balance assertions + +hledger reporting options: + +`-b --begin=DATE` +: include postings/txns on or after this date + +`-e --end=DATE` +: include postings/txns before this date + +`-D --daily` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by day + +`-W --weekly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by week + +`-M --monthly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by month + +`-Q --quarterly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by quarter + +`-Y --yearly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by year + +`-p --period=PERIODEXP` +: set start date, end date, and/or reporting interval all at once + using [period expressions](manual.html#period-expressions) syntax + (overrides the flags above) + +`--date2` +: match the secondary date instead (see command help for other + effects) + +`-U --unmarked` +: include only unmarked postings/txns (can combine with -P or -C) + +`-P --pending` +: include only pending postings/txns + +`-C --cleared` +: include only cleared postings/txns + +`-R --real` +: include only non-virtual postings + +`-NUM --depth=NUM` +: hide/aggregate accounts or postings more than NUM levels deep + +`-E --empty` +: show items with zero amount, normally hidden (and vice-versa in + hledger-ui/hledger-web) + +`-B --cost` +: convert amounts to their cost at transaction time (using the + [transaction price](journal.html#transaction-prices), if any) + +`-V --value` +: convert amounts to their market value on the report end date (using + the most recent applicable [market + price](journal.html#market-prices), if any) + +`--auto` +: apply [automated posting + rules](journal.html#automated-posting-rules) to modify transactions. + +`--forecast` +: apply [periodic transaction](journal.html#periodic-transactions) + rules to generate future transactions, to 6 months from now or + report end date. + +When a reporting option appears more than once in the command line, the +last one takes precedence. + +Some reporting options can also be written as [query +arguments](#queries). + +hledger help options: + +`-h --help` +: show general usage (or after COMMAND, command usage) + +`--version` +: show version + +`--debug[=N]` +: show debug output (levels 1-9, default: 1) + +A @FILE argument will be expanded to the contents of FILE, which should +contain one command line option/argument per line. (To prevent this, +insert a `--` argument before.) + +By default, hledger-web starts the web app in "transient mode" and also +opens it in your default web browser if possible. In this mode the web +app will keep running for as long as you have it open in a browser +window, and will exit after two minutes of inactivity (no requests and +no browser windows viewing it). With `--serve`, it just runs the web app +without exiting, and logs requests to the console. + +By default the server listens on IP address 127.0.0.1, accessible only +to local requests. You can use `--host` to change this, eg +`--host 0.0.0.0` to listen on all configured addresses. + +Similarly, use `--port` to set a TCP port other than 5000, eg if you are +running multiple hledger-web instances. + +You can use `--base-url` to change the protocol, hostname, port and path +that appear in hyperlinks, useful eg for integrating hledger-web within +a larger website. The default is `http://HOST:PORT/` using the server's +configured host address and TCP port (or `http://HOST` if PORT is 80). + +With `--file-url` you can set a different base url for static files, eg +for better caching or cookie-less serving on high performance websites. + +## PERMISSIONS + +By default, hledger-web allows anyone who can reach it to view the +journal and to add new transactions, but not to change existing data. + +You can restrict who can reach it by + +- setting the IP address it listens on (see `--host` above). By + default it listens on 127.0.0.1, accessible to all users on the + local machine. +- putting it behind an authenticating proxy, using eg apache or nginx +- custom firewall rules + +You can restrict what the users who reach it can do, by + +- using the `--capabilities=CAP[,CAP..]` flag when you start it, + enabling one or more of the following capabilities. The default + value is `view,add`: + - `view` - allows viewing the journal file and all included files + - `add` - allows adding new transactions to the main journal file + - `manage` - allows editing, uploading or downloading the main or + included files +- using the `--capabilities-header=HTTPHEADER` flag to specify a HTTP + header from which it will read capabilities to enable. hledger-web + on Sandstorm uses the X-Sandstorm-Permissions header to integrate + with Sandstorm's permissions. This is disabled by default. + +## EDITING, UPLOADING, DOWNLOADING + +If you enable the `manage` capability mentioned above, you'll see a new +"spanner" button to the right of the search form. Clicking this will let +you edit, upload, or download the journal file or any files it includes. + +Note, unlike any other hledger command, in this mode you (or any +visitor) can alter or wipe the data files. + +Normally whenever a file is changed in this way, hledger-web saves a +numbered backup (assuming file permissions allow it, the disk is not +full, etc.) hledger-web is not aware of version control systems, +currently; if you use one, you'll have to arrange to commit the changes +yourself (eg with a cron job or a file watcher like entr). + +Changes which would leave the journal file(s) unparseable or non-valid +(eg with failing balance assertions) are prevented. (Probably. This +needs re-testing.) + +## RELOADING + +hledger-web detects changes made to the files by other means (eg if you +edit it directly, outside of hledger-web), and it will show the new data +when you reload the page or navigate to a new page. If a change makes a +file unparseable, hledger-web will display an error message until the +file has been fixed. + +## JSON API + +In addition to the web UI, hledger-web provides some JSON API routes. +These are similar to the API provided by the hledger-api tool, but it +may be convenient to have them in hledger-web also. + + /accountnames + /transactions + /prices + /commodities + /accounts + /accounttransactions/#AccountName + +## ENVIRONMENT + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## BUGS + +The need to precede options with `--` when invoked from hledger is +awkward. + +`-f-` doesn't work (hledger-web can't read from stdin). + +Query arguments and some hledger options are ignored. + +Does not work in text-mode browsers. + +Does not work well on small screens. diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/hledger.md b/site/doc/1.14/hledger.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..8feba1e02 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/hledger.md @@ -0,0 +1,2612 @@ +# hledger + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +hledger - a command-line accounting tool + +## SYNOPSIS + +`hledger [-f FILE] COMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARGS]`\ +`hledger [-f FILE] ADDONCMD -- [OPTIONS] [ARGS]`\ +`hledger` + +## DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1).\ +Tested on unix, mac, windows, hledger aims to be a reliable, practical +tool for daily use. + +This is hledger’s command-line interface (there are also curses and web +interfaces). Its basic function is to read a plain text file describing +financial transactions (in accounting terms, a general journal) and +print useful reports on standard output, or export them as CSV. hledger +can also read some other file formats such as CSV files, translating +them to journal format. Additionally, hledger lists other hledger-\* +executables found in the user’s \$PATH and can invoke them as +subcommands. + +hledger reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). If using `$LEDGER_FILE`, note this +must be a real environment variable, not a shell variable. You can +specify standard input with `-f-`. + +Transactions are dated movements of money between two (or more) named +accounts, and are recorded with journal entries like this: + +``` {.journal} +2015/10/16 bought food + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash +``` + +For more about this format, see hledger\_journal(5). + +Most users use a text editor to edit the journal, usually with an editor +mode such as ledger-mode for added convenience. hledger’s interactive +add command is another way to record new transactions. hledger never +changes existing transactions. + +To get started, you can either save some entries like the above in +`~/.hledger.journal`, or run `hledger add` and follow the prompts. Then +try some commands like `hledger print` or `hledger balance`. Run +`hledger` with no arguments for a list of commands. + +## EXAMPLES + +Two simple transactions in hledger journal format: + +``` {.journal} +2015/9/30 gift received + assets:cash $20 + income:gifts + +2015/10/16 farmers market + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash +``` + +Some basic reports: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print +2015/09/30 gift received + assets:cash $20 + income:gifts $-20 + +2015/10/16 farmers market + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash $-10 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger accounts --tree +assets + cash +expenses + food +income + gifts +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance + $10 assets:cash + $10 expenses:food + $-20 income:gifts +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register cash +2015/09/30 gift received assets:cash $20 $20 +2015/10/16 farmers market assets:cash $-10 $10 +``` + +More commands: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger # show available commands +$ hledger add # add more transactions to the journal file +$ hledger balance # all accounts with aggregated balances +$ hledger balance --help # show detailed help for balance command +$ hledger balance --depth 1 # only top-level accounts +$ hledger register # show account postings, with running total +$ hledger reg income # show postings to/from income accounts +$ hledger reg 'assets:some bank:checking' # show postings to/from this checking account +$ hledger print desc:shop # show transactions with shop in the description +$ hledger activity -W # show transaction counts per week as a bar chart +``` + +## OPTIONS + +### General options + +To see general usage help, including general options which are supported +by most hledger commands, run `hledger -h`. + +General help options: + +`-h --help` +: show general usage (or after COMMAND, command usage) + +`--version` +: show version + +`--debug[=N]` +: show debug output (levels 1-9, default: 1) + +General input options: + +`-f FILE --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`--rules-file=RULESFILE` +: Conversion rules file to use when reading CSV (default: FILE.rules) + +`--separator=CHAR` +: Field separator to expect when reading CSV (default: ',') + +`--alias=OLD=NEW` +: rename accounts named OLD to NEW + +`--anon` +: anonymize accounts and payees + +`--pivot FIELDNAME` +: use some other field or tag for the account name + +`-I --ignore-assertions` +: ignore any failing balance assertions + +General reporting options: + +`-b --begin=DATE` +: include postings/txns on or after this date + +`-e --end=DATE` +: include postings/txns before this date + +`-D --daily` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by day + +`-W --weekly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by week + +`-M --monthly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by month + +`-Q --quarterly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by quarter + +`-Y --yearly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by year + +`-p --period=PERIODEXP` +: set start date, end date, and/or reporting interval all at once + using [period expressions](manual.html#period-expressions) syntax + (overrides the flags above) + +`--date2` +: match the secondary date instead (see command help for other + effects) + +`-U --unmarked` +: include only unmarked postings/txns (can combine with -P or -C) + +`-P --pending` +: include only pending postings/txns + +`-C --cleared` +: include only cleared postings/txns + +`-R --real` +: include only non-virtual postings + +`-NUM --depth=NUM` +: hide/aggregate accounts or postings more than NUM levels deep + +`-E --empty` +: show items with zero amount, normally hidden (and vice-versa in + hledger-ui/hledger-web) + +`-B --cost` +: convert amounts to their cost at transaction time (using the + [transaction price](journal.html#transaction-prices), if any) + +`-V --value` +: convert amounts to their market value on the report end date (using + the most recent applicable [market + price](journal.html#market-prices), if any) + +`--auto` +: apply [automated posting + rules](journal.html#automated-posting-rules) to modify transactions. + +`--forecast` +: apply [periodic transaction](journal.html#periodic-transactions) + rules to generate future transactions, to 6 months from now or + report end date. + +When a reporting option appears more than once in the command line, the +last one takes precedence. + +Some reporting options can also be written as [query +arguments](#queries). + +### Command options + +To see options for a particular command, including command-specific +options, run: `hledger COMMAND -h`. + +Command-specific options must be written after the command name, eg: +`hledger print -x`. + +Additionally, if the command is an [addon](#commands), you may need to +put its options after a double-hyphen, eg: `hledger ui -- --watch`. Or, +you can run the addon executable directly: `hledger-ui --watch`. + +### Command arguments + +Most hledger commands accept arguments after the command name, which are +often a [query](#queries), filtering the data in some way. + +### Argument files + +You can save a set of command line options/arguments in a file, one per +line, and then reuse them by writing `@FILENAME` in a command line. To +prevent this expansion of `@`-arguments, precede them with a `--` +argument. For more, see [Save frequently used +options](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Save-frequently-used-options). + +### Special characters in arguments and queries + +In shell command lines, option and argument values which contain +"problematic" characters, ie spaces, and also characters significant to +your shell such as `<`, `>`, `(`, `)`, `|` and `$`, should be escaped by +enclosing them in quotes or by writing backslashes before the +characters. Eg: + +`hledger register -p 'last year' "accounts receivable (receivable|payable)" amt:\>100`. + +#### More escaping + +Characters significant both to the shell and in [regular +expressions](#regular-expressions) may need one extra level of escaping. +These include parentheses, the pipe symbol and the dollar sign. Eg, to +match the dollar symbol, bash users should do: + +`hledger balance cur:'\$'` + +or: + +`hledger balance cur:\\$` + +#### Even more escaping + +When hledger runs an addon executable (eg you type `hledger ui`, hledger +runs `hledger-ui`), it de-escapes command-line options and arguments +once, so you might need to *triple*-escape. Eg in bash, running the ui +command and matching the dollar sign, it's: + +`hledger ui cur:'\\$'` + +or: + +`hledger ui cur:\\\\$` + +If you asked why *four* slashes above, this may help: + + ----------------- --------- + unescaped: `$` + escaped: `\$` + double-escaped: `\\$` + triple-escaped: `\\\\$` + ----------------- --------- + +(The number of backslashes in fish shell is left as an exercise for the +reader.) + +You can always avoid the extra escaping for addons by running the addon +directly: + +`hledger-ui cur:\\$` + +#### Less escaping + +Inside an [argument file](#argument-expansion), or in the search field +of hledger-ui or hledger-web, or at a GHCI prompt, you need one less +level of escaping than at the command line. And backslashes may work +better than quotes. Eg: + +`ghci> :main balance cur:\$` + +### Command line tips + +If in doubt, keep things simple: + +- write options after the command (`hledger CMD -OPTIONS ARGS`) +- run add-on executables directly (`hledger-ui -OPTIONS ARGS`) +- enclose problematic args in single quotes +- if needed, also add a backslash to escape regexp metacharacters + +To find out exactly how a command line is being parsed, add `--debug=2` +to troubleshoot. + +### Unicode characters + +hledger is expected to handle unicode (non-ascii) characters, but this +requires a well-configured environment. + +To handle unicode characters in the command line or input data, a system +locale that can decode them must be configured (POSIX's default `C` +locale will not work). Eg in bash, you could do: + + export LANG=en_US.UTF-8 + +See [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) for more about this. + +Unicode characters should appear correctly in hledger's output. For the +hledger and hledger-ui tools, this requires that + +- your terminal supports unicode +- the terminal's font includes the required unicode glyphs +- the terminal is configured to display "wide" characters as double + width (otherwise report alignment will be off) + +### Input files + +hledger reads transactions from a data file (and the add command writes +to it). By default this file is `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (or on Windows, +something like `C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). You can override this +with the `$LEDGER_FILE` environment variable: + +``` {.bash} +$ setenv LEDGER_FILE ~/finance/2016.journal +$ hledger stats +``` + +or with the `-f/--file` option: + +``` {.bash} +$ hledger -f /some/file stats +``` + +The file name `-` (hyphen) means standard input: + +``` {.bash} +$ cat some.journal | hledger -f- +``` + +Usually the data file is in hledger's journal format, but it can also be +one of several other formats, listed below. hledger detects the format +automatically based on the file extension, or if that is not recognised, +by trying each built-in "reader" in turn: + + -------------------------------------------------------------------------- + Reader: Reads: Used for file extensions: + ------------- --------------------------------- -------------------------- + `journal` hledger's journal format, also `.journal` `.j` `.hledger` + some Ledger journals `.ledger` + + `timeclock` timeclock files (precise time `.timeclock` + logging) + + `timedot` timedot files (approximate time `.timedot` + logging) + + `csv` comma-separated values (data `.csv` + interchange) + -------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +If needed (eg to ensure correct error messages when a file has the +"wrong" extension), you can force a specific reader/format by prepending +it to the file path with a colon. Examples: + +``` {.bash} +$ hledger -f csv:/some/csv-file.dat stats +$ echo 'i 2009/13/1 08:00:00' | hledger print -ftimeclock:- +``` + +You can also specify multiple `-f` options, to read multiple files as +one big journal. There are some limitations with this: + +- directives in one file will not affect the other files +- [balance assertions](/journal.html#balance-assertions) will not see + any account balances from previous files + +If you need those, either use the [include +directive](/journal.html#including-other-files), or concatenate the +files, eg: `cat a.journal b.journal | hledger -f- CMD`. + +### Smart dates + +hledger's user interfaces accept a flexible "smart date" syntax (unlike +dates in the journal file). Smart dates allow some english words, can be +relative to today's date, and can have less-significant date parts +omitted (defaulting to 1). + +Examples: + + ---------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `2004/10/1`, `2004-01-01`, `2004.9.1` exact date, several separators allowed. Year is 4+ digits, month is 1-12, day is 1-31 + `2004` start of year + `2004/10` start of month + `10/1` month and day in current year + `21` day in current month + `october, oct` start of month in current year + `yesterday, today, tomorrow` -1, 0, 1 days from today + `last/this/next day/week/month/quarter/year` -1, 0, 1 periods from the current period + `20181201` 8 digit YYYYMMDD with valid year month and day + `201812` 6 digit YYYYMM with valid year and month + ---------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Counterexamples - malformed digit sequences might give surprising +results: + + ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- + `201813` 6 digits with an invalid month is parsed as start of 6-digit year + `20181301` 8 digits with an invalid month is parsed as start of 8-digit year + `20181232` 8 digits with an invalid day gives an error + `201801012` 9+ digits beginning with a valid YYYYMMDD gives an error + ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- + +### Report start & end date + +Most hledger reports show the full span of time represented by the +journal data, by default. So, the effective report start and end dates +will be the earliest and latest transaction or posting dates found in +the journal. + +Often you will want to see a shorter time span, such as the current +month. You can specify a start and/or end date using +[`-b/--begin`](#reporting-options), [`-e/--end`](#reporting-options), +[`-p/--period`](#period-expressions) or a [`date:` query](#queries) +(described below). All of these accept the [smart date](#smart-dates) +syntax. One important thing to be aware of when specifying end dates: as +in Ledger, end dates are exclusive, so you need to write the date +*after* the last day you want to include. + +Examples: + + ------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `-b 2016/3/17` begin on St. Patrick's day 2016 + `-e 12/1` end at the start of december 1st of the current year (11/30 will be the last date included) + `-b thismonth` all transactions on or after the 1st of the current month + `-p thismonth` all transactions in the current month + `date:2016/3/17-` the above written as queries instead + `date:-12/1` + `date:thismonth-` + `date:thismonth` + ------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +### Report intervals + +A report interval can be specified so that commands like +[register](#register), [balance](#balance) and [activity](#activity) +will divide their reports into multiple subperiods. The basic intervals +can be selected with one of `-D/--daily`, `-W/--weekly`, `-M/--monthly`, +`-Q/--quarterly`, or `-Y/--yearly`. More complex intervals may be +specified with a [period expression](#period-expressions). Report +intervals can not be specified with a [query](#queries), currently. + +### Period expressions + +The `-p/--period` option accepts period expressions, a shorthand way of +expressing a start date, end date, and/or report interval all at once. + +Here's a basic period expression specifying the first quarter of 2009. +Note, hledger always treats start dates as inclusive and end dates as +exclusive: + +`-p "from 2009/1/1 to 2009/4/1"` + +Keywords like "from" and "to" are optional, and so are the spaces, as +long as you don't run two dates together. "to" can also be written as +"-". These are equivalent to the above: + + -------------------------- + `-p "2009/1/1 2009/4/1"` + `-p2009/1/1to2009/4/1` + `-p2009/1/1-2009/4/1` + -------------------------- + +Dates are [smart dates](#smart-dates), so if the current year is 2009, +the above can also be written as: + + ------------------------- + `-p "1/1 4/1"` + `-p "january-apr"` + `-p "this year to 4/1"` + ------------------------- + +If you specify only one date, the missing start or end date will be the +earliest or latest transaction in your journal: + + ---------------------- ----------------------------------- + `-p "from 2009/1/1"` everything after january 1, 2009 + `-p "from 2009/1"` the same + `-p "from 2009"` the same + `-p "to 2009"` everything before january 1, 2009 + ---------------------- ----------------------------------- + +A single date with no "from" or "to" defines both the start and end date +like so: + + ----------------- -------------------------------------------------------- + `-p "2009"` the year 2009; equivalent to "2009/1/1 to 2010/1/1" + `-p "2009/1"` the month of jan; equivalent to "2009/1/1 to 2009/2/1" + `-p "2009/1/1"` just that day; equivalent to "2009/1/1 to 2009/1/2" + ----------------- -------------------------------------------------------- + +The argument of `-p` can also begin with, or be, a [report +interval](#report-intervals) expression. The basic report intervals are +`daily`, `weekly`, `monthly`, `quarterly`, or `yearly`, which have the +same effect as the `-D`,`-W`,`-M`,`-Q`, or `-Y` flags. Between report +interval and start/end dates (if any), the word `in` is optional. +Examples: + + ----------------------------------------- + `-p "weekly from 2009/1/1 to 2009/4/1"` + `-p "monthly in 2008"` + `-p "quarterly"` + ----------------------------------------- + +Note that `weekly`, `monthly`, `quarterly` and `yearly` intervals will +always start on the first day on week, month, quarter or year +accordingly, and will end on the last day of same period, even if +associated period expression specifies different explicit start and end +date. + +For example: + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `-p "weekly from 2009/1/1 to 2009/4/1"` -- starts on 2008/12/29, closest preceeding Monday + `-p "monthly in 2008/11/25"` -- starts on 2018/11/01 + `-p "quarterly from 2009-05-05 to 2009-06-01"` - starts on 2009/04/01, ends on 2009/06/30, which are first and last days of Q2 2009 + `-p "yearly from 2009-12-29"` - starts on 2009/01/01, first day of 2009 + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +The following more complex report intervals are also supported: +`biweekly`, `bimonthly`, `every day|week|month|quarter|year`, +`every N days|weeks|months|quarters|years`. + +All of these will start on the first day of the requested period and end +on the last one, as described above. + +Examples: + + -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `-p "bimonthly from 2008"` -- periods will have boundaries on 2008/01/01, 2008/03/01, ... + `-p "every 2 weeks"` -- starts on closest preceeding Monday + `-p "every 5 month from 2009/03"` -- periods will have boundaries on 2009/03/01, 2009/08/01, ... + -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +If you want intervals that start on arbitrary day of your choosing and +span a week, month or year, you need to use any of the following: + +`every Nth day of week`, `every `, `every Nth day [of month]`, +`every Nth weekday [of month]`, `every MM/DD [of year]`, +`every Nth MMM [of year]`, `every MMM Nth [of year]`. + +Examples: + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `-p "every 2nd day of week"` -- periods will go from Tue to Tue + `-p "every Tue"` -- same + `-p "every 15th day"` -- period boundaries will be on 15th of each month + `-p "every 2nd Monday"` -- period boundaries will be on second Monday of each month + `-p "every 11/05"` -- yearly periods with boundaries on 5th of Nov + `-p "every 5th Nov"` -- same + `-p "every Nov 5th"` -- same + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Show historical balances at end of 15th each month (N is exclusive end +date): + +`hledger balance -H -p "every 16th day"` + +Group postings from start of wednesday to end of next tuesday (N is +start date and exclusive end date): + +`hledger register checking -p "every 3rd day of week"` + +### Depth limiting + +With the `--depth N` option (short form: `-N`), commands like +[account](#account), [balance](#balance) and [register](#register) will +show only the uppermost accounts in the account tree, down to level N. +Use this when you want a summary with less detail. This flag has the +same effect as a `depth:` query argument (so `-2`, `--depth=2` or +`depth:2` are basically equivalent). + +### Pivoting + +Normally hledger sums amounts, and organizes them in a hierarchy, based +on account name. The `--pivot FIELD` option causes it to sum and +organize hierarchy based on the value of some other field instead. FIELD +can be: `code`, `description`, `payee`, `note`, or the full name (case +insensitive) of any [tag](/journal.html#tags). As with account names, +values containing `colon:separated:parts` will be displayed +hierarchically in reports. + +`--pivot` is a general option affecting all reports; you can think of +hledger transforming the journal before any other processing, replacing +every posting's account name with the value of the specified field on +that posting, inheriting it from the transaction or using a blank value +if it's not present. + +An example: + +``` {.journal} +2016/02/16 Member Fee Payment + assets:bank account 2 EUR + income:member fees -2 EUR ; member: John Doe +``` + +Normal balance report showing account names: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance + 2 EUR assets:bank account + -2 EUR income:member fees +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +Pivoted balance report, using member: tag values instead: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --pivot member + 2 EUR + -2 EUR John Doe +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +One way to show only amounts with a member: value (using a +[query](#queries), described below): + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --pivot member tag:member=. + -2 EUR John Doe +-------------------- + -2 EUR +``` + +Another way (the acct: query matches against the pivoted "account +name"): + + $ hledger balance --pivot member acct:. + -2 EUR John Doe + -------------------- + -2 EUR + +### Cost + +The `-B/--cost` flag converts amounts to their cost at transaction time, +if they have a [transaction price](/journal.html#transaction-prices) +specified. + +### Market value + +The `-V/--value` flag converts reported amounts to their current market +value.\ +Specifically, when there is a [market price](journal.html#market-prices) +(P directive) for the amount's commodity, dated on or before today's +date (or the [report end date](#report-start-end-date) if specified), +the amount will be converted to the price's commodity. + +When there are multiple applicable P directives, -V chooses the most +recent one, or in case of equal dates, the last-parsed one. + +For example: + +``` {.journal} +# one euro is worth this many dollars from nov 1 +P 2016/11/01 € $1.10 + +# purchase some euros on nov 3 +2016/11/3 + assets:euros €100 + assets:checking + +# the euro is worth fewer dollars by dec 21 +P 2016/12/21 € $1.03 +``` + +How many euros do I have ? + + $ hledger -f t.j bal -N euros + €100 assets:euros + +What are they worth at end of nov 3 ? + + $ hledger -f t.j bal -N euros -V -e 2016/11/4 + $110.00 assets:euros + +What are they worth after 2016/12/21 ? (no report end date specified, +defaults to today) + + $ hledger -f t.j bal -N euros -V + $103.00 assets:euros + +Currently, hledger's -V only uses market prices recorded with P +directives, not [transaction prices](journal.html#transaction-prices) +(unlike Ledger). + +Currently, -V has a limitation in [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports): it uses the market prices on the +report end date for all columns. (Instead of the prices on each column's +end date.) + +### Combining -B and -V + +Using -B/--cost and -V/--value together is currently allowed, but the +results are probably not meaningful. Let us know if you find a use for +this. + +### Output destination + +Some commands (print, register, stats, the balance commands) can write +their output to a destination other than the console. This is controlled +by the `-o/--output-file` option. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -o - # write to stdout (the default) +$ hledger balance -o FILE # write to FILE +``` + +### Output format + +Some commands can write their output in other formats. Eg print and +register can output CSV, and the balance commands can output CSV or +HTML. This is controlled by the `-O/--output-format` option, or by +specifying a `.csv` or `.html` file extension with `-o/--output-file`. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -O csv # write CSV to stdout +$ hledger balance -o FILE.csv # write CSV to FILE.csv +``` + +### Regular expressions + +hledger uses [regular expressions](http://www.regular-expressions.info) +in a number of places: + +- [query terms](#queries), on the command line and in the hledger-web + search form: `REGEX`, `desc:REGEX`, `cur:REGEX`, `tag:...=REGEX` +- [CSV rules](#csv-rules) conditional blocks: `if REGEX ...` +- [account alias](#rewriting-accounts) directives and options: + `alias /REGEX/ = REPLACEMENT`, `--alias /REGEX/=REPLACEMENT` + +hledger's regular expressions come from the +[regex-tdfa](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/regex-tdfa/docs/Text-Regex-TDFA.html) +library. In general they: + +- are case insensitive +- are infix matching (do not need to match the entire thing being + matched) +- are [POSIX extended regular + expressions](http://www.regular-expressions.info/posix.html#ere) +- also support [GNU word + boundaries](http://www.regular-expressions.info/wordboundaries.html) + (\\\<, \\\>, \\b, \\B) +- and parenthesised [capturing + groups](http://www.regular-expressions.info/refcapture.html) and + numeric backreferences in replacement strings +- do not support [mode + modifiers](http://www.regular-expressions.info/modifiers.html) like + (?s) + +Some things to note: + +- In the `alias` directive and `--alias` option, regular expressions + must be enclosed in forward slashes (`/REGEX/`). Elsewhere in + hledger, these are not required. + +- In queries, to match a regular expression metacharacter like `$` as + a literal character, prepend a backslash. Eg to search for amounts + with the dollar sign in hledger-web, write `cur:\$`. + +- On the command line, some metacharacters like `$` have a special + meaning to the shell and so must be escaped at least once more. See + [Special characters](#special-characters). + +## QUERIES + +One of hledger's strengths is being able to quickly report on precise +subsets of your data. Most commands accept an optional query expression, +written as arguments after the command name, to filter the data by date, +account name or other criteria. The syntax is similar to a web search: +one or more space-separated search terms, quotes to enclose whitespace, +prefixes to match specific fields, a not: prefix to negate the match. + +We do not yet support arbitrary boolean combinations of search terms; +instead most commands show transactions/postings/accounts which match +(or negatively match): + +- any of the description terms AND +- any of the account terms AND +- any of the status terms AND +- all the other terms. + +The [print](/manual.html#print) command instead shows transactions +which: + +- match any of the description terms AND +- have any postings matching any of the positive account terms AND +- have no postings matching any of the negative account terms AND +- match all the other terms. + +The following kinds of search terms can be used. Remember these can also +be prefixed with **`not:`**, eg to exclude a particular subaccount. + +**`REGEX`, `acct:REGEX`** +: match account names by this regular expression. (With no prefix, + `acct:` is assumed.) +: same as above + +**`amt:N, amt:N, amt:>=N`** +: match postings with a single-commodity amount that is equal to, less + than, or greater than N. (Multi-commodity amounts are not tested, + and will always match.) The comparison has two modes: if N is + preceded by a + or - sign (or is 0), the two signed numbers are + compared. Otherwise, the absolute magnitudes are compared, ignoring + sign. + +**`code:REGEX`** +: match by transaction code (eg check number) + +**`cur:REGEX`** +: match postings or transactions including any amounts whose + currency/commodity symbol is fully matched by REGEX. (For a partial + match, use `.*REGEX.*`). Note, to match characters which are + regex-significant, like the dollar sign (`$`), you need to prepend + `\`. And when using the command line you need to add one more level + of quoting to hide it from the shell, so eg do: + `hledger print cur:'\$'` or `hledger print cur:\\$`. + +**`desc:REGEX`** +: match transaction descriptions. + +**`date:PERIODEXPR`** +: match dates within the specified period. PERIODEXPR is a [period + expression](#period-expressions) (with no report interval). + Examples: `date:2016`, `date:thismonth`, `date:2000/2/1-2/15`, + `date:lastweek-`. If the `--date2` command line flag is present, + this matches [secondary dates](manual.html#secondary-dates) instead. + +**`date2:PERIODEXPR`** +: match secondary dates within the specified period. + +**`depth:N`** +: match (or display, depending on command) accounts at or above this + depth + +**`note:REGEX`** +: match transaction [notes](/manual.html#payee-and-note) (part of + description right of `|`, or whole description when there's no `|`) + +**`payee:REGEX`** +: match transaction [payee/payer names](/manual.html#payee-and-note) + (part of description left of `|`, or whole description when there's + no `|`) + +**`real:, real:0`** +: match real or virtual postings respectively + +**`status:, status:!, status:*`** +: match unmarked, pending, or cleared transactions respectively + +**`tag:REGEX[=REGEX]`** +: match by tag name, and optionally also by tag value. Note a tag: + query is considered to match a transaction if it matches any of the + postings. Also remember that postings inherit the tags of their + parent transaction. + +The following special search term is used automatically in hledger-web, +only: + +**`inacct:ACCTNAME`** +: tells hledger-web to show the transaction register for this account. + Can be filtered further with `acct` etc. + +Some of these can also be expressed as command-line options (eg +`depth:2` is equivalent to `--depth 2`). Generally you can mix options +and query arguments, and the resulting query will be their intersection +(perhaps excluding the `-p/--period` option). + +## COMMANDS + +hledger provides a number of subcommands; `hledger` with no arguments +shows a list. + +If you install additional `hledger-*` packages, or if you put programs +or scripts named `hledger-NAME` in your PATH, these will also be listed +as subcommands. + +Run a subcommand by writing its name as first argument (eg +`hledger incomestatement`). You can also write one of the standard short +aliases displayed in parentheses in the command list (`hledger b`), or +any any unambiguous prefix of a command name (`hledger inc`). + +Here are all the builtin commands in alphabetical order. See also +`hledger` for a more organised command list, and `hledger CMD -h` for +detailed command help. + +### accounts + +accounts, a\ +Show account names. + +This command lists account names, either declared with account +directives (--declared), posted to (--used), or both (the default). With +query arguments, only matched account names and account names referenced +by matched postings are shown. It shows a flat list by default. With +`--tree`, it uses indentation to show the account hierarchy. In flat +mode you can add `--drop N` to omit the first few account name +components. Account names can be depth-clipped with `depth:N` or +`--depth N` or `-N`. + +Examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger accounts +assets:bank:checking +assets:bank:saving +assets:cash +expenses:food +expenses:supplies +income:gifts +income:salary +liabilities:debts +``` + +### activity + +activity\ +Show an ascii barchart of posting counts per interval. + +The activity command displays an ascii histogram showing transaction +counts by day, week, month or other reporting interval (by day is the +default). With query arguments, it counts only matched transactions. + +Examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger activity --quarterly +2008-01-01 ** +2008-04-01 ******* +2008-07-01 +2008-10-01 ** +``` + +### add + +add\ +Prompt for transactions and add them to the journal. + +Many hledger users edit their journals directly with a text editor, or +generate them from CSV. For more interactive data entry, there is the +`add` command, which prompts interactively on the console for new +transactions, and appends them to the journal file (if there are +multiple `-f FILE` options, the first file is used.) Existing +transactions are not changed. This is the only hledger command that +writes to the journal file. + +To use it, just run `hledger add` and follow the prompts. You can add as +many transactions as you like; when you are finished, enter `.` or press +control-d or control-c to exit. + +Features: + +- add tries to provide useful defaults, using the most similar (by + description) recent transaction (filtered by the query, if any) as a + template. +- You can also set the initial defaults with command line arguments. +- [Readline-style edit + keys](http://tiswww.case.edu/php/chet/readline/rluserman.html#SEC3) + can be used during data entry. +- The tab key will auto-complete whenever possible - accounts, + descriptions, dates (`yesterday`, `today`, `tomorrow`). If the input + area is empty, it will insert the default value. +- If the journal defines a [default commodity](#default-commodity), it + will be added to any bare numbers entered. +- A parenthesised transaction [code](#entries) may be entered + following a date. +- [Comments](#comments) and tags may be entered following a + description or amount. +- If you make a mistake, enter `<` at any prompt to restart the + transaction. +- Input prompts are displayed in a different colour when the terminal + supports it. + +Example (see the +[tutorial](step-by-step.html#record-a-transaction-with-hledger-add) for +a detailed explanation): + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger add +Adding transactions to journal file /src/hledger/examples/sample.journal +Any command line arguments will be used as defaults. +Use tab key to complete, readline keys to edit, enter to accept defaults. +An optional (CODE) may follow transaction dates. +An optional ; COMMENT may follow descriptions or amounts. +If you make a mistake, enter < at any prompt to restart the transaction. +To end a transaction, enter . when prompted. +To quit, enter . at a date prompt or press control-d or control-c. +Date [2015/05/22]: +Description: supermarket +Account 1: expenses:food +Amount 1: $10 +Account 2: assets:checking +Amount 2 [$-10.0]: +Account 3 (or . or enter to finish this transaction): . +2015/05/22 supermarket + expenses:food $10 + assets:checking $-10.0 + +Save this transaction to the journal ? [y]: +Saved. +Starting the next transaction (. or ctrl-D/ctrl-C to quit) +Date [2015/05/22]: $ +``` + +### balance + +balance, bal, b\ +Show accounts and their balances. + +The balance command is hledger's most versatile command. Note, despite +the name, it is not always used for showing real-world account balances; +the more accounting-aware [balancesheet](#balancesheet) and +[incomestatement](#incomestatement) may be more convenient for that. + +By default, it displays all accounts, and each account's change in +balance during the entire period of the journal. Balance changes are +calculated by adding up the postings in each account. You can limit the +postings matched, by a [query](#queries), to see fewer accounts, changes +over a different time period, changes from only cleared transactions, +etc. + +If you include an account's complete history of postings in the report, +the balance change is equivalent to the account's current ending +balance. For a real-world account, typically you won't have all +transactions in the journal; instead you'll have all transactions after +a certain date, and an "opening balances" transaction setting the +correct starting balance on that date. Then the balance command will +show real-world account balances. In some cases the -H/--historical flag +is used to ensure this (more below). + +The balance command can produce several styles of report: + +#### Classic balance report + +This is the original balance report, as found in Ledger. It usually +looks like this: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance + $-1 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-2 cash + $2 expenses + $1 food + $1 supplies + $-2 income + $-1 gifts + $-1 salary + $1 liabilities:debts +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +By default, accounts are displayed hierarchically, with subaccounts +indented below their parent. At each level of the tree, accounts are +sorted by [account code](/manual.html#declaring-accounts) if any, then +by account name. Or with `-S/--sort-amount`, by their balance amount. + +"Boring" accounts, which contain a single interesting subaccount and no +balance of their own, are elided into the following line for more +compact output. (Eg above, the "liabilities" account.) Use `--no-elide` +to prevent this. + +Account balances are "inclusive" - they include the balances of any +subaccounts. + +Accounts which have zero balance (and no non-zero subaccounts) are +omitted. Use `-E/--empty` to show them. + +A final total is displayed by default; use `-N/--no-total` to suppress +it, eg: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -p 2008/6 expenses --no-total + $2 expenses + $1 food + $1 supplies +``` + +#### Customising the classic balance report + +You can customise the layout of classic balance reports with +`--format FMT`: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --format "%20(account) %12(total)" + assets $-1 + bank:saving $1 + cash $-2 + expenses $2 + food $1 + supplies $1 + income $-2 + gifts $-1 + salary $-1 + liabilities:debts $1 +--------------------------------- + 0 +``` + +The FMT format string (plus a newline) specifies the formatting applied +to each account/balance pair. It may contain any suitable text, with +data fields interpolated like so: + +`%[MIN][.MAX](FIELDNAME)` + +- MIN pads with spaces to at least this width (optional) +- MAX truncates at this width (optional) +- FIELDNAME must be enclosed in parentheses, and can be one of: + + - `depth_spacer` - a number of spaces equal to the account's + depth, or if MIN is specified, MIN \* depth spaces. + - `account` - the account's name + - `total` - the account's balance/posted total, right justified + +Also, FMT can begin with an optional prefix to control how +multi-commodity amounts are rendered: + +- `%_` - render on multiple lines, bottom-aligned (the default) +- `%^` - render on multiple lines, top-aligned +- `%,` - render on one line, comma-separated + +There are some quirks. Eg in one-line mode, `%(depth_spacer)` has no +effect, instead `%(account)` has indentation built in. Experimentation may be needed to get pleasing results. + +Some example formats: + +- `%(total)` - the account's total +- `%-20.20(account)` - the account's name, left justified, padded to + 20 characters and clipped at 20 characters +- `%,%-50(account) %25(total)` - account name padded to 50 + characters, total padded to 20 characters, with multiple commodities + rendered on one line +- `%20(total) %2(depth_spacer)%-(account)` - the default format for + the single-column balance report + +#### Colour support + +The balance command shows negative amounts in red, if: + +- the `TERM` environment variable is not set to `dumb` +- the output is not being redirected or piped anywhere + +#### Flat mode + +To see a flat list instead of the default hierarchical display, use +`--flat`. In this mode, accounts (unless depth-clipped) show their full +names and "exclusive" balance, excluding any subaccount balances. In +this mode, you can also use `--drop N` to omit the first few account +name components. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -p 2008/6 expenses -N --flat --drop 1 + $1 food + $1 supplies +``` + +#### Depth limited balance reports + +With `--depth N` or `depth:N` or just `-N`, balance reports show +accounts only to the specified numeric depth. This is very useful to +summarise a complex set of accounts and get an overview. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -N -1 + $-1 assets + $2 expenses + $-2 income + $1 liabilities +``` + +Flat-mode balance reports, which normally show exclusive balances, show +inclusive balances at the depth limit. + + +#### Multicolumn balance report + +Multicolumn or tabular balance reports are a very useful hledger +feature, and usually the preferred style. They share many of the above +features, but they show the report as a table, with columns representing +time periods. This mode is activated by providing a [reporting +interval](#reporting-interval). + +There are three types of multicolumn balance report, showing different +information: + +1. By default: each column shows the sum of postings in that period, ie + the account's change of balance in that period. This is useful eg + for a monthly income statement: + + ``` {.shell} + $ hledger balance --quarterly income expenses -E + Balance changes in 2008: + + || 2008q1 2008q2 2008q3 2008q4 + ===================++================================= + expenses:food || 0 $1 0 0 + expenses:supplies || 0 $1 0 0 + income:gifts || 0 $-1 0 0 + income:salary || $-1 0 0 0 + -------------------++--------------------------------- + || $-1 $1 0 0 + ``` + +2. With `--cumulative`: each column shows the ending balance for that + period, accumulating the changes across periods, starting from 0 at + the report start date: + + ``` {.shell} + $ hledger balance --quarterly income expenses -E --cumulative + Ending balances (cumulative) in 2008: + + || 2008/03/31 2008/06/30 2008/09/30 2008/12/31 + ===================++================================================= + expenses:food || 0 $1 $1 $1 + expenses:supplies || 0 $1 $1 $1 + income:gifts || 0 $-1 $-1 $-1 + income:salary || $-1 $-1 $-1 $-1 + -------------------++------------------------------------------------- + || $-1 0 0 0 + ``` + +3. With `--historical/-H`: each column shows the actual historical + ending balance for that period, accumulating the changes across + periods, starting from the actual balance at the report start date. + This is useful eg for a multi-period balance sheet, and when you are + showing only the data after a certain start date: + + ``` {.shell} + $ hledger balance ^assets ^liabilities --quarterly --historical --begin 2008/4/1 + Ending balances (historical) in 2008/04/01-2008/12/31: + + || 2008/06/30 2008/09/30 2008/12/31 + ======================++===================================== + assets:bank:checking || $1 $1 0 + assets:bank:saving || $1 $1 $1 + assets:cash || $-2 $-2 $-2 + liabilities:debts || 0 0 $1 + ----------------------++------------------------------------- + || 0 0 0 + ``` + +Multicolumn balance reports display accounts in flat mode by default; to +see the hierarchy, use `--tree`. + +With a reporting interval (like `--quarterly` above), the report +start/end dates will be adjusted if necessary so that they encompass the +displayed report periods. This is so that the first and last periods +will be "full" and comparable to the others. + +The `-E/--empty` flag does two things in multicolumn balance reports: +first, the report will show all columns within the specified report +period (without -E, leading and trailing columns with all zeroes are not +shown). Second, all accounts which existed at the report start date will +be considered, not just the ones with activity during the report period +(use -E to include low-activity accounts which would otherwise would be +omitted). + +The `-T/--row-total` flag adds an additional column showing the total +for each row. + +The `-A/--average` flag adds a column showing the average value in each +row. + +Here's an example of all three: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -Q income expenses --tree -ETA +Balance changes in 2008: + + || 2008q1 2008q2 2008q3 2008q4 Total Average +============++=================================================== + expenses || 0 $2 0 0 $2 $1 + food || 0 $1 0 0 $1 0 + supplies || 0 $1 0 0 $1 0 + income || $-1 $-1 0 0 $-2 $-1 + gifts || 0 $-1 0 0 $-1 0 + salary || $-1 0 0 0 $-1 0 +------------++--------------------------------------------------- + || $-1 $1 0 0 0 0 + +# Average is rounded to the dollar here since all journal amounts are +``` + +Limitations: + +In multicolumn reports the [`-V/--value` flag](#market-value) uses the +market price on the report end date, for all columns (not the price on +each column's end date). + +Eliding of boring parent accounts in tree mode, as in the classic +balance report, is not yet supported in multicolumn reports. + +#### Budget report + +With `--budget`, extra columns are displayed showing budget goals for +each account and period, if any. Budget goals are defined by [periodic +transactions](journal.html#periodic-transactions). This is very useful +for comparing planned and actual income, expenses, time usage, etc. +--budget is most often combined with a [report +interval](manual.html#report-intervals). + +For example, you can take average monthly expenses in the common expense +categories to construct a minimal monthly budget: + +``` {.journal} +;; Budget +~ monthly + income $2000 + expenses:food $400 + expenses:bus $50 + expenses:movies $30 + assets:bank:checking + +;; Two months worth of expenses +2017-11-01 + income $1950 + expenses:food $396 + expenses:bus $49 + expenses:movies $30 + expenses:supplies $20 + assets:bank:checking + +2017-12-01 + income $2100 + expenses:food $412 + expenses:bus $53 + expenses:gifts $100 + assets:bank:checking +``` + +You can now see a monthly budget report: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -M --budget +Budget performance in 2017/11/01-2017/12/31: + + || Nov Dec +======================++==================================================== + assets || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank:checking || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + expenses || $495 [ 103% of $480] $565 [ 118% of $480] + expenses:bus || $49 [ 98% of $50] $53 [ 106% of $50] + expenses:food || $396 [ 99% of $400] $412 [ 103% of $400] + expenses:movies || $30 [ 100% of $30] 0 [ 0% of $30] + income || $1950 [ 98% of $2000] $2100 [ 105% of $2000] +----------------------++---------------------------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] 0 [ 0] +``` + +Note this is different from a normal balance report in several ways: + +- Only accounts with budget goals during the report period are shown, + by default. + +- In each column, in square brackets after the actual amount, budgeted + amounts are shown, along with the percentage of budget used. + +- All parent accounts are always shown, even in flat mode. Eg assets, + assets:bank, and expenses above. + +- Amounts always include all subaccounts, budgeted or unbudgeted, even + in flat mode. + +This means that the numbers displayed will not always add up! Eg above, +the `expenses` actual amount includes the gifts and supplies +transactions, but the `expenses:gifts` and `expenses:supplies` accounts +are not shown, as they have no budget amounts declared. + +This can be confusing. When you need to make things clearer, use the +`-E/--empty` flag, which will reveal all accounts including unbudgeted +ones, giving the full picture. Eg: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -M --budget --empty +Budget performance in 2017/11/01-2017/12/31: + + || Nov Dec +======================++==================================================== + assets || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank:checking || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + expenses || $495 [ 103% of $480] $565 [ 118% of $480] + expenses:bus || $49 [ 98% of $50] $53 [ 106% of $50] + expenses:food || $396 [ 99% of $400] $412 [ 103% of $400] + expenses:gifts || 0 $100 + expenses:movies || $30 [ 100% of $30] 0 [ 0% of $30] + expenses:supplies || $20 0 + income || $1950 [ 98% of $2000] $2100 [ 105% of $2000] +----------------------++---------------------------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] 0 [ 0] +``` + +You can roll over unspent budgets to next period with `--cumulative`: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -M --budget --cumulative +Budget performance in 2017/11/01-2017/12/31: + + || Nov Dec +======================++==================================================== + assets || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-5110 [ 103% of $-4960] + assets:bank || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-5110 [ 103% of $-4960] + assets:bank:checking || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-5110 [ 103% of $-4960] + expenses || $495 [ 103% of $480] $1060 [ 110% of $960] + expenses:bus || $49 [ 98% of $50] $102 [ 102% of $100] + expenses:food || $396 [ 99% of $400] $808 [ 101% of $800] + expenses:movies || $30 [ 100% of $30] $30 [ 50% of $60] + income || $1950 [ 98% of $2000] $4050 [ 101% of $4000] +----------------------++---------------------------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] 0 [ 0] +``` + +For more examples, see [Budgeting and +Forecasting](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Budgeting%20and%20forecasting). + +##### Nested budgets + +You can add budgets to any account in your account hierarchy. If you +have budgets on both parent account and some of its children, then +budget(s) of the child account(s) would be added to the budget of their +parent, much like account balances behave. + +In the most simple case this means that once you add a budget to any +account, all its parents would have budget as well. + +To illustrate this, consider the following budget: + + ~ monthly from 2019/01 + expenses:personal $1,000.00 + expenses:personal:electronics $100.00 + liabilities + +With this, monthly budget for electronics is defined to be \$100 and +budget for personal expenses is an additional \$1000, which implicity +means that budget for both `expenses:personal` and `expenses` is \$1100. + +Transactions in `expenses:personal:electronics` will be counted both +towards its \$100 budget and \$1100 of `expenses:personal` , and +transactions in any other subaccount of `expenses:personal` would be +counted towards only towards the budget of `expenses:personal`. + +For example, let's consider these transactions: + +``` {.journal} +~ monthly from 2019/01 + expenses:personal $1,000.00 + expenses:personal:electronics $100.00 + liabilities + +2019/01/01 Google home hub + expenses:personal:electronics $90.00 + liabilities $-90.00 + +2019/01/02 Phone screen protector + expenses:personal:electronics:upgrades $10.00 + liabilities + +2019/01/02 Weekly train ticket + expenses:personal:train tickets $153.00 + liabilities + +2019/01/03 Flowers + expenses:personal $30.00 + liabilities +``` + +As you can see, we have transactions in +`expenses:personal:electronics:upgrades` and +`expenses:personal:train tickets`, and since both of these accounts are +without explicitly defined budget, these transactions would be counted +towards budgets of `expenses:personal:electronics` and +`expenses:personal` accordingly: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --budget -M +Budget performance in 2019/01: + + || Jan +===============================++=============================== + expenses || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal:electronics || $100.00 [ 100% of $100.00] + liabilities || $-283.00 [ 26% of $-1100.00] +-------------------------------++------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] +``` + +And with `--empty`, we can get a better picture of budget allocation and +consumption: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --budget -M --empty +Budget performance in 2019/01: + + || Jan +========================================++=============================== + expenses || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal:electronics || $100.00 [ 100% of $100.00] + expenses:personal:electronics:upgrades || $10.00 + expenses:personal:train tickets || $153.00 + liabilities || $-283.00 [ 26% of $-1100.00] +----------------------------------------++------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] +``` + +#### Output format + +The balance command supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +### balancesheet + +balancesheet, bs\ +This command displays a simple balance sheet, showing historical ending +balances of asset and liability accounts (ignoring any report begin +date). It assumes that these accounts are under a top-level `asset` or +`liability` account (case insensitive, plural forms also allowed). + +Note this report shows all account balances with normal positive sign +(like conventional financial statements, unlike balance/print/register) +(experimental). + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balancesheet +Balance Sheet + +Assets: + $-1 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-2 cash +-------------------- + $-1 + +Liabilities: + $1 liabilities:debts +-------------------- + $1 + +Total: +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), multiple columns will +be shown, one for each report period. As with [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports), you can alter the report mode +with `--change`/`--cumulative`/`--historical`. Normally balancesheet +shows historical ending balances, which is what you need for a balance +sheet; note this means it ignores report begin dates. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +### balancesheetequity + +balancesheetequity, bse\ +Just like [balancesheet](#balancesheet), but also reports Equity (which +it assumes is under a top-level `equity` account). + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balancesheetequity +Balance Sheet With Equity + +Assets: + $-2 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-3 cash +-------------------- + $-2 + +Liabilities: + $1 liabilities:debts +-------------------- + $1 + +Equity: + $1 equity:owner +-------------------- + $1 + +Total: +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +### cashflow + +cashflow, cf\ +This command displays a simple cashflow statement, showing changes in +"cash" accounts. It assumes that these accounts are under a top-level +`asset` account (case insensitive, plural forms also allowed) and do not +contain `receivable` or `A/R` in their name. Note this report shows all +account balances with normal positive sign (like conventional financial +statements, unlike balance/print/register) (experimental). + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger cashflow +Cashflow Statement + +Cash flows: + $-1 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-2 cash +-------------------- + $-1 + +Total: +-------------------- + $-1 +``` + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), multiple columns will +be shown, one for each report period. Normally cashflow shows changes in +assets per period, though as with [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports) you can alter the report mode +with `--change`/`--cumulative`/`--historical`. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +### check-dates + +check-dates\ +Check that transactions are sorted by increasing date. With --date2, +checks secondary dates instead. With --strict, dates must also be +unique. With a query, only matched transactions' dates are checked. +Reads the default journal file, or another specified with -f. + +### check-dupes + +check-dupes\ +Reports account names having the same leaf but different prefixes. In +other words, two or more leaves that are categorized differently. Reads +the default journal file, or another specified as an argument. + +An example: http://stefanorodighiero.net/software/hledger-dupes.html + +### close + +close, equity\ +Prints a "closing balances" transaction and an "opening balances" +transaction that bring account balances to and from zero, respectively. +Useful for bringing asset/liability balances forward into a new journal +file, or for closing out revenues/expenses to retained earnings at the +end of a period. + +The closing transaction transfers balances to "equity:closing balances". +The opening transaction transfers balances from "equity:opening +balances". You can chose to print just one of the transactions by using +the `--opening` or `--closing` flag. + +If you split your journal files by time (eg yearly), you will typically +run this command at the end of the year, and save the closing +transaction as last entry of the old file, and the opening transaction +as the first entry of the new file. This makes the files self contained, +so that correct balances are reported no matter which of them are +loaded. Ie, if you load just one file, the balances are initialised +correctly; or if you load several files, the redundant closing/opening +transactions cancel each other out. (They will show up in print or +register reports; you can exclude them with a query like +`not:desc:'(opening|closing) balances'`.) + +If you're running a business, you might also use this command to "close +the books" at the end of an accounting period, transferring income +statement account balances to retained earnings. (You may want to change +the equity account name to something like "equity:retained earnings".) + +By default, the closing transaction is dated yesterday, the balances are +calculated as of end of yesterday, and the opening transaction is dated +today. To close on some other date, use: `hledger close -e OPENINGDATE`. +Eg, to close/open on the 2018/2019 boundary, use `-e 2019`. You can also +use -p or `date:PERIOD` (any starting date is ignored). + +Both transactions will include balance assertions for the +closed/reopened accounts. You probably shouldn't use status or realness +filters (like -C or -R or `status:`) with this command, or the generated +balance assertions will depend on these flags. Likewise, if you run this +command with --auto, the balance assertions will probably always require +--auto. + +Examples: + +Carrying asset/liability balances into a new file for 2019, all from +command line: + +*Warning: we use `>>` here to append; be careful not to type a single +`>` which would wipe your journal!* + + $ hledger close -f 2018.journal -e 2019 assets liabilities --opening >>2019.journal + $ hledger close -f 2018.journal -e 2019 assets liabilities --closing >>2018.journal + +Now: + + $ hledger bs -f 2019.journal # one file - balances are correct + $ hledger bs -f 2018.journal -f 2019.journal # two files - balances still correct + $ hledger bs -f 2018.journal not:desc:closing # to see year-end balances, must exclude closing txn + +Transactions spanning the closing date can complicate matters, breaking +balance assertions: + + 2018/12/30 a purchase made in 2018, clearing the following year + expenses:food 5 + assets:bank:checking -5 ; [2019/1/2] + +Here's one way to resolve that: + + ; in 2018.journal: + 2018/12/30 a purchase made in 2018, clearing the following year + expenses:food 5 + liabilities:pending + + ; in 2019.journal: + 2019/1/2 clearance of last year's pending transactions + liabilities:pending 5 = 0 + assets:checking + +### files + +files\ +List all files included in the journal. With a REGEX argument, only file +names matching the regular expression (case sensitive) are shown. + +### help + +help\ +Show any of the hledger manuals. + +The `help` command displays any of the main [hledger +manuals](/docs.html), in one of several ways. Run it with no argument to +list the manuals, or provide a full or partial manual name to select +one. + +hledger manuals are available in several formats. hledger help will use +the first of these display methods that it finds: info, man, \$PAGER, +less, stdout (or when non-interactive, just stdout). You can force a +particular viewer with the `--info`, `--man`, `--pager`, `--cat` flags. + +Examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger help +Please choose a manual by typing "hledger help MANUAL" (a substring is ok). +Manuals: hledger hledger-ui hledger-web hledger-api journal csv timeclock timedot +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger help h --man + +hledger(1) hledger User Manuals hledger(1) + +NAME + hledger - a command-line accounting tool + +SYNOPSIS + hledger [-f FILE] COMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARGS] + hledger [-f FILE] ADDONCMD -- [OPTIONS] [ARGS] + hledger + +DESCRIPTION + hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +... +``` + +### import + +import\ +Read new transactions added to each FILE since last run, and add them to +the main journal file. Or with --dry-run, just print the transactions +that would be added. + +The input files are specified as arguments - no need to write -f before +each one. So eg to add new transactions from all CSV files to the main +journal, it's just: `hledger import *.csv` + +New transactions are detected in the same way as print --new: by +assuming transactions are always added to the input files in increasing +date order, and by saving `.latest.FILE` state files. + +The --dry-run output is in journal format, so you can filter it, eg to +see only uncategorised transactions: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger import --dry ... | hledger -f- print unknown --ignore-assertions +``` + +### incomestatement + +incomestatement, is\ +This command displays a simple income statement, showing revenues and +expenses during a period. It assumes that these accounts are under a +top-level `revenue` or `income` or `expense` account (case insensitive, +plural forms also allowed). Note this report shows all account balances +with normal positive sign (like conventional financial statements, +unlike balance/print/register) (experimental). + +This command displays a simple [income +statement](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_statement). It currently +assumes that you have top-level accounts named `income` (or `revenue`) +and `expense` (plural forms also allowed.) + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger incomestatement +Income Statement + +Revenues: + $-2 income + $-1 gifts + $-1 salary +-------------------- + $-2 + +Expenses: + $2 expenses + $1 food + $1 supplies +-------------------- + $2 + +Total: +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), multiple columns will +be shown, one for each report period. Normally incomestatement shows +revenues/expenses per period, though as with [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports) you can alter the report mode +with `--change`/`--cumulative`/`--historical`. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +### prices + +prices\ +Print [market price directives](/manual#market-prices) from the journal. +With --costs, also print synthetic market prices based on [transaction +prices](/manual#transaction-prices). With --inverted-costs, also print +inverse prices based on transaction prices. Prices (and postings +providing prices) can be filtered by a query. + +### print + +print, txns, p\ +Show transaction journal entries, sorted by date. + +The print command displays full journal entries (transactions) from the +journal file in date order, tidily formatted. With --date2, transactions +are sorted by secondary date instead. + +print's output is always a valid [hledger journal](/journal.html).\ +It preserves all transaction information, but it does not preserve +directives or inter-transaction comments + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print +2008/01/01 income + assets:bank:checking $1 + income:salary $-1 + +2008/06/01 gift + assets:bank:checking $1 + income:gifts $-1 + +2008/06/02 save + assets:bank:saving $1 + assets:bank:checking $-1 + +2008/06/03 * eat & shop + expenses:food $1 + expenses:supplies $1 + assets:cash $-2 + +2008/12/31 * pay off + liabilities:debts $1 + assets:bank:checking $-1 +``` + +Normally, the journal entry's explicit or implicit amount style is +preserved. Ie when an amount is omitted in the journal, it will be +omitted in the output. You can use the `-x`/`--explicit` flag to make +all amounts explicit, which can be useful for troubleshooting or for +making your journal more readable and robust against data entry errors. +Note, `-x` will cause postings with a multi-commodity amount (these can +arise when a multi-commodity transaction has an implicit amount) will be +split into multiple single-commodity postings, for valid journal output. + +With `-B`/`--cost`, amounts with [transaction +prices](/journal.html#transaction-prices) are converted to cost using +that price. This can be used for troubleshooting. + +With `-m`/`--match` and a STR argument, print will show at most one +transaction: the one one whose description is most similar to STR, and +is most recent. STR should contain at least two characters. If there is +no similar-enough match, no transaction will be shown. + +With `--new`, for each FILE being read, hledger reads (and writes) a +special state file (`.latest.FILE` in the same directory), containing +the latest transaction date(s) that were seen last time FILE was read. +When this file is found, only transactions with newer dates (and new +transactions on the latest date) are printed. This is useful for +ignoring already-seen entries in import data, such as downloaded CSV +files. Eg: + +``` {.console} +$ hledger -f bank1.csv print --new +# shows transactions added since last print --new on this file +``` + +This assumes that transactions added to FILE always have same or +increasing dates, and that transactions on the same day do not get +reordered. See also the [import](#import) command. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. Here's an example of +print's CSV output: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print -Ocsv +"txnidx","date","date2","status","code","description","comment","account","amount","commodity","credit","debit","posting-status","posting-comment" +"1","2008/01/01","","","","income","","assets:bank:checking","1","$","","1","","" +"1","2008/01/01","","","","income","","income:salary","-1","$","1","","","" +"2","2008/06/01","","","","gift","","assets:bank:checking","1","$","","1","","" +"2","2008/06/01","","","","gift","","income:gifts","-1","$","1","","","" +"3","2008/06/02","","","","save","","assets:bank:saving","1","$","","1","","" +"3","2008/06/02","","","","save","","assets:bank:checking","-1","$","1","","","" +"4","2008/06/03","","*","","eat & shop","","expenses:food","1","$","","1","","" +"4","2008/06/03","","*","","eat & shop","","expenses:supplies","1","$","","1","","" +"4","2008/06/03","","*","","eat & shop","","assets:cash","-2","$","2","","","" +"5","2008/12/31","","*","","pay off","","liabilities:debts","1","$","","1","","" +"5","2008/12/31","","*","","pay off","","assets:bank:checking","-1","$","1","","","" +``` + +- There is one CSV record per posting, with the parent transaction's + fields repeated. +- The "txnidx" (transaction index) field shows which postings belong + to the same transaction. (This number might change if transactions + are reordered within the file, files are parsed/included in a + different order, etc.) +- The amount is separated into "commodity" (the symbol) and "amount" + (numeric quantity) fields. +- The numeric amount is repeated in either the "credit" or "debit" + column, for convenience. (Those names are not accurate in the + accounting sense; it just puts negative amounts under credit and + zero or greater amounts under debit.) + +### print-unique + +print-unique\ +Print transactions which do not reuse an already-seen description. + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ cat unique.journal +1/1 test + (acct:one) 1 +2/2 test + (acct:two) 2 +$ LEDGER_FILE=unique.journal hledger print-unique +(-f option not supported) +2015/01/01 test + (acct:one) 1 +``` + +### register + +register, reg, r\ +Show postings and their running total. + +The register command displays postings in date order, one per line, and +their running total. This is typically used with a [query](#queries) +selecting a particular account, to see that account's activity: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking +2008/01/01 income assets:bank:checking $1 $1 +2008/06/01 gift assets:bank:checking $1 $2 +2008/06/02 save assets:bank:checking $-1 $1 +2008/12/31 pay off assets:bank:checking $-1 0 +``` + +With --date2, it shows and sorts by secondary date instead. + +The `--historical`/`-H` flag adds the balance from any undisplayed prior +postings to the running total. This is useful when you want to see only +recent activity, with a historically accurate running balance: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking -b 2008/6 --historical +2008/06/01 gift assets:bank:checking $1 $2 +2008/06/02 save assets:bank:checking $-1 $1 +2008/12/31 pay off assets:bank:checking $-1 0 +``` + +The `--depth` option limits the amount of sub-account detail displayed. + +The `--average`/`-A` flag shows the running average posting amount +instead of the running total (so, the final number displayed is the +average for the whole report period). This flag implies `--empty` (see +below). It is affected by `--historical`. It works best when showing +just one account and one commodity. + +The `--related`/`-r` flag shows the *other* postings in the transactions +of the postings which would normally be shown. + +The `--invert` flag negates all amounts. For example, it can be used on +an income account where amounts are normally displayed as negative +numbers. It's also useful to show postings on the checking account +together with the related account: + + $ hledger register --related --invert assets:checking + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), register shows summary +postings, one per interval, aggregating the postings to each account: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register --monthly income +2008/01 income:salary $-1 $-1 +2008/06 income:gifts $-1 $-2 +``` + +Periods with no activity, and summary postings with a zero amount, are +not shown by default; use the `--empty`/`-E` flag to see them: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register --monthly income -E +2008/01 income:salary $-1 $-1 +2008/02 0 $-1 +2008/03 0 $-1 +2008/04 0 $-1 +2008/05 0 $-1 +2008/06 income:gifts $-1 $-2 +2008/07 0 $-2 +2008/08 0 $-2 +2008/09 0 $-2 +2008/10 0 $-2 +2008/11 0 $-2 +2008/12 0 $-2 +``` + +Often, you'll want to see just one line per interval. The `--depth` +option helps with this, causing subaccounts to be aggregated: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register --monthly assets --depth 1h +2008/01 assets $1 $1 +2008/06 assets $-1 0 +2008/12 assets $-1 $-1 +``` + +Note when using report intervals, if you specify start/end dates these +will be adjusted outward if necessary to contain a whole number of +intervals. This ensures that the first and last intervals are full +length and comparable to the others in the report. + +#### Custom register output + +register uses the full terminal width by default, except on windows. You +can override this by setting the `COLUMNS` environment variable (not a +bash shell variable) or by using the `--width`/`-w` option. + +The description and account columns normally share the space equally +(about half of (width - 40) each). You can adjust this by adding a +description width as part of --width's argument, comma-separated: +`--width W,D` . Here's a diagram (won't display correctly in --help): + + <--------------------------------- width (W) ----------------------------------> + date (10) description (D) account (W-41-D) amount (12) balance (12) + DDDDDDDDDD dddddddddddddddddddd aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa AAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAA + +and some examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger reg # use terminal width (or 80 on windows) +$ hledger reg -w 100 # use width 100 +$ COLUMNS=100 hledger reg # set with one-time environment variable +$ export COLUMNS=100; hledger reg # set till session end (or window resize) +$ hledger reg -w 100,40 # set overall width 100, description width 40 +$ hledger reg -w $COLUMNS,40 # use terminal width, & description width 40 +``` + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +### register-match + +register-match\ +Print the one posting whose transaction description is closest to DESC, +in the style of the register command. If there are multiple equally good +matches, it shows the most recent. Query options (options, not +arguments) can be used to restrict the search space. Helps +ledger-autosync detect already-seen transactions when importing. + +### rewrite + +rewrite\ +Print all transactions, rewriting the postings of matched transactions. +For now the only rewrite available is adding new postings, like print +--auto. + +This is a start at a generic rewriter of transaction entries. It reads +the default journal and prints the transactions, like print, but adds +one or more specified postings to any transactions matching QUERY. The +posting amounts can be fixed, or a multiplier of the existing +transaction's first posting amount. + +Examples: + + hledger-rewrite.hs ^income --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33 ; income tax' --add-posting '(reserve:gifts) $100' + hledger-rewrite.hs expenses:gifts --add-posting '(reserve:gifts) *-1"' + hledger-rewrite.hs -f rewrites.hledger + +rewrites.hledger may consist of entries like: + + = ^income amt:<0 date:2017 + (liabilities:tax) *0.33 ; tax on income + (reserve:grocery) *0.25 ; reserve 25% for grocery + (reserve:) *0.25 ; reserve 25% for grocery + +Note the single quotes to protect the dollar sign from bash, and the two +spaces between account and amount. + +More: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- [QUERY] --add-posting "ACCT AMTEXPR" ... +$ hledger rewrite -- ^income --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33' +$ hledger rewrite -- expenses:gifts --add-posting '(budget:gifts) *-1"' +$ hledger rewrite -- ^income --add-posting '(budget:foreign currency) *0.25 JPY; diversify' +``` + +Argument for `--add-posting` option is a usual posting of transaction +with an exception for amount specification. More precisely, you can use +`'*'` (star symbol) before the amount to indicate that that this is a +factor for an amount of original matched posting. If the amount includes +a commodity name, the new posting amount will be in the new commodity; +otherwise, it will be in the matched posting amount's commodity. + +##### Re-write rules in a file + +During the run this tool will execute so called ["Automated +Transactions"](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Automated-Transactions) +found in any journal it process. I.e instead of specifying this +operations in command line you can put them in a journal file. + +``` {.shell} +$ rewrite-rules.journal +``` + +Make contents look like this: + +``` {.journal} += ^income + (liabilities:tax) *.33 + += expenses:gifts + budget:gifts *-1 + assets:budget *1 +``` + +Note that `'='` (equality symbol) that is used instead of date in +transactions you usually write. It indicates the query by which you want +to match the posting to add new ones. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- -f input.journal -f rewrite-rules.journal > rewritten-tidy-output.journal +``` + +This is something similar to the commands pipeline: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- -f input.journal '^income' --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33' \ + | hledger rewrite -- -f - expenses:gifts --add-posting 'budget:gifts *-1' \ + --add-posting 'assets:budget *1' \ + > rewritten-tidy-output.journal +``` + +It is important to understand that relative order of such entries in +journal is important. You can re-use result of previously added +postings. + +##### Diff output format + +To use this tool for batch modification of your journal files you may +find useful output in form of unified diff. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- --diff -f examples/sample.journal '^income' --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33' +``` + +Output might look like: + +``` {.diff} +--- /tmp/examples/sample.journal ++++ /tmp/examples/sample.journal +@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ + 2008/01/01 income +- assets:bank:checking $1 ++ assets:bank:checking $1 + income:salary ++ (liabilities:tax) 0 +@@ -22,3 +23,4 @@ + 2008/06/01 gift +- assets:bank:checking $1 ++ assets:bank:checking $1 + income:gifts ++ (liabilities:tax) 0 +``` + +If you'll pass this through `patch` tool you'll get transactions +containing the posting that matches your query be updated. Note that +multiple files might be update according to list of input files +specified via `--file` options and `include` directives inside of these +files. + +Be careful. Whole transaction being re-formatted in a style of output +from `hledger print`. + +See also: + +https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/issues/99 + +##### rewrite vs. print --auto + +This command predates print --auto, and currently does much the same +thing, but with these differences: + +- with multiple files, rewrite lets rules in any file affect all other + files. print --auto uses standard directive scoping; rules affect + only child files. + +- rewrite's query limits which transactions can be rewritten; all are + printed. print --auto's query limits which transactions are printed. + +- rewrite applies rules specified on command line or in the journal. + print --auto applies rules specified in the journal. + +### roi + +roi\ +Shows the time-weighted (TWR) and money-weighted (IRR) rate of return on +your investments. + +This command assumes that you have account(s) that hold nothing but your +investments and whenever you record current appraisal/valuation of these +investments you offset unrealized profit and loss into account(s) that, +again, hold nothing but unrealized profit and loss. + +Any transactions affecting balance of investment account(s) and not +originating from unrealized profit and loss account(s) are assumed to be +your investments or withdrawals. + +At a minimum, you need to supply a query (which could be just an account +name) to select your investments with `--inv`, and another query to +identify your profit and loss transactions with `--pnl`. + +It will compute and display the internalized rate of return (IRR) and +time-weighted rate of return (TWR) for your investments for the time +period requested. Both rates of return are annualized before display, +regardless of the length of reporting interval. + +### stats + +stats\ +Show some journal statistics. + +The stats command displays summary information for the whole journal, or +a matched part of it. With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), +it shows a report for each report period. + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger stats +Main journal file : /src/hledger/examples/sample.journal +Included journal files : +Transactions span : 2008-01-01 to 2009-01-01 (366 days) +Last transaction : 2008-12-31 (2333 days ago) +Transactions : 5 (0.0 per day) +Transactions last 30 days: 0 (0.0 per day) +Transactions last 7 days : 0 (0.0 per day) +Payees/descriptions : 5 +Accounts : 8 (depth 3) +Commodities : 1 ($) +``` + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +### tags + +tags\ +List all the tag names used in the journal. With a TAGREGEX argument, +only tag names matching the regular expression (case insensitive) are +shown. With QUERY arguments, only transactions matching the query are +considered. + +### test + +test\ +Run built-in unit tests. + +This command runs the unit tests built in to hledger-lib and hledger, +printing test names and results on stdout. If any test fails, the exit +code will be non-zero. + +Test names include a group prefix. If a (exact, case sensitive) group +prefix, or a full test name is provided as the first argument, only that +group or test is run. + +If a numeric second argument is provided, it will set the randomness +seed, for repeatable results from tests using randomness (currently none +of them). + +This is mainly used by developers, but it's nice to be able to +sanity-check your installed hledger executable at any time. All tests +are expected to pass - if you ever see otherwise, something has gone +wrong, please report a bug! + +## ADD-ON COMMANDS + +hledger also searches for external add-on commands, and will include +these in the commands list. These are programs or scripts in your PATH +whose name starts with `hledger-` and ends with a recognised file +extension (currently: no extension, `bat`,`com`,`exe`, +`hs`,`lhs`,`pl`,`py`,`rb`,`rkt`,`sh`). + +Add-ons can be invoked like any hledger command, but there are a few +things to be aware of. Eg if the `hledger-web` add-on is installed, + +- `hledger -h web` shows hledger's help, while `hledger web -h` shows + hledger-web's help. + +- Flags specific to the add-on must have a preceding `--` to hide them + from hledger. So `hledger web --serve --port 9000` will be rejected; + you must use `hledger web -- --serve --port 9000`. + +- You can always run add-ons directly if preferred: + `hledger-web --serve --port 9000`. + +Add-ons are a relatively easy way to add local features or experiment +with new ideas. They can be written in any language, but haskell scripts +have a big advantage: they can use the same hledger (and haskell) +library functions that built-in commands do, for command-line options, +journal parsing, reporting, etc. + +Here are some hledger add-ons available: + +### Official add-ons + +These are maintained and released along with hledger. + +#### api + +[hledger-api](hledger-api.html) serves hledger data as a JSON web API. + +#### ui + +[hledger-ui](hledger-ui.html) provides an efficient curses-style +interface. + +#### web + +[hledger-web](hledger-web.html) provides a simple web interface. + +### Third party add-ons + +These are maintained separately, and usually updated shortly after a +hledger release. + +#### diff + +[hledger-diff](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-diff) shows +differences in an account's transactions between one journal file and +another. + +#### iadd + +[hledger-iadd](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-iadd) is a +curses-style, more interactive replacement for the [add +command](/hledger.html#add). + +#### interest + +[hledger-interest](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-interest) +generates interest transactions for an account according to various +schemes. + +#### irr + +[hledger-irr](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-irr) calculates +the internal rate of return of an investment account, but it's +superseded now by the built-in [roi](#roi) command. + +### Experimental add-ons + +These are available in source form in the hledger repo's bin/ directory; +installing them is [pretty easy](/download.html#d). They may be less +mature and documented than built-in commands. Reading and tweaking these +is a good way to start making your own! + +#### autosync + +[hledger-autosync](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/blob/master/bin/hledger-autosync) +is a symbolic link for easily running +[ledger-autosync](https://pypi.python.org/pypi/ledger-autosync), if +installed. ledger-autosync does deduplicating conversion of OFX data and +some CSV formats, and can also download the data [if your bank offers +OFX Direct +Connect](http://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/OFX_Direct_Connect_Bank_Settings). + +#### chart + +[hledger-chart.hs](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/blob/master/bin/hledger-chart.hs#L47) +is an old pie chart generator, in need of some love. + +#### check + +[hledger-check.hs](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/blob/master/bin/hledger-check.hs) +checks more powerful account balance assertions. + +## ENVIRONMENT + +**COLUMNS** The screen width used by the register command. Default: the +full terminal width. + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +## BUGS + +The need to precede addon command options with `--` when invoked from +hledger is awkward. + +When input data contains non-ascii characters, a suitable system locale +must be configured (or there will be an unhelpful error). Eg on POSIX, +set LANG to something other than C. + +In a Microsoft Windows CMD window, non-ascii characters and colours are +not supported. + +In a Cygwin/MSYS/Mintty window, the tab key is not supported in hledger +add. + +Not all of Ledger's journal file syntax is supported. See [file format +differences](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/FAQ#file-formats). + +On large data files, hledger is slower and uses more memory than Ledger. + +## TROUBLESHOOTING + +Here are some issues you might encounter when you run hledger (and +remember you can also seek help from the [IRC +channel](http://irc.hledger.org), [mail list](http://list.hledger.org) +or [bug tracker](http://bugs.hledger.org)): + +**Successfully installed, but "No command 'hledger' found"**\ +stack and cabal install binaries into a special directory, which should +be added to your PATH environment variable. Eg on unix-like systems, +that is \~/.local/bin and \~/.cabal/bin respectively. + +**I set a custom LEDGER\_FILE, but hledger is still using the default +file**\ +`LEDGER_FILE` should be a real environment variable, not just a shell +variable. The command `env | grep LEDGER_FILE` should show it. You may +need to use `export`. Here's an +[explanation](http://stackoverflow.com/a/7411509). + +**"Illegal byte sequence" or "Invalid or incomplete multibyte or wide +character" errors**\ +In order to handle non-ascii letters and symbols (like £), hledger needs +an appropriate locale. This is usually configured system-wide; you can +also configure it temporarily. The locale may need to be one that +supports UTF-8, if you built hledger with GHC \< 7.2 (or possibly +always, I'm not sure yet). + +Here's an example of setting the locale temporarily, on ubuntu +gnu/linux: + +``` {.shell} +$ file my.journal +my.journal: UTF-8 Unicode text # <- the file is UTF8-encoded +$ locale -a +C +en_US.utf8 # <- a UTF8-aware locale is available +POSIX +$ LANG=en_US.utf8 hledger -f my.journal print # <- use it for this command +``` + +Here's one way to set it permanently, there are probably better ways: + +``` {.shell} +$ echo "export LANG=en_US.UTF-8" >>~/.bash_profile +$ bash --login +``` + +If we preferred to use eg `fr_FR.utf8`, we might have to install that +first: + +``` {.shell} +$ apt-get install language-pack-fr +$ locale -a +C +en_US.utf8 +fr_BE.utf8 +fr_CA.utf8 +fr_CH.utf8 +fr_FR.utf8 +fr_LU.utf8 +POSIX +$ LANG=fr_FR.utf8 hledger -f my.journal print +``` + +Note some platforms allow variant locale spellings, but not all (ubuntu +accepts `fr_FR.UTF8`, 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/dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/journal.md @@ -0,0 +1,1485 @@ +# journal format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +Journal - hledger's default file format, representing a General Journal + +## DESCRIPTION + +hledger's usual data source is a plain text file containing journal +entries in hledger journal format. This file represents a standard +accounting [general +journal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_journal). I use file names +ending in `.journal`, but that's not required. The journal file contains +a number of transaction entries, each describing a transfer of money (or +any commodity) between two or more named accounts, in a simple format +readable by both hledger and humans. + +hledger's journal format is a compatible subset, mostly, of [ledger's +journal +format](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Journal-Format), so +hledger can work with +[compatible](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/FAQ#file-formats) +ledger journal files as well. It's safe, and encouraged, to run both +hledger and ledger on the same journal file, eg to validate the results +you're getting. + +You can use hledger without learning any more about this file; just use +the [add](#add) or [web](#web) commands to create and update it. Many +users, though, also edit the journal file directly with a text editor, +perhaps assisted by the helper modes for emacs or vim. + +Here's an example: + +``` {.journal} +; A sample journal file. This is a comment. + +2008/01/01 income ; <- transaction's first line starts in column 0, contains date and description + assets:bank:checking $1 ; <- posting lines start with whitespace, each contains an account name + income:salary $-1 ; followed by at least two spaces and an amount + +2008/06/01 gift + assets:bank:checking $1 ; <- at least two postings in a transaction + income:gifts $-1 ; <- their amounts must balance to 0 + +2008/06/02 save + assets:bank:saving $1 + assets:bank:checking ; <- one amount may be omitted; here $-1 is inferred + +2008/06/03 eat & shop ; <- description can be anything + expenses:food $1 + expenses:supplies $1 ; <- this transaction debits two expense accounts + assets:cash ; <- $-2 inferred + +2008/10/01 take a loan + assets:bank:checking $1 + liabilities:debts $-1 + +2008/12/31 * pay off ; <- an optional * or ! after the date means "cleared" (or anything you want) + liabilities:debts $1 + assets:bank:checking +``` + +## FILE FORMAT + + +### Transactions + +Transactions are movements of some quantity of commodities between named +accounts. Each transaction is represented by a journal entry beginning +with a [simple date](#simple-dates) in column 0. This can be followed by +any of the following, separated by spaces: + +- (optional) a [status](#status) character (empty, `!`, or `*`) +- (optional) a transaction code (any short number or text, enclosed in + parentheses) +- (optional) a transaction description (any remaining text until end + of line or a semicolon) +- (optional) a transaction comment (any remaining text following a + semicolon until end of line) + +Then comes zero or more (but usually at least 2) indented lines +representing... + +### Postings + +A posting is an addition of some amount to, or removal of some amount +from, an account. Each posting line begins with at least one space or +tab (2 or 4 spaces is common), followed by: + +- (optional) a [status](#status) character (empty, `!`, or `*`), + followed by a space +- (required) an [account name](#account-names) (any text, optionally + containing **single spaces**, until end of line or a double space) +- (optional) **two or more spaces** or tabs followed by an + [amount](#amounts). + +Positive amounts are being added to the account, negative amounts are +being removed. + +The amounts within a transaction must always sum up to zero. As a +convenience, one amount may be left blank; it will be inferred so as to +balance the transaction. + +Be sure to note the unusual two-space delimiter between account name and +amount. This makes it easy to write account names containing spaces. But +if you accidentally leave only one space (or tab) before the amount, the +amount will be considered part of the account name. + +### Dates + +#### Simple dates + +Within a journal file, transaction dates use Y/M/D (or Y-M-D or Y.M.D) +Leading zeros are optional. The year may be omitted, in which case it +will be inferred from the context - the current transaction, the default +year set with a [default year directive](#default-year), or the current +date when the command is run. Some examples: `2010/01/31`, `1/31`, +`2010-01-31`, `2010.1.31`. + +#### Secondary dates + +Real-life transactions sometimes involve more than one date - eg the +date you write a cheque, and the date it clears in your bank. When you +want to model this, eg for more accurate balances, you can specify +individual [posting dates](#posting-dates), which I recommend. Or, you +can use the secondary dates (aka auxiliary/effective dates) feature, +supported for compatibility with Ledger. + +A secondary date can be written after the primary date, separated by an +equals sign. The primary date, on the left, is used by default; the +secondary date, on the right, is used when the `--date2` flag is +specified (`--aux-date` or `--effective` also work). + +The meaning of secondary dates is up to you, but it's best to follow a +consistent rule. Eg write the bank's clearing date as primary, and when +needed, the date the transaction was initiated as secondary. + +Here's an example. Note that a secondary date will use the year of the +primary date if unspecified. + +``` {.journal} +2010/2/23=2/19 movie ticket + expenses:cinema $10 + assets:checking +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking +2010/02/23 movie ticket assets:checking $-10 $-10 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking --date2 +2010/02/19 movie ticket assets:checking $-10 $-10 +``` + +Secondary dates require some effort; you must use them consistently in +your journal entries and remember whether to use or not use the +`--date2` flag for your reports. They are included in hledger for Ledger +compatibility, but posting dates are a more powerful and less confusing +alternative. + +#### Posting dates + +You can give individual postings a different date from their parent +transaction, by adding a [posting comment](#comments) containing a +[tag](#tags) (see below) like `date:DATE`. This is probably the best way +to control posting dates precisely. Eg in this example the expense +should appear in May reports, and the deduction from checking should be +reported on 6/1 for easy bank reconciliation: + +``` {.journal} +2015/5/30 + expenses:food $10 ; food purchased on saturday 5/30 + assets:checking ; bank cleared it on monday, date:6/1 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.j register food +2015/05/30 expenses:food $10 $10 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.j register checking +2015/06/01 assets:checking $-10 $-10 +``` + +DATE should be a [simple date](#simple-dates); if the year is not +specified it will use the year of the transaction's date. You can set +the secondary date similarly, with `date2:DATE2`. The `date:` or +`date2:` tags must have a valid simple date value if they are present, +eg a `date:` tag with no value is not allowed. + +Ledger's earlier, more compact bracketed date syntax is also supported: +`[DATE]`, `[DATE=DATE2]` or `[=DATE2]`. hledger will attempt to parse +any square-bracketed sequence of the `0123456789/-.=` characters in this +way. With this syntax, DATE infers its year from the transaction and +DATE2 infers its year from DATE. + +### Status + +Transactions, or individual postings within a transaction, can have a +status mark, which is a single character before the transaction +description or posting account name, separated from it by a space, +indicating one of three statuses: + + mark   status + -------- ---------- +   unmarked + `!` pending + `*` cleared + +When reporting, you can filter by status with the `-U/--unmarked`, +`-P/--pending`, and `-C/--cleared` flags; or the `status:`, `status:!`, +and `status:*` [queries](/manual.html#queries); or the U, P, C keys in +hledger-ui. + +Note, in Ledger and in older versions of hledger, the "unmarked" state +is called "uncleared". As of hledger 1.3 we have renamed it to unmarked +for clarity. + +To replicate Ledger and old hledger's behaviour of also matching +pending, combine -U and -P. + +Status marks are optional, but can be helpful eg for reconciling with +real-world accounts. Some editor modes provide highlighting and +shortcuts for working with status. Eg in Emacs ledger-mode, you can +toggle transaction status with C-c C-e, or posting status with C-c C-c. + +What "uncleared", "pending", and "cleared" actually mean is up to you. +Here's one suggestion: + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------- + status meaning + ----------- ------------------------------------------------------------- + uncleared recorded but not yet reconciled; needs review + + pending tentatively reconciled (if needed, eg during a big + reconciliation) + + cleared complete, reconciled as far as possible, and considered + correct + ------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +With this scheme, you would use `-PC` to see the current balance at your +bank, `-U` to see things which will probably hit your bank soon (like +uncashed checks), and no flags to see the most up-to-date state of your +finances. + +### Description + +A transaction's description is the rest of the line following the date +and status mark (or until a comment begins). Sometimes called the +"narration" in traditional bookkeeping, it can be used for whatever you +wish, or left blank. Transaction descriptions can be queried, unlike +[comments](#comments). + +#### Payee and note + +You can optionally include a `|` (pipe) character in a description to +subdivide it into a payee/payer name on the left and additional notes on +the right. This may be worthwhile if you need to do more precise +[querying](/hledger.html#queries) and [pivoting](/hledger.html#pivoting) +by payee. + +### Account names + +Account names typically have several parts separated by a full colon, +from which hledger derives a hierarchical chart of accounts. They can be +anything you like, but in finance there are traditionally five top-level +accounts: `assets`, `liabilities`, `income`, `expenses`, and `equity`. + +Account names may contain single spaces, eg: +`assets:accounts receivable`. Because of this, they must always be +followed by **two or more spaces** (or newline). + +Account names can be [aliased](#rewriting-accounts). + +### Amounts + +After the account name, there is usually an amount. Important: between +account name and amount, there must be **two or more spaces**. + +Amounts consist of a number and (usually) a currency symbol or commodity +name. Some examples: + +`2.00001`\ +`$1`\ +`4000 AAPL`\ +`3 "green apples"`\ +`-$1,000,000.00`\ +`INR 9,99,99,999.00`\ +`EUR -2.000.000,00`\ +`1 999 999.9455`\ +`EUR 1E3`\ +`1000E-6s` + +As you can see, the amount format is somewhat flexible: + +- amounts are a number (the "quantity") and optionally a currency + symbol/commodity name (the "commodity"). +- the commodity is a symbol, word, or phrase, on the left or right, + with or without a separating space. If the commodity contains + numbers, spaces or non-word punctuation it must be enclosed in + double quotes. +- negative amounts with a commodity on the left can have the minus + sign before or after it +- digit groups (thousands, or any other grouping) can be separated by + space or comma or period and should be used as separator between all + groups +- decimal part can be separated by comma or period and should be + different from digit groups separator +- scientific E-notation is allowed. Be careful not to use a digit + group separator character in scientific notation, as it's not + supported and it might get mistaken for a decimal point. (Declaring + the digit group separator character explicitly with a commodity + directive will prevent this.) + +You can use any of these variations when recording data. However, there +is some ambiguous way of representing numbers like `$1.000` and `$1,000` +both may mean either one thousand or one dollar. By default hledger will +assume that this is sole delimiter is used only for decimals. On the +other hand commodity format declared prior to that line will help to +resolve that ambiguity differently: + +``` {.journal} +commodity $1,000.00 + +2017/12/25 New life of Scrooge + expenses:gifts $1,000 + assets +``` + +Though journal may contain mixed styles to represent amount, when +hledger displays amounts, it will choose a consistent format for each +commodity. (Except for [price amounts](#prices), which are always +formatted as written). The display format is chosen as follows: + +- if there is a [commodity directive](#declaring-commodities) + specifying the format, that is used +- otherwise the format is inferred from the first posting amount in + that commodity in the journal, and the precision (number of decimal + places) will be the maximum from all posting amounts in that + commmodity +- or if there are no such amounts in the journal, a default format is + used (like `$1000.00`). + +Price amounts and amounts in `D` directives usually don't affect amount +format inference, but in some situations they can do so indirectly. (Eg +when D's default commodity is applied to a commodity-less amount, or +when an amountless posting is balanced using a price's commodity, or +when -V is used.) If you find this causing problems, set the desired +format with a commodity directive. + +### Virtual Postings + +When you parenthesise the account name in a posting, we call that a +*virtual posting*, which means: + +- it is ignored when checking that the transaction is balanced +- it is excluded from reports when the `--real/-R` flag is used, or + the `real:1` query. + +You could use this, eg, to set an account's opening balance without +needing to use the `equity:opening balances` account: + +``` {.journal} +1/1 special unbalanced posting to set initial balance + (assets:checking) $1000 +``` + +When the account name is bracketed, we call it a *balanced virtual +posting*. This is like an ordinary virtual posting except the balanced +virtual postings in a transaction must balance to 0, like the real +postings (but separately from them). Balanced virtual postings are also +excluded by `--real/-R` or `real:1`. + +``` {.journal} +1/1 buy food with cash, and update some budget-tracking subaccounts elsewhere + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash $-10 + [assets:checking:available] $10 + [assets:checking:budget:food] $-10 +``` + +Virtual postings have some legitimate uses, but those are few. You can +usually find an equivalent journal entry using real postings, which is +more correct and provides better error checking. + +### Balance Assertions + +hledger supports [Ledger-style balance +assertions](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Balance-assertions) +in journal files. These look like, for example, `= EXPECTEDBALANCE` +following a posting's amount. Eg here we assert the expected dollar +balance in accounts a and b after each posting: + +``` {.journal} +2013/1/1 + a $1 =$1 + b =$-1 + +2013/1/2 + a $1 =$2 + b $-1 =$-2 +``` + +After reading a journal file, hledger will check all balance assertions +and report an error if any of them fail. Balance assertions can protect +you from, eg, inadvertently disrupting reconciled balances while +cleaning up old entries. You can disable them temporarily with the +`-I/--ignore-assertions` flag, which can be useful for troubleshooting +or for reading Ledger files. + +#### Assertions and ordering + +hledger sorts an account's postings and assertions first by date and +then (for postings on the same day) by parse order. Note this is +different from Ledger, which sorts assertions only by parse order. +(Also, Ledger assertions do not see the accumulated effect of repeated +postings to the same account within a transaction.) + +So, hledger balance assertions keep working if you reorder +differently-dated transactions within the journal. But if you reorder +same-dated transactions or postings, assertions might break and require +updating. This order dependence does bring an advantage: precise control +over the order of postings and assertions within a day, so you can +assert intra-day balances. + +#### Assertions and included files + +With [included files](#including-other-files), things are a little more +complicated. Including preserves the ordering of postings and +assertions. If you have multiple postings to an account on the same day, +split across different files, and you also want to assert the account's +balance on the same day, you'll have to put the assertion in the right +file. + +#### Assertions and multiple -f options + +Balance assertions don't work well across files specified with multiple +-f options. Use include or [concatenate the +files](/hledger.html#input-files) instead. + +#### Assertions and commodities + +The asserted balance must be a simple single-commodity amount, and in +fact the assertion checks only this commodity's balance within the +(possibly multi-commodity) account balance.\ +This is how assertions work in Ledger also. We could call this a +"partial" balance assertion. + +To assert the balance of more than one commodity in an account, you can +write multiple postings, each asserting one commodity's balance. + +You can make a stronger "total" balance assertion by writing a double +equals sign (`== EXPECTEDBALANCE`). This asserts that there are no other +unasserted commodities in the account (or, that their balance is 0). + +``` {.journal} +2013/1/1 + a $1 + a 1€ + b $-1 + c -1€ + +2013/1/2 ; These assertions succeed + a 0 = $1 + a 0 = 1€ + b 0 == $-1 + c 0 == -1€ + +2013/1/3 ; This assertion fails as 'a' also contains 1€ + a 0 == $1 +``` + +It's not yet possible to make a complete assertion about a balance that +has multiple commodities. One workaround is to isolate each commodity +into its own subaccount: + +``` {.journal} +2013/1/1 + a:usd $1 + a:euro 1€ + b + +2013/1/2 + a 0 == 0 + a:usd 0 == $1 + a:euro 0 == 1€ +``` + +#### Assertions and prices + +Balance assertions ignore [transaction prices](#transaction-prices), and +should normally be written without one: + +``` {.journal} +2019/1/1 + (a) $1 @ €1 = $1 +``` + +We do allow prices to be written there, however, and +[print](/manual.html#print) shows them, even though they don't affect +whether the assertion passes or fails. This is for backward +compatibility (hledger's [close](/manual.html#close) command used to +generate balance assertions with prices), and because [balance +*assignments*](#balance-assignments) do use them (see below). + +#### Assertions and subaccounts + +The balance assertions above (`=` and `==`) do not count the balance +from subaccounts; they check the account's exclusive balance only. You +can assert the balance including subaccounts by writing `=*` or `==*`, +eg: + +``` {.journal} +2019/1/1 + equity:opening balances + checking:a 5 + checking:b 5 + checking 1 ==* 11 +``` + +#### Assertions and virtual postings + +Balance assertions are checked against all postings, both real and +[virtual](#virtual-postings). They are not affected by the `--real/-R` +flag or `real:` query. + +#### Assertions and precision + +Balance assertions compare the exactly calculated amounts, which are not +always what is shown by reports. Eg a [commodity +directive](http://hledger.org/journal.html#declaring-commodities) may +limit the display precision, but this will not affect balance +assertions. Balance assertion failure messages show exact amounts. + +### Balance Assignments + +[Ledger-style balance +assignments](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Balance-assignments) +are also supported. These are like [balance +assertions](#balance-assertions), but with no posting amount on the left +side of the equals sign; instead it is calculated automatically so as to +satisfy the assertion. This can be a convenience during data entry, eg +when setting opening balances: + +``` {.journal} +; starting a new journal, set asset account balances +2016/1/1 opening balances + assets:checking = $409.32 + assets:savings = $735.24 + assets:cash = $42 + equity:opening balances +``` + +or when adjusting a balance to reality: + +``` {.journal} +; no cash left; update balance, record any untracked spending as a generic expense +2016/1/15 + assets:cash = $0 + expenses:misc +``` + +The calculated amount depends on the account's balance in the commodity +at that point (which depends on the previously-dated postings of the +commodity to that account since the last balance assertion or +assignment). Note that using balance assignments makes your journal a +little less explicit; to know the exact amount posted, you have to run +hledger or do the calculations yourself, instead of just reading it. + +#### Balance assignments and prices + +A [transaction price](#transaction-prices) in a balance assignment will +cause the calculated amount to have that price attached: + +``` {.journal} +2019/1/1 + (a) = $1 @ €2 +``` + + $ hledger print --explicit + 2019/01/01 + (a) $1 @ €2 = $1 @ €2 + +### Transaction prices + +Within a transaction, you can note an amount's price in another +commodity. This can be used to document the cost (in a purchase) or +selling price (in a sale). For example, transaction prices are useful to +record purchases of a foreign currency. Note transaction prices are +fixed at the time of the transaction, and do not change over time. See +also [market prices](#market-prices), which represent prevailing +exchange rates on a certain date. + +There are several ways to record a transaction price: + +1. Write the price per unit, as `@ UNITPRICE` after the amount: + + ``` {.journal} + 2009/1/1 + assets:euros €100 @ $1.35 ; one hundred euros purchased at $1.35 each + assets:dollars ; balancing amount is -$135.00 + ``` + +2. Write the total price, as `@@ TOTALPRICE` after the amount: + + ``` {.journal} + 2009/1/1 + assets:euros €100 @@ $135 ; one hundred euros purchased at $135 for the lot + assets:dollars + ``` + +3. Specify amounts for all postings, using exactly two commodities, and + let hledger infer the price that balances the transaction: + + ``` {.journal} + 2009/1/1 + assets:euros €100 ; one hundred euros purchased + assets:dollars $-135 ; for $135 + ``` + +(Ledger users: Ledger uses a different +[syntax](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Fixing-Lot-Prices) +for fixed prices, `{=UNITPRICE}`, which hledger currently ignores). + +Use the [`-B/--cost`](hledger.html#reporting-options) flag to convert +amounts to their transaction price's commodity, if any. (mnemonic: "B" +is from "cost Basis", as in Ledger). Eg here is how -B affects the +balance report for the example above: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger bal -N --flat + $-135 assets:dollars + €100 assets:euros +$ hledger bal -N --flat -B + $-135 assets:dollars + $135 assets:euros # <- the euros' cost +``` + +Note -B is sensitive to the order of postings when a transaction price +is inferred: the inferred price will be in the commodity of the last +amount. So if example 3's postings are reversed, while the transaction +is equivalent, -B shows something different: + +``` {.journal} +2009/1/1 + assets:dollars $-135 ; 135 dollars sold + assets:euros €100 ; for 100 euros +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger bal -N --flat -B + €-100 assets:dollars # <- the dollars' selling price + €100 assets:euros +``` + +### Comments + +Lines in the journal beginning with a semicolon (`;`) or hash (`#`) or +star (`*`) are comments, and will be ignored. (Star comments cause +org-mode nodes to be ignored, allowing emacs users to fold and navigate +their journals with org-mode or orgstruct-mode.) + +You can attach comments to a transaction by writing them after the +description and/or indented on the following lines (before the +postings). Similarly, you can attach comments to an individual posting +by writing them after the amount and/or indented on the following lines. +Transaction and posting comments must begin with a semicolon (`;`). + +Some examples: + +``` {.journal} +# a file comment + +; also a file comment + +comment +This is a multiline file comment, +which continues until a line +where the "end comment" string +appears on its own (or end of file). +end comment + +2012/5/14 something ; a transaction comment + ; the transaction comment, continued + posting1 1 ; a comment for posting 1 + posting2 + ; a comment for posting 2 + ; another comment line for posting 2 +; a file comment (because not indented) +``` + +You can also comment larger regions of a file using [`comment` and +`end comment` directives](#comment-blocks). + +### Tags + +Tags are a way to add extra labels or labelled data to postings and +transactions, which you can then [search](/hledger.html#queries) or +[pivot](/hledger.html#pivoting) on. + +A simple tag is a word (which may contain hyphens) followed by a full +colon, written inside a transaction or posting [comment](#comments) +line: + +``` {.journal} +2017/1/16 bought groceries ; sometag: +``` + +Tags can have a value, which is the text after the colon, up to the next +comma or end of line, with leading/trailing whitespace removed: + +``` {.journal} + expenses:food $10 ; a-posting-tag: the tag value +``` + +Note this means hledger's tag values can not contain commas or newlines. +Ending at commas means you can write multiple short tags on one line, +comma separated: + +``` {.journal} + assets:checking ; a comment containing tag1:, tag2: some value ... +``` + +Here, + +- "`a comment containing`" is just comment text, not a tag +- "`tag1`" is a tag with no value +- "`tag2`" is another tag, whose value is "`some value ...`" + +Tags in a transaction comment affect the transaction and all of its +postings, while tags in a posting comment affect only that posting. For +example, the following transaction has three tags (`A`, `TAG2`, +`third-tag`) and the posting has four (those plus `posting-tag`): + +``` {.journal} +1/1 a transaction ; A:, TAG2: + ; third-tag: a third transaction tag, <- with a value + (a) $1 ; posting-tag: +``` + +Tags are like Ledger's +[metadata](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Metadata) feature, +except hledger's tag values are simple strings. + +### Directives + +A directive is a line in the journal beginning with a special keyword, +that influences how the journal is processed. hledger's directives are +based on a subset of Ledger's, but there are many differences (and also +some differences between hledger versions). + +Directives' behaviour and interactions can get a little bit +[complex](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/issues/793), so here +is a table summarising the directives and their effects, with links to +more detailed docs. + + + + + + ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + directive end directive subdirectives purpose can affect (as of + 2018/06) + -------------------------------------------- --------------------- --------------- ---------------------------- ------------------- + [`account`](#declaring-accounts) any text document account names, all entries in all + declare account types & files, before or + display order after + + [`alias`](#rewriting-accounts) `end aliases` rewrite account names following + inline/included + entries until end + of current file or + end directive + + [`apply account`](#default-parent-account) `end apply account` prepend a common parent to following + account names inline/included + entries until end + of current file or + end directive + + [`comment`](#comment-blocks) `end comment` ignore part of journal following + inline/included + entries until end + of current file or + end directive + + [`commodity`](#declaring-commodities) `format` declare a commodity and its number notation: + number notation & display following entries + style in that commodity + in all files; +
display style: + amounts of that + commodity in + reports + + [`D`](#default-commodity) declare a commodity, number commodity: all + notation & display style for commodityless + commodityless amounts entries in all + files;
number + notation: following + commodityless + entries and entries + in that commodity + in all files; +
display style: + amounts of that + commodity in + reports + + [`include`](#including-other-files) include entries/directives what the included + from another file directives affect + + [`P`](#market-prices) declare a market price for a amounts of that + commodity commodity in + reports, when -V is + used + + [`Y`](#default-year) declare a year for yearless following + dates inline/included + entries until end + of current file + ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +And some definitions: + + -------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- + subdirective optional indented directive line immediately following a + parent directive + + number how to interpret numbers when parsing journal entries (the + notation identity of the decimal separator character). (Currently each + commodity can have its own notation, even in the same file.) + + display style how to display amounts of a commodity in reports (symbol side + and spacing, digit groups, decimal separator, decimal places) + + directive which entries and (when there are multiple files) which files + scope are affected by a directive + -------------- ------------------------------------------------------------- + + + + + + + + + + +As you can see, directives vary in which journal entries and files they +affect, and whether they are focussed on input (parsing) or output +(reports). Some directives have multiple effects. + +If you have a journal made up of multiple files, or pass multiple -f +options on the command line, note that directives which affect input +typically last only until the end of their defining file. This provides +more simplicity and predictability, eg reports are not changed by +writing file options in a different order. It can be surprising at times +though. + +#### Comment blocks + +A line containing just `comment` starts a commented region of the file, +and a line containing just `end comment` (or the end of the current +file) ends it. See also [comments](#comments). + +#### Including other files + +You can pull in the content of additional files by writing an include +directive, like this: + +``` {.journal} +include path/to/file.journal +``` + +If the path does not begin with a slash, it is relative to the current +file. The include file path may contain [common glob +patterns](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/Glob-0.9.2/docs/System-FilePath-Glob.html#v:compile) +(e.g. `*`). + +The `include` directive can only be used in journal files. It can +include journal, timeclock or timedot files, but not CSV files. + +#### Default year + +You can set a default year to be used for subsequent dates which don't +specify a year. This is a line beginning with `Y` followed by the year. +Eg: + +``` {.journal} +Y2009 ; set default year to 2009 + +12/15 ; equivalent to 2009/12/15 + expenses 1 + assets + +Y2010 ; change default year to 2010 + +2009/1/30 ; specifies the year, not affected + expenses 1 + assets + +1/31 ; equivalent to 2010/1/31 + expenses 1 + assets +``` + +#### Declaring commodities + +The `commodity` directive declares commodities which may be used in the +journal (though currently we do not enforce this). It may be written on +a single line, like this: + +``` {.journal} +; commodity EXAMPLEAMOUNT + +; display AAAA amounts with the symbol on the right, space-separated, +; using period as decimal point, with four decimal places, and +; separating thousands with comma. +commodity 1,000.0000 AAAA +``` + +or on multiple lines, using the "format" subdirective. In this case the +commodity symbol appears twice and should be the same in both places: + +``` {.journal} +; commodity SYMBOL +; format EXAMPLEAMOUNT + +; display indian rupees with currency name on the left, +; thousands, lakhs and crores comma-separated, +; period as decimal point, and two decimal places. +commodity INR + format INR 9,99,99,999.00 +``` + +Commodity directives have a second purpose: they define the standard +display format for amounts in the commodity. Normally the display format +is inferred from journal entries, but this can be unpredictable; +declaring it with a commodity directive overrides this and removes +ambiguity. Towards this end, amounts in commodity directives must always +be written with a decimal point (a period or comma, followed by 0 or +more decimal digits). + +#### Default commodity + +The `D` directive sets a default commodity (and display format), to be +used for amounts without a commodity symbol (ie, plain numbers). (Note +this differs from Ledger's default commodity directive.) The commodity +and display format will be applied to all subsequent commodity-less +amounts, or until the next `D` directive. + +``` {.journal} +# commodity-less amounts should be treated as dollars +# (and displayed with symbol on the left, thousands separators and two decimal places) +D $1,000.00 + +1/1 + a 5 ; <- commodity-less amount, becomes $1 + b +``` + +As with the `commodity` directive, the amount must always be written +with a decimal point. + +#### Market prices + +The `P` directive declares a market price, which is an exchange rate +between two commodities on a certain date. (In Ledger, they are called +"historical prices".) These are often obtained from a [stock +exchange](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_exchange), cryptocurrency +exchange, or the [foreign exchange +market](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_exchange_market). + +Here is the format: + +``` {.journal} +P DATE COMMODITYA COMMODITYBAMOUNT +``` + +- DATE is a [simple date](#simple-dates) +- COMMODITYA is the symbol of the commodity being priced +- COMMODITYBAMOUNT is an [amount](#amounts) (symbol and quantity) in a + second commodity, giving the price in commodity B of one unit of + commodity A. + +These two market price directives say that one euro was worth 1.35 US +dollars during 2009, and \$1.40 from 2010 onward: + +``` {.journal} +P 2009/1/1 € $1.35 +P 2010/1/1 € $1.40 +``` + +The [`-V/--value`](manual.html#market-value) flag can be used to convert +reported amounts to another commodity using these prices. + +#### Declaring accounts + +`account` directives can be used to pre-declare accounts. Though not +required, they can provide several benefits: + +- They can document your intended chart of accounts, providing a + reference. +- They can store extra information about accounts (account numbers, + notes, etc.) +- They can help hledger know your accounts' types (asset, liability, + equity, revenue, expense), useful for reports like balancesheet and + incomestatement. +- They control account display order in reports, allowing + non-alphabetic sorting (eg Revenues to appear above Expenses). +- They help with account name completion in the add command, + hledger-iadd, hledger-web, ledger-mode etc. + +The simplest form is just the word `account` followed by a hledger-style +[account name](manual.html#account-names), eg: + +``` {.journal} +account assets:bank:checking +``` + +##### Account comments + +[Comments](#comments), beginning with a semicolon, optionally including +[tags](journal.html#tags), can be written after the account name, and/or +on following lines. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +account assets:bank:checking ; a comment + ; another comment + ; acctno:12345, a tag +``` + +Tip: comments on the same line require hledger 1.12+. If you need your +journal to be compatible with older hledger versions, write comments on +the next line instead. + +##### Account subdirectives + +We also allow (and ignore) Ledger-style indented subdirectives, just for +compatibility.: + +``` {.journal} +account assets:bank:checking + format blah blah ; <- subdirective, ignored +``` + +Here is the full syntax of account directives: + +``` {.journal} +account ACCTNAME [ACCTTYPE] [;COMMENT] + [;COMMENTS] + [LEDGER-STYLE SUBDIRECTIVES, IGNORED] +``` + +##### Account types + +hledger recognises five types (or classes) of account: Asset, Liability, +Equity, Revenue, Expense. This is used by a few accounting-aware reports +such as [balancesheet](manual.html#balancesheet), +[incomestatement](manual.html#incomestatement) and +[cashflow](manual.html#cashflow). + +###### Auto-detected account types + +If you name your top-level accounts with some variation of `assets`, +`liabilities`/`debts`, `equity`, `revenues`/`income`, or `expenses`, +their types are detected automatically. + +###### Account types declared with tags + +More generally, you can declare an account's type with an account +directive, by writing a `type:` [tag](journal.html#tags) in a comment, +followed by one of the words `Asset`, `Liability`, `Equity`, `Revenue`, +`Expense`, or one of the letters `ALERX` (case insensitive): + +``` {.journal} +account assets ; type:Asset +account liabilities ; type:Liability +account equity ; type:Equity +account revenues ; type:Revenue +account expenses ; type:Expenses +``` + +###### Account types declared with account type codes + +Or, you can write one of those letters separated from the account name +by two or more spaces, but this should probably be considered deprecated +as of hledger 1.13: + +``` {.journal} +account assets A +account liabilities L +account equity E +account revenues R +account expenses X +``` + +###### Overriding auto-detected types + +If you ever override the types of those auto-detected english account +names mentioned above, you might need to help the reports a bit. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +; make "liabilities" not have the liability type - who knows why +account liabilities ; type:E + +; we need to ensure some other account has the liability type, +; otherwise balancesheet would still show "liabilities" under Liabilities +account - ; type:L +``` + +##### Account display order + +Account directives also set the order in which accounts are displayed, +eg in reports, the hledger-ui accounts screen, and the hledger-web +sidebar. By default accounts are listed in alphabetical order. But if +you have these account directives in the journal: + +``` {.journal} +account assets +account liabilities +account equity +account revenues +account expenses +``` + +you'll see those accounts displayed in declaration order, not +alphabetically: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger accounts -1 +assets +liabilities +equity +revenues +expenses +``` + +Undeclared accounts, if any, are displayed last, in alphabetical order. + +Note that sorting is done at each level of the account tree (within each +group of sibling accounts under the same parent). And currently, this +directive: + +``` {.journal} +account other:zoo +``` + +would influence the position of `zoo` among `other`'s subaccounts, but +not the position of `other` among the top-level accounts. This means: - +you will sometimes declare parent accounts (eg `account other` above) +that you don't intend to post to, just to customize their display order +- sibling accounts stay together (you couldn't display `x:y` in between +`a:b` and `a:c`). + +#### Rewriting accounts + +You can define account alias rules which rewrite your account names, or +parts of them, before generating reports. This can be useful for: + +- expanding shorthand account names to their full form, allowing + easier data entry and a less verbose journal +- adapting old journals to your current chart of accounts +- experimenting with new account organisations, like a new hierarchy + or combining two accounts into one +- customising reports + +Account aliases also rewrite account names in [account +directives](#declaring-accounts). They do not affect account names being +entered via hledger add or hledger-web. + +See also [Cookbook: Rewrite account +names](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Rewrite-account-names). + +##### Basic aliases + +To set an account alias, use the `alias` directive in your journal file. +This affects all subsequent journal entries in the current file or its +[included files](#including-other-files). The spaces around the = are +optional: + +``` {.journal} +alias OLD = NEW +``` + +Or, you can use the `--alias 'OLD=NEW'` option on the command line. This +affects all entries. It's useful for trying out aliases interactively. + +OLD and NEW are case sensitive full account names. hledger will replace +any occurrence of the old account name with the new one. Subaccounts are +also affected. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +alias checking = assets:bank:wells fargo:checking +# rewrites "checking" to "assets:bank:wells fargo:checking", or "checking:a" to "assets:bank:wells fargo:checking:a" +``` + +##### Regex aliases + +There is also a more powerful variant that uses a regular expression, +indicated by the forward slashes: + +``` {.journal} +alias /REGEX/ = REPLACEMENT +``` + +or `--alias '/REGEX/=REPLACEMENT'`. + + +REGEX is a case-insensitive regular expression. Anywhere it matches +inside an account name, the matched part will be replaced by +REPLACEMENT. If REGEX contains parenthesised match groups, these can be +referenced by the usual numeric backreferences in REPLACEMENT. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +alias /^(.+):bank:([^:]+)(.*)/ = \1:\2 \3 +# rewrites "assets:bank:wells fargo:checking" to "assets:wells fargo checking" +``` + +Also note that REPLACEMENT continues to the end of line (or on command +line, to end of option argument), so it can contain trailing whitespace. + +##### Multiple aliases + +You can define as many aliases as you like using directives or +command-line options. Aliases are recursive - each alias sees the result +of applying previous ones. (This is different from Ledger, where aliases +are non-recursive by default). Aliases are applied in the following +order: + +1. alias directives, most recently seen first (recent directives take + precedence over earlier ones; directives not yet seen are ignored) +2. alias options, in the order they appear on the command line + +##### `end aliases` + +You can clear (forget) all currently defined aliases with the +`end aliases` directive: + +``` {.journal} +end aliases +``` + +#### Default parent account + +You can specify a parent account which will be prepended to all accounts +within a section of the journal. Use the `apply account` and +`end apply account` directives like so: + +``` {.journal} +apply account home + +2010/1/1 + food $10 + cash + +end apply account +``` + +which is equivalent to: + +``` {.journal} +2010/01/01 + home:food $10 + home:cash $-10 +``` + +If `end apply account` is omitted, the effect lasts to the end of the +file. Included files are also affected, eg: + +``` {.journal} +apply account business +include biz.journal +end apply account +apply account personal +include personal.journal +``` + +Prior to hledger 1.0, legacy `account` and `end` spellings were also +supported. + +A default parent account also affects [account +directives](#declaring-accounts). It does not affect account names being +entered via hledger add or hledger-web. If account aliases are present, +they are applied after the default parent account. + +### Periodic transactions + +Periodic transaction rules describe transactions that recur. They allow +you to generate future transactions for forecasting, without having to +write them out explicitly in the journal (with `--forecast`). Secondly, +they also can be used to define budget goals (with `--budget`). + +A periodic transaction rule looks like a normal journal entry, with the +date replaced by a tilde (`~`) followed by a [period +expression](manual.html#period-expressions) (mnemonic: `~` looks like a +recurring sine wave.): + +``` {.journal} +~ monthly + expenses:rent $2000 + assets:bank:checking +``` + +There is an additional constraint on the period expression: the start +date must fall on a natural boundary of the interval. Eg +`monthly from 2018/1/1` is valid, but `monthly from 2018/1/15` is not. + +Partial or relative dates (M/D, D, tomorrow, last week) in the period +expression can work (useful or not). They will be relative to today's +date, unless a Y default year directive is in effect, in which case they +will be relative to Y/1/1. + +#### Two spaces after the period expression + +If the period expression is followed by a transaction description, these +must be separated by **two or more spaces**. This helps hledger know +where the period expression ends, so that descriptions can not +accidentally alter their meaning, as in this example: + + ; 2 or more spaces needed here, so the period is not understood as "every 2 months in 2020" + ; || + ; vv + ~ every 2 months in 2020, we will review + assets:bank:checking $1500 + income:acme inc + +#### Forecasting with periodic transactions + +With the `--forecast` flag, each periodic transaction rule generates +future transactions recurring at the specified interval. These are not +saved in the journal, but appear in all reports. They will look like +normal transactions, but with an extra [tag](manual.html#tags-1) named +`recur`, whose value is the generating period expression. + +Forecast transactions start on the first occurrence, and end on the last +occurrence, of their interval within the forecast period. The forecast +period: + +- begins on the later of + - the report start date if specified with -b/-p/date: + - the day after the latest normal (non-periodic) transaction in + the journal, or today if there are no normal transactions. +- ends on the report end date if specified with -e/-p/date:, or 180 + days from today. + +where "today" means the current date at report time. The "later of" rule +ensures that forecast transactions do not overlap normal transactions in +time; they will begin only after normal transactions end. + +Forecasting can be useful for estimating balances into the future, and +experimenting with different scenarios. Note the start date logic means +that forecasted transactions are automatically replaced by normal +transactions as you add those. + +Forecasting can also help with data entry: describe most of your +transactions with periodic rules, and every so often copy the output of +`print --forecast` to the journal. + +You can generate one-time transactions too: just write a period +expression specifying a date with no report interval. (You could also +write a normal transaction with a future date, but remember this +disables forecast transactions on previous dates.) + +#### Budgeting with periodic transactions + +With the `--budget` flag, currently supported by the balance command, +each periodic transaction rule declares recurring budget goals for the +specified accounts. Eg the first example above declares a goal of +spending \$2000 on rent (and also, a goal of depositing \$2000 into +checking) every month. Goals and actual performance can then be compared +in [budget reports](/manual.html#budget-report). + +For more details, see: [balance: Budget +report](manual.html#budget-report) and [Cookbook: Budgeting and +Forecasting](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Budgeting-and-forecasting). + + + +### Transaction modifiers + +Transaction modifier rules describe changes that should be applied +automatically to certain transactions. They can be enabled by using the +`--auto` flag. Currently, just one kind of change is possible: adding +extra postings. These rule-generated postings are known as "automated +postings" or "auto postings". + +A transaction modifier rule looks quite like a normal transaction, +except the first line is an equals sign followed by a +[query](manual.html#queries) that matches certain postings (mnemonic: +`=` suggests matching). And each "posting" is actually a +posting-generating rule: + +``` {.journal} += QUERY + ACCT AMT + ACCT [AMT] + ... +``` + +These posting rules look like normal postings, except the amount can be: + +- a normal amount with a commodity symbol, eg `$2`. This will be used + as-is. +- a number, eg `2`. The commodity symbol (if any) from the matched + posting will be added to this. +- a numeric multiplier, eg `*2` (a star followed by a number N). The + matched posting's amount (and total price, if any) will be + multiplied by N. +- a multiplier with a commodity symbol, eg `*$2` (a star, number N, + and symbol S). The matched posting's amount will be multiplied by N, + and its commodity symbol will be replaced with S. + +Some examples: + +``` {.journal} +; every time I buy food, schedule a dollar donation += expenses:food + (liabilities:charity) $-1 + +; when I buy a gift, also deduct that amount from a budget envelope subaccount += expenses:gifts + assets:checking:gifts *-1 + assets:checking *1 + +2017/12/1 + expenses:food $10 + assets:checking + +2017/12/14 + expenses:gifts $20 + assets:checking +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print --auto +2017/12/01 + expenses:food $10 + assets:checking + (liabilities:charity) $-1 + +2017/12/14 + expenses:gifts $20 + assets:checking + assets:checking:gifts -$20 + assets:checking $20 +``` + +#### Auto postings and transaction balancing / inferred amounts / balance assertions + +Currently, transaction modifiers are applied / auto postings are added: + +- after [missing amounts are inferred, and transactions are checked + for balancedness](#postings), +- but before [balance assertions](#balance-assertions) are checked. + +Note this means that journal entries must be balanced both before and +after auto postings are added. This changed in hledger 1.12+; see +[\#893](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/issues/893) for +background. + +## EDITOR SUPPORT + +Helper modes exist for popular text editors, which make working with +journal files easier. They add colour, formatting, tab completion, and +helpful commands, and are quite recommended if you edit your journal +with a text editor. They include ledger-mode or hledger-mode for Emacs, +vim-ledger for Vim, hledger-vscode for Visual Studio Code, and others. +See the \[\[Cookbook\]\] at hledger.org for the latest information. diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/manual.md b/site/doc/1.14/manual.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..880e47457 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/manual.md @@ -0,0 +1,5421 @@ +$TOC$ + + + +## hledger + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +hledger - a command-line accounting tool + +### SYNOPSIS + +`hledger [-f FILE] COMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARGS]`\ +`hledger [-f FILE] ADDONCMD -- [OPTIONS] [ARGS]`\ +`hledger` + +### DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1).\ +Tested on unix, mac, windows, hledger aims to be a reliable, practical +tool for daily use. + +This is hledger’s command-line interface (there are also curses and web +interfaces). Its basic function is to read a plain text file describing +financial transactions (in accounting terms, a general journal) and +print useful reports on standard output, or export them as CSV. hledger +can also read some other file formats such as CSV files, translating +them to journal format. Additionally, hledger lists other hledger-\* +executables found in the user’s \$PATH and can invoke them as +subcommands. + +hledger reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). If using `$LEDGER_FILE`, note this +must be a real environment variable, not a shell variable. You can +specify standard input with `-f-`. + +Transactions are dated movements of money between two (or more) named +accounts, and are recorded with journal entries like this: + +``` {.journal} +2015/10/16 bought food + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash +``` + +For more about this format, see hledger\_journal(5). + +Most users use a text editor to edit the journal, usually with an editor +mode such as ledger-mode for added convenience. hledger’s interactive +add command is another way to record new transactions. hledger never +changes existing transactions. + +To get started, you can either save some entries like the above in +`~/.hledger.journal`, or run `hledger add` and follow the prompts. Then +try some commands like `hledger print` or `hledger balance`. Run +`hledger` with no arguments for a list of commands. + +### EXAMPLES + +Two simple transactions in hledger journal format: + +``` {.journal} +2015/9/30 gift received + assets:cash $20 + income:gifts + +2015/10/16 farmers market + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash +``` + +Some basic reports: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print +2015/09/30 gift received + assets:cash $20 + income:gifts $-20 + +2015/10/16 farmers market + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash $-10 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger accounts --tree +assets + cash +expenses + food +income + gifts +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance + $10 assets:cash + $10 expenses:food + $-20 income:gifts +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register cash +2015/09/30 gift received assets:cash $20 $20 +2015/10/16 farmers market assets:cash $-10 $10 +``` + +More commands: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger # show available commands +$ hledger add # add more transactions to the journal file +$ hledger balance # all accounts with aggregated balances +$ hledger balance --help # show detailed help for balance command +$ hledger balance --depth 1 # only top-level accounts +$ hledger register # show account postings, with running total +$ hledger reg income # show postings to/from income accounts +$ hledger reg 'assets:some bank:checking' # show postings to/from this checking account +$ hledger print desc:shop # show transactions with shop in the description +$ hledger activity -W # show transaction counts per week as a bar chart +``` + +### OPTIONS + +#### General options + +To see general usage help, including general options which are supported +by most hledger commands, run `hledger -h`. + +General help options: + +`-h --help` +: show general usage (or after COMMAND, command usage) + +`--version` +: show version + +`--debug[=N]` +: show debug output (levels 1-9, default: 1) + +General input options: + +`-f FILE --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`--rules-file=RULESFILE` +: Conversion rules file to use when reading CSV (default: FILE.rules) + +`--separator=CHAR` +: Field separator to expect when reading CSV (default: ‘,’) + +`--alias=OLD=NEW` +: rename accounts named OLD to NEW + +`--anon` +: anonymize accounts and payees + +`--pivot FIELDNAME` +: use some other field or tag for the account name + +`-I --ignore-assertions` +: ignore any failing balance assertions + +General reporting options: + +`-b --begin=DATE` +: include postings/txns on or after this date + +`-e --end=DATE` +: include postings/txns before this date + +`-D --daily` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by day + +`-W --weekly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by week + +`-M --monthly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by month + +`-Q --quarterly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by quarter + +`-Y --yearly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by year + +`-p --period=PERIODEXP` +: set start date, end date, and/or reporting interval all at once + using [period expressions](manual.html#period-expressions) syntax + (overrides the flags above) + +`--date2` +: match the secondary date instead (see command help for other + effects) + +`-U --unmarked` +: include only unmarked postings/txns (can combine with -P or -C) + +`-P --pending` +: include only pending postings/txns + +`-C --cleared` +: include only cleared postings/txns + +`-R --real` +: include only non-virtual postings + +`-NUM --depth=NUM` +: hide/aggregate accounts or postings more than NUM levels deep + +`-E --empty` +: show items with zero amount, normally hidden (and vice-versa in + hledger-ui/hledger-web) + +`-B --cost` +: convert amounts to their cost at transaction time (using the + [transaction price](journal.html#transaction-prices), if any) + +`-V --value` +: convert amounts to their market value on the report end date (using + the most recent applicable [market + price](journal.html#market-prices), if any) + +`--auto` +: apply [automated posting + rules](journal.html#automated-posting-rules) to modify transactions. + +`--forecast` +: apply [periodic transaction](journal.html#periodic-transactions) + rules to generate future transactions, to 6 months from now or + report end date. + +When a reporting option appears more than once in the command line, the +last one takes precedence. + +Some reporting options can also be written as [query +arguments](#queries). + +#### Command options + +To see options for a particular command, including command-specific +options, run: `hledger COMMAND -h`. + +Command-specific options must be written after the command name, eg: +`hledger print -x`. + +Additionally, if the command is an [addon](#commands), you may need to +put its options after a double-hyphen, eg: `hledger ui -- --watch`. Or, +you can run the addon executable directly: `hledger-ui --watch`. + +#### Command arguments + +Most hledger commands accept arguments after the command name, which are +often a [query](#queries), filtering the data in some way. + +#### Argument files + +You can save a set of command line options/arguments in a file, one per +line, and then reuse them by writing `@FILENAME` in a command line. To +prevent this expansion of `@`-arguments, precede them with a `--` +argument. For more, see [Save frequently used +options](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Save-frequently-used-options). + +#### Special characters in arguments and queries + +In shell command lines, option and argument values which contain +“problematic” characters, ie spaces, and also characters significant to +your shell such as `<`, `>`, `(`, `)`, `|` and `$`, should be escaped by +enclosing them in quotes or by writing backslashes before the +characters. Eg: + +`hledger register -p 'last year' "accounts receivable (receivable|payable)" amt:\>100`. + +##### More escaping + +Characters significant both to the shell and in [regular +expressions](#regular-expressions) may need one extra level of escaping. +These include parentheses, the pipe symbol and the dollar sign. Eg, to +match the dollar symbol, bash users should do: + +`hledger balance cur:'\$'` + +or: + +`hledger balance cur:\\$` + +##### Even more escaping + +When hledger runs an addon executable (eg you type `hledger ui`, hledger +runs `hledger-ui`), it de-escapes command-line options and arguments +once, so you might need to *triple*-escape. Eg in bash, running the ui +command and matching the dollar sign, it’s: + +`hledger ui cur:'\\$'` + +or: + +`hledger ui cur:\\\\$` + +If you asked why *four* slashes above, this may help: + + ----------------- --------- + unescaped: `$` + escaped: `\$` + double-escaped: `\\$` + triple-escaped: `\\\\$` + ----------------- --------- + +(The number of backslashes in fish shell is left as an exercise for the +reader.) + +You can always avoid the extra escaping for addons by running the addon +directly: + +`hledger-ui cur:\\$` + +##### Less escaping + +Inside an [argument file](#argument-expansion), or in the search field +of hledger-ui or hledger-web, or at a GHCI prompt, you need one less +level of escaping than at the command line. And backslashes may work +better than quotes. Eg: + +`ghci> :main balance cur:\$` + +#### Command line tips + +If in doubt, keep things simple: + +- write options after the command (`hledger CMD -OPTIONS ARGS`) +- run add-on executables directly (`hledger-ui -OPTIONS ARGS`) +- enclose problematic args in single quotes +- if needed, also add a backslash to escape regexp metacharacters + +To find out exactly how a command line is being parsed, add `--debug=2` +to troubleshoot. + +#### Unicode characters + +hledger is expected to handle unicode (non-ascii) characters, but this +requires a well-configured environment. + +To handle unicode characters in the command line or input data, a system +locale that can decode them must be configured (POSIX’s default `C` +locale will not work). Eg in bash, you could do: + + export LANG=en_US.UTF-8 + +See [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting) for more about this. + +Unicode characters should appear correctly in hledger’s output. For the +hledger and hledger-ui tools, this requires that + +- your terminal supports unicode +- the terminal’s font includes the required unicode glyphs +- the terminal is configured to display “wide” characters as double + width (otherwise report alignment will be off) + +#### Input files + +hledger reads transactions from a data file (and the add command writes +to it). By default this file is `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (or on Windows, +something like `C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). You can override this +with the `$LEDGER_FILE` environment variable: + +``` {.bash} +$ setenv LEDGER_FILE ~/finance/2016.journal +$ hledger stats +``` + +or with the `-f/--file` option: + +``` {.bash} +$ hledger -f /some/file stats +``` + +The file name `-` (hyphen) means standard input: + +``` {.bash} +$ cat some.journal | hledger -f- +``` + +Usually the data file is in hledger’s journal format, but it can also be +one of several other formats, listed below. hledger detects the format +automatically based on the file extension, or if that is not recognised, +by trying each built-in “reader” in turn: + + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + Reader: Reads: Used for file + extensions: + ------------- ------------------------------- ------------------------ + `journal` hledger’s journal format, also `.journal` `.j` + some Ledger journals `.hledger` `.ledger` + + `timeclock` timeclock files (precise time `.timeclock` + logging) + + `timedot` timedot files (approximate time `.timedot` + logging) + + `csv` comma-separated values (data `.csv` + interchange) + ---------------------------------------------------------------------- + +If needed (eg to ensure correct error messages when a file has the +“wrong” extension), you can force a specific reader/format by prepending +it to the file path with a colon. Examples: + +``` {.bash} +$ hledger -f csv:/some/csv-file.dat stats +$ echo 'i 2009/13/1 08:00:00' | hledger print -ftimeclock:- +``` + +You can also specify multiple `-f` options, to read multiple files as +one big journal. There are some limitations with this: + +- directives in one file will not affect the other files +- [balance assertions](/journal.html#balance-assertions) will not see + any account balances from previous files + +If you need those, either use the [include +directive](/journal.html#including-other-files), or concatenate the +files, eg: `cat a.journal b.journal | hledger -f- CMD`. + +#### Smart dates + +hledger’s user interfaces accept a flexible “smart date” syntax (unlike +dates in the journal file). Smart dates allow some english words, can be +relative to today’s date, and can have less-significant date parts +omitted (defaulting to 1). + +Examples: + + ---------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `2004/10/1`, `2004-01-01`, `2004.9.1` exact date, several separators allowed. Year is 4+ digits, month is 1-12, day is 1-31 + `2004` start of year + `2004/10` start of month + `10/1` month and day in current year + `21` day in current month + `october, oct` start of month in current year + `yesterday, today, tomorrow` -1, 0, 1 days from today + `last/this/next day/week/month/quarter/year` -1, 0, 1 periods from the current period + `20181201` 8 digit YYYYMMDD with valid year month and day + `201812` 6 digit YYYYMM with valid year and month + ---------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +Counterexamples - malformed digit sequences might give surprising +results: + + ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- + `201813` 6 digits with an invalid month is parsed as start of 6-digit year + `20181301` 8 digits with an invalid month is parsed as start of 8-digit year + `20181232` 8 digits with an invalid day gives an error + `201801012` 9+ digits beginning with a valid YYYYMMDD gives an error + ------------- ------------------------------------------------------------------- + +#### Report start & end date + +Most hledger reports show the full span of time represented by the +journal data, by default. So, the effective report start and end dates +will be the earliest and latest transaction or posting dates found in +the journal. + +Often you will want to see a shorter time span, such as the current +month. You can specify a start and/or end date using +[`-b/--begin`](#reporting-options), [`-e/--end`](#reporting-options), +[`-p/--period`](#period-expressions) or a [`date:` query](#queries) +(described below). All of these accept the [smart date](#smart-dates) +syntax. One important thing to be aware of when specifying end dates: as +in Ledger, end dates are exclusive, so you need to write the date +*after* the last day you want to include. + +Examples: + + ------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `-b 2016/3/17` begin on St. Patrick’s day 2016 + `-e 12/1` end at the start of december 1st of the current year (11/30 will be the last date included) + `-b thismonth` all transactions on or after the 1st of the current month + `-p thismonth` all transactions in the current month + `date:2016/3/17-` the above written as queries instead + `date:-12/1` + `date:thismonth-` + `date:thismonth` + ------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +#### Report intervals + +A report interval can be specified so that commands like +[register](#register), [balance](#balance) and [activity](#activity) +will divide their reports into multiple subperiods. The basic intervals +can be selected with one of `-D/--daily`, `-W/--weekly`, `-M/--monthly`, +`-Q/--quarterly`, or `-Y/--yearly`. More complex intervals may be +specified with a [period expression](#period-expressions). Report +intervals can not be specified with a [query](#queries), currently. + +#### Period expressions + +The `-p/--period` option accepts period expressions, a shorthand way of +expressing a start date, end date, and/or report interval all at once. + +Here’s a basic period expression specifying the first quarter of 2009. +Note, hledger always treats start dates as inclusive and end dates as +exclusive: + +`-p "from 2009/1/1 to 2009/4/1"` + +Keywords like “from” and “to” are optional, and so are the spaces, as +long as you don’t run two dates together. “to” can also be written as +“-”. These are equivalent to the above: + + -------------------------- + `-p "2009/1/1 2009/4/1"` + `-p2009/1/1to2009/4/1` + `-p2009/1/1-2009/4/1` + -------------------------- + +Dates are [smart dates](#smart-dates), so if the current year is 2009, +the above can also be written as: + + ------------------------- + `-p "1/1 4/1"` + `-p "january-apr"` + `-p "this year to 4/1"` + ------------------------- + +If you specify only one date, the missing start or end date will be the +earliest or latest transaction in your journal: + + ---------------------- ----------------------------------- + `-p "from 2009/1/1"` everything after january 1, 2009 + `-p "from 2009/1"` the same + `-p "from 2009"` the same + `-p "to 2009"` everything before january 1, 2009 + ---------------------- ----------------------------------- + +A single date with no “from” or “to” defines both the start and end date +like so: + + ----------------- -------------------------------------------------------- + `-p "2009"` the year 2009; equivalent to “2009/1/1 to 2010/1/1” + `-p "2009/1"` the month of jan; equivalent to “2009/1/1 to 2009/2/1” + `-p "2009/1/1"` just that day; equivalent to “2009/1/1 to 2009/1/2” + ----------------- -------------------------------------------------------- + +The argument of `-p` can also begin with, or be, a [report +interval](#report-intervals) expression. The basic report intervals are +`daily`, `weekly`, `monthly`, `quarterly`, or `yearly`, which have the +same effect as the `-D`,`-W`,`-M`,`-Q`, or `-Y` flags. Between report +interval and start/end dates (if any), the word `in` is optional. +Examples: + + ----------------------------------------- + `-p "weekly from 2009/1/1 to 2009/4/1"` + `-p "monthly in 2008"` + `-p "quarterly"` + ----------------------------------------- + +Note that `weekly`, `monthly`, `quarterly` and `yearly` intervals will +always start on the first day on week, month, quarter or year +accordingly, and will end on the last day of same period, even if +associated period expression specifies different explicit start and end +date. + +For example: + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `-p "weekly from 2009/1/1 to 2009/4/1"` – starts on 2008/12/29, closest preceeding Monday + `-p "monthly in 2008/11/25"` – starts on 2018/11/01 + `-p "quarterly from 2009-05-05 to 2009-06-01"` - starts on 2009/04/01, ends on 2009/06/30, which are first and last days of Q2 2009 + `-p "yearly from 2009-12-29"` - starts on 2009/01/01, first day of 2009 + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +The following more complex report intervals are also supported: +`biweekly`, `bimonthly`, `every day|week|month|quarter|year`, +`every N days|weeks|months|quarters|years`. + +All of these will start on the first day of the requested period and end +on the last one, as described above. + +Examples: + + ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + `-p "bimonthly from 2008"` – periods will have boundaries on 2008/01/01, 2008/03/01, … + `-p "every 2 weeks"` – starts on closest preceeding Monday + `-p "every 5 month from 2009/03"` – periods will have boundaries on 2009/03/01, 2009/08/01, … + ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +If you want intervals that start on arbitrary day of your choosing and +span a week, month or year, you need to use any of the following: + +`every Nth day of week`, `every `, `every Nth day [of month]`, +`every Nth weekday [of month]`, `every MM/DD [of year]`, +`every Nth MMM [of year]`, `every MMM Nth [of year]`. + +Examples: + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + `-p "every 2nd day of week"` – periods will go from Tue to Tue + `-p "every Tue"` – same + `-p "every 15th day"` – period boundaries will be on 15th of each month + `-p "every 2nd Monday"` – period boundaries will be on second Monday of each month + `-p "every 11/05"` – yearly periods with boundaries on 5th of Nov + `-p "every 5th Nov"` – same + `-p "every Nov 5th"` – same + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ + +Show historical balances at end of 15th each month (N is exclusive end +date): + +`hledger balance -H -p "every 16th day"` + +Group postings from start of wednesday to end of next tuesday (N is +start date and exclusive end date): + +`hledger register checking -p "every 3rd day of week"` + +#### Depth limiting + +With the `--depth N` option (short form: `-N`), commands like +[account](#account), [balance](#balance) and [register](#register) will +show only the uppermost accounts in the account tree, down to level N. +Use this when you want a summary with less detail. This flag has the +same effect as a `depth:` query argument (so `-2`, `--depth=2` or +`depth:2` are basically equivalent). + +#### Pivoting + +Normally hledger sums amounts, and organizes them in a hierarchy, based +on account name. The `--pivot FIELD` option causes it to sum and +organize hierarchy based on the value of some other field instead. FIELD +can be: `code`, `description`, `payee`, `note`, or the full name (case +insensitive) of any [tag](/journal.html#tags). As with account names, +values containing `colon:separated:parts` will be displayed +hierarchically in reports. + +`--pivot` is a general option affecting all reports; you can think of +hledger transforming the journal before any other processing, replacing +every posting’s account name with the value of the specified field on +that posting, inheriting it from the transaction or using a blank value +if it’s not present. + +An example: + +``` {.journal} +2016/02/16 Member Fee Payment + assets:bank account 2 EUR + income:member fees -2 EUR ; member: John Doe +``` + +Normal balance report showing account names: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance + 2 EUR assets:bank account + -2 EUR income:member fees +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +Pivoted balance report, using member: tag values instead: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --pivot member + 2 EUR + -2 EUR John Doe +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +One way to show only amounts with a member: value (using a +[query](#queries), described below): + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --pivot member tag:member=. + -2 EUR John Doe +-------------------- + -2 EUR +``` + +Another way (the acct: query matches against the pivoted “account +name”): + + $ hledger balance --pivot member acct:. + -2 EUR John Doe + -------------------- + -2 EUR + +#### Cost + +The `-B/--cost` flag converts amounts to their cost at transaction time, +if they have a [transaction price](/journal.html#transaction-prices) +specified. + +#### Market value + +The `-V/--value` flag converts reported amounts to their current market +value.\ +Specifically, when there is a [market price](journal.html#market-prices) +(P directive) for the amount’s commodity, dated on or before today’s +date (or the [report end date](#report-start-end-date) if specified), +the amount will be converted to the price’s commodity. + +When there are multiple applicable P directives, -V chooses the most +recent one, or in case of equal dates, the last-parsed one. + +For example: + +``` {.journal} +# one euro is worth this many dollars from nov 1 +P 2016/11/01 € $1.10 + +# purchase some euros on nov 3 +2016/11/3 + assets:euros €100 + assets:checking + +# the euro is worth fewer dollars by dec 21 +P 2016/12/21 € $1.03 +``` + +How many euros do I have ? + + $ hledger -f t.j bal -N euros + €100 assets:euros + +What are they worth at end of nov 3 ? + + $ hledger -f t.j bal -N euros -V -e 2016/11/4 + $110.00 assets:euros + +What are they worth after 2016/12/21 ? (no report end date specified, +defaults to today) + + $ hledger -f t.j bal -N euros -V + $103.00 assets:euros + +Currently, hledger’s -V only uses market prices recorded with P +directives, not [transaction prices](journal.html#transaction-prices) +(unlike Ledger). + +Currently, -V has a limitation in [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports): it uses the market prices on the +report end date for all columns. (Instead of the prices on each column’s +end date.) + +#### Combining -B and -V + +Using -B/–cost and -V/–value together is currently allowed, but the +results are probably not meaningful. Let us know if you find a use for +this. + +#### Output destination + +Some commands (print, register, stats, the balance commands) can write +their output to a destination other than the console. This is controlled +by the `-o/--output-file` option. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -o - # write to stdout (the default) +$ hledger balance -o FILE # write to FILE +``` + +#### Output format + +Some commands can write their output in other formats. Eg print and +register can output CSV, and the balance commands can output CSV or +HTML. This is controlled by the `-O/--output-format` option, or by +specifying a `.csv` or `.html` file extension with `-o/--output-file`. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -O csv # write CSV to stdout +$ hledger balance -o FILE.csv # write CSV to FILE.csv +``` + +#### Regular expressions + +hledger uses [regular expressions](http://www.regular-expressions.info) +in a number of places: + +- [query terms](#queries), on the command line and in the hledger-web + search form: `REGEX`, `desc:REGEX`, `cur:REGEX`, `tag:...=REGEX` +- [CSV rules](#csv-rules) conditional blocks: `if REGEX ...` +- [account alias](#rewriting-accounts) directives and options: + `alias /REGEX/ = REPLACEMENT`, `--alias /REGEX/=REPLACEMENT` + +hledger’s regular expressions come from the +[regex-tdfa](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/regex-tdfa/docs/Text-Regex-TDFA.html) +library. In general they: + +- are case insensitive +- are infix matching (do not need to match the entire thing being + matched) +- are [POSIX extended regular + expressions](http://www.regular-expressions.info/posix.html#ere) +- also support [GNU word + boundaries](http://www.regular-expressions.info/wordboundaries.html) + (\\\<, \\\>, \\b, \\B) +- and parenthesised [capturing + groups](http://www.regular-expressions.info/refcapture.html) and + numeric backreferences in replacement strings +- do not support [mode + modifiers](http://www.regular-expressions.info/modifiers.html) like + (?s) + +Some things to note: + +- In the `alias` directive and `--alias` option, regular expressions + must be enclosed in forward slashes (`/REGEX/`). Elsewhere in + hledger, these are not required. + +- In queries, to match a regular expression metacharacter like `$` as + a literal character, prepend a backslash. Eg to search for amounts + with the dollar sign in hledger-web, write `cur:\$`. + +- On the command line, some metacharacters like `$` have a special + meaning to the shell and so must be escaped at least once more. See + [Special characters](#special-characters). + +### QUERIES + +One of hledger’s strengths is being able to quickly report on precise +subsets of your data. Most commands accept an optional query expression, +written as arguments after the command name, to filter the data by date, +account name or other criteria. The syntax is similar to a web search: +one or more space-separated search terms, quotes to enclose whitespace, +prefixes to match specific fields, a not: prefix to negate the match. + +We do not yet support arbitrary boolean combinations of search terms; +instead most commands show transactions/postings/accounts which match +(or negatively match): + +- any of the description terms AND +- any of the account terms AND +- any of the status terms AND +- all the other terms. + +The [print](/manual.html#print) command instead shows transactions +which: + +- match any of the description terms AND +- have any postings matching any of the positive account terms AND +- have no postings matching any of the negative account terms AND +- match all the other terms. + +The following kinds of search terms can be used. Remember these can also +be prefixed with **`not:`**, eg to exclude a particular subaccount. + +**`REGEX`, `acct:REGEX`** +: match account names by this regular expression. (With no prefix, + `acct:` is assumed.) +: same as above + +**`amt:N, amt:N, amt:>=N`** +: match postings with a single-commodity amount that is equal to, less + than, or greater than N. (Multi-commodity amounts are not tested, + and will always match.) The comparison has two modes: if N is + preceded by a + or - sign (or is 0), the two signed numbers are + compared. Otherwise, the absolute magnitudes are compared, ignoring + sign. + +**`code:REGEX`** +: match by transaction code (eg check number) + +**`cur:REGEX`** +: match postings or transactions including any amounts whose + currency/commodity symbol is fully matched by REGEX. (For a partial + match, use `.*REGEX.*`). Note, to match characters which are + regex-significant, like the dollar sign (`$`), you need to prepend + `\`. And when using the command line you need to add one more level + of quoting to hide it from the shell, so eg do: + `hledger print cur:'\$'` or `hledger print cur:\\$`. + +**`desc:REGEX`** +: match transaction descriptions. + +**`date:PERIODEXPR`** +: match dates within the specified period. PERIODEXPR is a [period + expression](#period-expressions) (with no report interval). + Examples: `date:2016`, `date:thismonth`, `date:2000/2/1-2/15`, + `date:lastweek-`. If the `--date2` command line flag is present, + this matches [secondary dates](manual.html#secondary-dates) instead. + +**`date2:PERIODEXPR`** +: match secondary dates within the specified period. + +**`depth:N`** +: match (or display, depending on command) accounts at or above this + depth + +**`note:REGEX`** +: match transaction [notes](/manual.html#payee-and-note) (part of + description right of `|`, or whole description when there’s no `|`) + +**`payee:REGEX`** +: match transaction [payee/payer names](/manual.html#payee-and-note) + (part of description left of `|`, or whole description when there’s + no `|`) + +**`real:, real:0`** +: match real or virtual postings respectively + +**`status:, status:!, status:*`** +: match unmarked, pending, or cleared transactions respectively + +**`tag:REGEX[=REGEX]`** +: match by tag name, and optionally also by tag value. Note a tag: + query is considered to match a transaction if it matches any of the + postings. Also remember that postings inherit the tags of their + parent transaction. + +The following special search term is used automatically in hledger-web, +only: + +**`inacct:ACCTNAME`** +: tells hledger-web to show the transaction register for this account. + Can be filtered further with `acct` etc. + +Some of these can also be expressed as command-line options (eg +`depth:2` is equivalent to `--depth 2`). Generally you can mix options +and query arguments, and the resulting query will be their intersection +(perhaps excluding the `-p/--period` option). + +### COMMANDS + +hledger provides a number of subcommands; `hledger` with no arguments +shows a list. + +If you install additional `hledger-*` packages, or if you put programs +or scripts named `hledger-NAME` in your PATH, these will also be listed +as subcommands. + +Run a subcommand by writing its name as first argument (eg +`hledger incomestatement`). You can also write one of the standard short +aliases displayed in parentheses in the command list (`hledger b`), or +any any unambiguous prefix of a command name (`hledger inc`). + +Here are all the builtin commands in alphabetical order. See also +`hledger` for a more organised command list, and `hledger CMD -h` for +detailed command help. + +#### accounts + +accounts, a\ +Show account names. + +This command lists account names, either declared with account +directives (–declared), posted to (–used), or both (the default). With +query arguments, only matched account names and account names referenced +by matched postings are shown. It shows a flat list by default. With +`--tree`, it uses indentation to show the account hierarchy. In flat +mode you can add `--drop N` to omit the first few account name +components. Account names can be depth-clipped with `depth:N` or +`--depth N` or `-N`. + +Examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger accounts +assets:bank:checking +assets:bank:saving +assets:cash +expenses:food +expenses:supplies +income:gifts +income:salary +liabilities:debts +``` + +#### activity + +activity\ +Show an ascii barchart of posting counts per interval. + +The activity command displays an ascii histogram showing transaction +counts by day, week, month or other reporting interval (by day is the +default). With query arguments, it counts only matched transactions. + +Examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger activity --quarterly +2008-01-01 ** +2008-04-01 ******* +2008-07-01 +2008-10-01 ** +``` + +#### add + +add\ +Prompt for transactions and add them to the journal. + +Many hledger users edit their journals directly with a text editor, or +generate them from CSV. For more interactive data entry, there is the +`add` command, which prompts interactively on the console for new +transactions, and appends them to the journal file (if there are +multiple `-f FILE` options, the first file is used.) Existing +transactions are not changed. This is the only hledger command that +writes to the journal file. + +To use it, just run `hledger add` and follow the prompts. You can add as +many transactions as you like; when you are finished, enter `.` or press +control-d or control-c to exit. + +Features: + +- add tries to provide useful defaults, using the most similar (by + description) recent transaction (filtered by the query, if any) as a + template. +- You can also set the initial defaults with command line arguments. +- [Readline-style edit + keys](http://tiswww.case.edu/php/chet/readline/rluserman.html#SEC3) + can be used during data entry. +- The tab key will auto-complete whenever possible - accounts, + descriptions, dates (`yesterday`, `today`, `tomorrow`). If the input + area is empty, it will insert the default value. +- If the journal defines a [default commodity](#default-commodity), it + will be added to any bare numbers entered. +- A parenthesised transaction [code](#entries) may be entered + following a date. +- [Comments](#comments) and tags may be entered following a + description or amount. +- If you make a mistake, enter `<` at any prompt to restart the + transaction. +- Input prompts are displayed in a different colour when the terminal + supports it. + +Example (see the +[tutorial](step-by-step.html#record-a-transaction-with-hledger-add) for +a detailed explanation): + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger add +Adding transactions to journal file /src/hledger/examples/sample.journal +Any command line arguments will be used as defaults. +Use tab key to complete, readline keys to edit, enter to accept defaults. +An optional (CODE) may follow transaction dates. +An optional ; COMMENT may follow descriptions or amounts. +If you make a mistake, enter < at any prompt to restart the transaction. +To end a transaction, enter . when prompted. +To quit, enter . at a date prompt or press control-d or control-c. +Date [2015/05/22]: +Description: supermarket +Account 1: expenses:food +Amount 1: $10 +Account 2: assets:checking +Amount 2 [$-10.0]: +Account 3 (or . or enter to finish this transaction): . +2015/05/22 supermarket + expenses:food $10 + assets:checking $-10.0 + +Save this transaction to the journal ? [y]: +Saved. +Starting the next transaction (. or ctrl-D/ctrl-C to quit) +Date [2015/05/22]: $ +``` + +#### balance + +balance, bal, b\ +Show accounts and their balances. + +The balance command is hledger’s most versatile command. Note, despite +the name, it is not always used for showing real-world account balances; +the more accounting-aware [balancesheet](#balancesheet) and +[incomestatement](#incomestatement) may be more convenient for that. + +By default, it displays all accounts, and each account’s change in +balance during the entire period of the journal. Balance changes are +calculated by adding up the postings in each account. You can limit the +postings matched, by a [query](#queries), to see fewer accounts, changes +over a different time period, changes from only cleared transactions, +etc. + +If you include an account’s complete history of postings in the report, +the balance change is equivalent to the account’s current ending +balance. For a real-world account, typically you won’t have all +transactions in the journal; instead you’ll have all transactions after +a certain date, and an “opening balances” transaction setting the +correct starting balance on that date. Then the balance command will +show real-world account balances. In some cases the -H/–historical flag +is used to ensure this (more below). + +The balance command can produce several styles of report: + +##### Classic balance report + +This is the original balance report, as found in Ledger. It usually +looks like this: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance + $-1 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-2 cash + $2 expenses + $1 food + $1 supplies + $-2 income + $-1 gifts + $-1 salary + $1 liabilities:debts +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +By default, accounts are displayed hierarchically, with subaccounts +indented below their parent. At each level of the tree, accounts are +sorted by [account code](/manual.html#declaring-accounts) if any, then +by account name. Or with `-S/--sort-amount`, by their balance amount. + +“Boring” accounts, which contain a single interesting subaccount and no +balance of their own, are elided into the following line for more +compact output. (Eg above, the “liabilities” account.) Use `--no-elide` +to prevent this. + +Account balances are “inclusive” - they include the balances of any +subaccounts. + +Accounts which have zero balance (and no non-zero subaccounts) are +omitted. Use `-E/--empty` to show them. + +A final total is displayed by default; use `-N/--no-total` to suppress +it, eg: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -p 2008/6 expenses --no-total + $2 expenses + $1 food + $1 supplies +``` + +##### Customising the classic balance report + +You can customise the layout of classic balance reports with +`--format FMT`: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --format "%20(account) %12(total)" + assets $-1 + bank:saving $1 + cash $-2 + expenses $2 + food $1 + supplies $1 + income $-2 + gifts $-1 + salary $-1 + liabilities:debts $1 +--------------------------------- + 0 +``` + +The FMT format string (plus a newline) specifies the formatting applied +to each account/balance pair. It may contain any suitable text, with +data fields interpolated like so: + +`%[MIN][.MAX](FIELDNAME)` + +- MIN pads with spaces to at least this width (optional) +- MAX truncates at this width (optional) +- FIELDNAME must be enclosed in parentheses, and can be one of: + + - `depth_spacer` - a number of spaces equal to the account’s + depth, or if MIN is specified, MIN \* depth spaces. + - `account` - the account’s name + - `total` - the account’s balance/posted total, right justified + +Also, FMT can begin with an optional prefix to control how +multi-commodity amounts are rendered: + +- `%_` - render on multiple lines, bottom-aligned (the default) +- `%^` - render on multiple lines, top-aligned +- `%,` - render on one line, comma-separated + +There are some quirks. Eg in one-line mode, `%(depth_spacer)` has no +effect, instead `%(account)` has indentation built in. Experimentation may be needed to get pleasing results. + +Some example formats: + +- `%(total)` - the account’s total +- `%-20.20(account)` - the account’s name, left justified, padded to + 20 characters and clipped at 20 characters +- `%,%-50(account) %25(total)` - account name padded to 50 + characters, total padded to 20 characters, with multiple commodities + rendered on one line +- `%20(total) %2(depth_spacer)%-(account)` - the default format for + the single-column balance report + +##### Colour support + +The balance command shows negative amounts in red, if: + +- the `TERM` environment variable is not set to `dumb` +- the output is not being redirected or piped anywhere + +##### Flat mode + +To see a flat list instead of the default hierarchical display, use +`--flat`. In this mode, accounts (unless depth-clipped) show their full +names and “exclusive” balance, excluding any subaccount balances. In +this mode, you can also use `--drop N` to omit the first few account +name components. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -p 2008/6 expenses -N --flat --drop 1 + $1 food + $1 supplies +``` + +##### Depth limited balance reports + +With `--depth N` or `depth:N` or just `-N`, balance reports show +accounts only to the specified numeric depth. This is very useful to +summarise a complex set of accounts and get an overview. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -N -1 + $-1 assets + $2 expenses + $-2 income + $1 liabilities +``` + +Flat-mode balance reports, which normally show exclusive balances, show +inclusive balances at the depth limit. + + +##### Multicolumn balance report + +Multicolumn or tabular balance reports are a very useful hledger +feature, and usually the preferred style. They share many of the above +features, but they show the report as a table, with columns representing +time periods. This mode is activated by providing a [reporting +interval](#reporting-interval). + +There are three types of multicolumn balance report, showing different +information: + +1. By default: each column shows the sum of postings in that period, ie + the account’s change of balance in that period. This is useful eg + for a monthly income statement: + + ``` {.shell} + $ hledger balance --quarterly income expenses -E + Balance changes in 2008: + + || 2008q1 2008q2 2008q3 2008q4 + ===================++================================= + expenses:food || 0 $1 0 0 + expenses:supplies || 0 $1 0 0 + income:gifts || 0 $-1 0 0 + income:salary || $-1 0 0 0 + -------------------++--------------------------------- + || $-1 $1 0 0 + ``` + +2. With `--cumulative`: each column shows the ending balance for that + period, accumulating the changes across periods, starting from 0 at + the report start date: + + ``` {.shell} + $ hledger balance --quarterly income expenses -E --cumulative + Ending balances (cumulative) in 2008: + + || 2008/03/31 2008/06/30 2008/09/30 2008/12/31 + ===================++================================================= + expenses:food || 0 $1 $1 $1 + expenses:supplies || 0 $1 $1 $1 + income:gifts || 0 $-1 $-1 $-1 + income:salary || $-1 $-1 $-1 $-1 + -------------------++------------------------------------------------- + || $-1 0 0 0 + ``` + +3. With `--historical/-H`: each column shows the actual historical + ending balance for that period, accumulating the changes across + periods, starting from the actual balance at the report start date. + This is useful eg for a multi-period balance sheet, and when you are + showing only the data after a certain start date: + + ``` {.shell} + $ hledger balance ^assets ^liabilities --quarterly --historical --begin 2008/4/1 + Ending balances (historical) in 2008/04/01-2008/12/31: + + || 2008/06/30 2008/09/30 2008/12/31 + ======================++===================================== + assets:bank:checking || $1 $1 0 + assets:bank:saving || $1 $1 $1 + assets:cash || $-2 $-2 $-2 + liabilities:debts || 0 0 $1 + ----------------------++------------------------------------- + || 0 0 0 + ``` + +Multicolumn balance reports display accounts in flat mode by default; to +see the hierarchy, use `--tree`. + +With a reporting interval (like `--quarterly` above), the report +start/end dates will be adjusted if necessary so that they encompass the +displayed report periods. This is so that the first and last periods +will be “full” and comparable to the others. + +The `-E/--empty` flag does two things in multicolumn balance reports: +first, the report will show all columns within the specified report +period (without -E, leading and trailing columns with all zeroes are not +shown). Second, all accounts which existed at the report start date will +be considered, not just the ones with activity during the report period +(use -E to include low-activity accounts which would otherwise would be +omitted). + +The `-T/--row-total` flag adds an additional column showing the total +for each row. + +The `-A/--average` flag adds a column showing the average value in each +row. + +Here’s an example of all three: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -Q income expenses --tree -ETA +Balance changes in 2008: + + || 2008q1 2008q2 2008q3 2008q4 Total Average +============++=================================================== + expenses || 0 $2 0 0 $2 $1 + food || 0 $1 0 0 $1 0 + supplies || 0 $1 0 0 $1 0 + income || $-1 $-1 0 0 $-2 $-1 + gifts || 0 $-1 0 0 $-1 0 + salary || $-1 0 0 0 $-1 0 +------------++--------------------------------------------------- + || $-1 $1 0 0 0 0 + +# Average is rounded to the dollar here since all journal amounts are +``` + +Limitations: + +In multicolumn reports the [`-V/--value` flag](#market-value) uses the +market price on the report end date, for all columns (not the price on +each column’s end date). + +Eliding of boring parent accounts in tree mode, as in the classic +balance report, is not yet supported in multicolumn reports. + +##### Budget report + +With `--budget`, extra columns are displayed showing budget goals for +each account and period, if any. Budget goals are defined by [periodic +transactions](journal.html#periodic-transactions). This is very useful +for comparing planned and actual income, expenses, time usage, etc. +–budget is most often combined with a [report +interval](manual.html#report-intervals). + +For example, you can take average monthly expenses in the common expense +categories to construct a minimal monthly budget: + +``` {.journal} +;; Budget +~ monthly + income $2000 + expenses:food $400 + expenses:bus $50 + expenses:movies $30 + assets:bank:checking + +;; Two months worth of expenses +2017-11-01 + income $1950 + expenses:food $396 + expenses:bus $49 + expenses:movies $30 + expenses:supplies $20 + assets:bank:checking + +2017-12-01 + income $2100 + expenses:food $412 + expenses:bus $53 + expenses:gifts $100 + assets:bank:checking +``` + +You can now see a monthly budget report: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -M --budget +Budget performance in 2017/11/01-2017/12/31: + + || Nov Dec +======================++==================================================== + assets || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank:checking || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + expenses || $495 [ 103% of $480] $565 [ 118% of $480] + expenses:bus || $49 [ 98% of $50] $53 [ 106% of $50] + expenses:food || $396 [ 99% of $400] $412 [ 103% of $400] + expenses:movies || $30 [ 100% of $30] 0 [ 0% of $30] + income || $1950 [ 98% of $2000] $2100 [ 105% of $2000] +----------------------++---------------------------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] 0 [ 0] +``` + +Note this is different from a normal balance report in several ways: + +- Only accounts with budget goals during the report period are shown, + by default. + +- In each column, in square brackets after the actual amount, budgeted + amounts are shown, along with the percentage of budget used. + +- All parent accounts are always shown, even in flat mode. Eg assets, + assets:bank, and expenses above. + +- Amounts always include all subaccounts, budgeted or unbudgeted, even + in flat mode. + +This means that the numbers displayed will not always add up! Eg above, +the `expenses` actual amount includes the gifts and supplies +transactions, but the `expenses:gifts` and `expenses:supplies` accounts +are not shown, as they have no budget amounts declared. + +This can be confusing. When you need to make things clearer, use the +`-E/--empty` flag, which will reveal all accounts including unbudgeted +ones, giving the full picture. Eg: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -M --budget --empty +Budget performance in 2017/11/01-2017/12/31: + + || Nov Dec +======================++==================================================== + assets || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + assets:bank:checking || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-2665 [ 107% of $-2480] + expenses || $495 [ 103% of $480] $565 [ 118% of $480] + expenses:bus || $49 [ 98% of $50] $53 [ 106% of $50] + expenses:food || $396 [ 99% of $400] $412 [ 103% of $400] + expenses:gifts || 0 $100 + expenses:movies || $30 [ 100% of $30] 0 [ 0% of $30] + expenses:supplies || $20 0 + income || $1950 [ 98% of $2000] $2100 [ 105% of $2000] +----------------------++---------------------------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] 0 [ 0] +``` + +You can roll over unspent budgets to next period with `--cumulative`: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance -M --budget --cumulative +Budget performance in 2017/11/01-2017/12/31: + + || Nov Dec +======================++==================================================== + assets || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-5110 [ 103% of $-4960] + assets:bank || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-5110 [ 103% of $-4960] + assets:bank:checking || $-2445 [ 99% of $-2480] $-5110 [ 103% of $-4960] + expenses || $495 [ 103% of $480] $1060 [ 110% of $960] + expenses:bus || $49 [ 98% of $50] $102 [ 102% of $100] + expenses:food || $396 [ 99% of $400] $808 [ 101% of $800] + expenses:movies || $30 [ 100% of $30] $30 [ 50% of $60] + income || $1950 [ 98% of $2000] $4050 [ 101% of $4000] +----------------------++---------------------------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] 0 [ 0] +``` + +For more examples, see [Budgeting and +Forecasting](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Budgeting%20and%20forecasting). + +###### Nested budgets + +You can add budgets to any account in your account hierarchy. If you +have budgets on both parent account and some of its children, then +budget(s) of the child account(s) would be added to the budget of their +parent, much like account balances behave. + +In the most simple case this means that once you add a budget to any +account, all its parents would have budget as well. + +To illustrate this, consider the following budget: + + ~ monthly from 2019/01 + expenses:personal $1,000.00 + expenses:personal:electronics $100.00 + liabilities + +With this, monthly budget for electronics is defined to be \$100 and +budget for personal expenses is an additional \$1000, which implicity +means that budget for both `expenses:personal` and `expenses` is \$1100. + +Transactions in `expenses:personal:electronics` will be counted both +towards its \$100 budget and \$1100 of `expenses:personal` , and +transactions in any other subaccount of `expenses:personal` would be +counted towards only towards the budget of `expenses:personal`. + +For example, let’s consider these transactions: + +``` {.journal} +~ monthly from 2019/01 + expenses:personal $1,000.00 + expenses:personal:electronics $100.00 + liabilities + +2019/01/01 Google home hub + expenses:personal:electronics $90.00 + liabilities $-90.00 + +2019/01/02 Phone screen protector + expenses:personal:electronics:upgrades $10.00 + liabilities + +2019/01/02 Weekly train ticket + expenses:personal:train tickets $153.00 + liabilities + +2019/01/03 Flowers + expenses:personal $30.00 + liabilities +``` + +As you can see, we have transactions in +`expenses:personal:electronics:upgrades` and +`expenses:personal:train tickets`, and since both of these accounts are +without explicitly defined budget, these transactions would be counted +towards budgets of `expenses:personal:electronics` and +`expenses:personal` accordingly: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --budget -M +Budget performance in 2019/01: + + || Jan +===============================++=============================== + expenses || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal:electronics || $100.00 [ 100% of $100.00] + liabilities || $-283.00 [ 26% of $-1100.00] +-------------------------------++------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] +``` + +And with `--empty`, we can get a better picture of budget allocation and +consumption: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balance --budget -M --empty +Budget performance in 2019/01: + + || Jan +========================================++=============================== + expenses || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal || $283.00 [ 26% of $1100.00] + expenses:personal:electronics || $100.00 [ 100% of $100.00] + expenses:personal:electronics:upgrades || $10.00 + expenses:personal:train tickets || $153.00 + liabilities || $-283.00 [ 26% of $-1100.00] +----------------------------------------++------------------------------- + || 0 [ 0] +``` + +##### Output format + +The balance command supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +#### balancesheet + +balancesheet, bs\ +This command displays a simple balance sheet, showing historical ending +balances of asset and liability accounts (ignoring any report begin +date). It assumes that these accounts are under a top-level `asset` or +`liability` account (case insensitive, plural forms also allowed). + +Note this report shows all account balances with normal positive sign +(like conventional financial statements, unlike balance/print/register) +(experimental). + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balancesheet +Balance Sheet + +Assets: + $-1 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-2 cash +-------------------- + $-1 + +Liabilities: + $1 liabilities:debts +-------------------- + $1 + +Total: +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), multiple columns will +be shown, one for each report period. As with [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports), you can alter the report mode +with `--change`/`--cumulative`/`--historical`. Normally balancesheet +shows historical ending balances, which is what you need for a balance +sheet; note this means it ignores report begin dates. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +#### balancesheetequity + +balancesheetequity, bse\ +Just like [balancesheet](#balancesheet), but also reports Equity (which +it assumes is under a top-level `equity` account). + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger balancesheetequity +Balance Sheet With Equity + +Assets: + $-2 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-3 cash +-------------------- + $-2 + +Liabilities: + $1 liabilities:debts +-------------------- + $1 + +Equity: + $1 equity:owner +-------------------- + $1 + +Total: +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +#### cashflow + +cashflow, cf\ +This command displays a simple cashflow statement, showing changes in +“cash” accounts. It assumes that these accounts are under a top-level +`asset` account (case insensitive, plural forms also allowed) and do not +contain `receivable` or `A/R` in their name. Note this report shows all +account balances with normal positive sign (like conventional financial +statements, unlike balance/print/register) (experimental). + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger cashflow +Cashflow Statement + +Cash flows: + $-1 assets + $1 bank:saving + $-2 cash +-------------------- + $-1 + +Total: +-------------------- + $-1 +``` + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), multiple columns will +be shown, one for each report period. Normally cashflow shows changes in +assets per period, though as with [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports) you can alter the report mode +with `--change`/`--cumulative`/`--historical`. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +#### check-dates + +check-dates\ +Check that transactions are sorted by increasing date. With –date2, +checks secondary dates instead. With –strict, dates must also be unique. +With a query, only matched transactions’ dates are checked. Reads the +default journal file, or another specified with -f. + +#### check-dupes + +check-dupes\ +Reports account names having the same leaf but different prefixes. In +other words, two or more leaves that are categorized differently. Reads +the default journal file, or another specified as an argument. + +An example: http://stefanorodighiero.net/software/hledger-dupes.html + +#### close + +close, equity\ +Prints a “closing balances” transaction and an “opening balances” +transaction that bring account balances to and from zero, respectively. +Useful for bringing asset/liability balances forward into a new journal +file, or for closing out revenues/expenses to retained earnings at the +end of a period. + +The closing transaction transfers balances to “equity:closing balances”. +The opening transaction transfers balances from “equity:opening +balances”. You can chose to print just one of the transactions by using +the `--opening` or `--closing` flag. + +If you split your journal files by time (eg yearly), you will typically +run this command at the end of the year, and save the closing +transaction as last entry of the old file, and the opening transaction +as the first entry of the new file. This makes the files self contained, +so that correct balances are reported no matter which of them are +loaded. Ie, if you load just one file, the balances are initialised +correctly; or if you load several files, the redundant closing/opening +transactions cancel each other out. (They will show up in print or +register reports; you can exclude them with a query like +`not:desc:'(opening|closing) balances'`.) + +If you’re running a business, you might also use this command to “close +the books” at the end of an accounting period, transferring income +statement account balances to retained earnings. (You may want to change +the equity account name to something like “equity:retained earnings”.) + +By default, the closing transaction is dated yesterday, the balances are +calculated as of end of yesterday, and the opening transaction is dated +today. To close on some other date, use: `hledger close -e OPENINGDATE`. +Eg, to close/open on the 2018/2019 boundary, use `-e 2019`. You can also +use -p or `date:PERIOD` (any starting date is ignored). + +Both transactions will include balance assertions for the +closed/reopened accounts. You probably shouldn’t use status or realness +filters (like -C or -R or `status:`) with this command, or the generated +balance assertions will depend on these flags. Likewise, if you run this +command with –auto, the balance assertions will probably always require +–auto. + +Examples: + +Carrying asset/liability balances into a new file for 2019, all from +command line: + +*Warning: we use `>>` here to append; be careful not to type a single +`>` which would wipe your journal!* + + $ hledger close -f 2018.journal -e 2019 assets liabilities --opening >>2019.journal + $ hledger close -f 2018.journal -e 2019 assets liabilities --closing >>2018.journal + +Now: + + $ hledger bs -f 2019.journal # one file - balances are correct + $ hledger bs -f 2018.journal -f 2019.journal # two files - balances still correct + $ hledger bs -f 2018.journal not:desc:closing # to see year-end balances, must exclude closing txn + +Transactions spanning the closing date can complicate matters, breaking +balance assertions: + + 2018/12/30 a purchase made in 2018, clearing the following year + expenses:food 5 + assets:bank:checking -5 ; [2019/1/2] + +Here’s one way to resolve that: + + ; in 2018.journal: + 2018/12/30 a purchase made in 2018, clearing the following year + expenses:food 5 + liabilities:pending + + ; in 2019.journal: + 2019/1/2 clearance of last year's pending transactions + liabilities:pending 5 = 0 + assets:checking + +#### files + +files\ +List all files included in the journal. With a REGEX argument, only file +names matching the regular expression (case sensitive) are shown. + +#### help + +help\ +Show any of the hledger manuals. + +The `help` command displays any of the main [hledger +manuals](/docs.html), in one of several ways. Run it with no argument to +list the manuals, or provide a full or partial manual name to select +one. + +hledger manuals are available in several formats. hledger help will use +the first of these display methods that it finds: info, man, \$PAGER, +less, stdout (or when non-interactive, just stdout). You can force a +particular viewer with the `--info`, `--man`, `--pager`, `--cat` flags. + +Examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger help +Please choose a manual by typing "hledger help MANUAL" (a substring is ok). +Manuals: hledger hledger-ui hledger-web hledger-api journal csv timeclock timedot +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger help h --man + +hledger(1) hledger User Manuals hledger(1) + +NAME + hledger - a command-line accounting tool + +SYNOPSIS + hledger [-f FILE] COMMAND [OPTIONS] [ARGS] + hledger [-f FILE] ADDONCMD -- [OPTIONS] [ARGS] + hledger + +DESCRIPTION + hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +... +``` + +#### import + +import\ +Read new transactions added to each FILE since last run, and add them to +the main journal file. Or with –dry-run, just print the transactions +that would be added. + +The input files are specified as arguments - no need to write -f before +each one. So eg to add new transactions from all CSV files to the main +journal, it’s just: `hledger import *.csv` + +New transactions are detected in the same way as print –new: by assuming +transactions are always added to the input files in increasing date +order, and by saving `.latest.FILE` state files. + +The –dry-run output is in journal format, so you can filter it, eg to +see only uncategorised transactions: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger import --dry ... | hledger -f- print unknown --ignore-assertions +``` + +#### incomestatement + +incomestatement, is\ +This command displays a simple income statement, showing revenues and +expenses during a period. It assumes that these accounts are under a +top-level `revenue` or `income` or `expense` account (case insensitive, +plural forms also allowed). Note this report shows all account balances +with normal positive sign (like conventional financial statements, +unlike balance/print/register) (experimental). + +This command displays a simple [income +statement](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_statement). It currently +assumes that you have top-level accounts named `income` (or `revenue`) +and `expense` (plural forms also allowed.) + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger incomestatement +Income Statement + +Revenues: + $-2 income + $-1 gifts + $-1 salary +-------------------- + $-2 + +Expenses: + $2 expenses + $1 food + $1 supplies +-------------------- + $2 + +Total: +-------------------- + 0 +``` + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), multiple columns will +be shown, one for each report period. Normally incomestatement shows +revenues/expenses per period, though as with [multicolumn balance +reports](#multicolumn-balance-reports) you can alter the report mode +with `--change`/`--cumulative`/`--historical`. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +#### prices + +prices\ +Print [market price directives](/manual#market-prices) from the journal. +With –costs, also print synthetic market prices based on [transaction +prices](/manual#transaction-prices). With –inverted-costs, also print +inverse prices based on transaction prices. Prices (and postings +providing prices) can be filtered by a query. + +#### print + +print, txns, p\ +Show transaction journal entries, sorted by date. + +The print command displays full journal entries (transactions) from the +journal file in date order, tidily formatted. With –date2, transactions +are sorted by secondary date instead. + +print’s output is always a valid [hledger journal](/journal.html).\ +It preserves all transaction information, but it does not preserve +directives or inter-transaction comments + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print +2008/01/01 income + assets:bank:checking $1 + income:salary $-1 + +2008/06/01 gift + assets:bank:checking $1 + income:gifts $-1 + +2008/06/02 save + assets:bank:saving $1 + assets:bank:checking $-1 + +2008/06/03 * eat & shop + expenses:food $1 + expenses:supplies $1 + assets:cash $-2 + +2008/12/31 * pay off + liabilities:debts $1 + assets:bank:checking $-1 +``` + +Normally, the journal entry’s explicit or implicit amount style is +preserved. Ie when an amount is omitted in the journal, it will be +omitted in the output. You can use the `-x`/`--explicit` flag to make +all amounts explicit, which can be useful for troubleshooting or for +making your journal more readable and robust against data entry errors. +Note, `-x` will cause postings with a multi-commodity amount (these can +arise when a multi-commodity transaction has an implicit amount) will be +split into multiple single-commodity postings, for valid journal output. + +With `-B`/`--cost`, amounts with [transaction +prices](/journal.html#transaction-prices) are converted to cost using +that price. This can be used for troubleshooting. + +With `-m`/`--match` and a STR argument, print will show at most one +transaction: the one one whose description is most similar to STR, and +is most recent. STR should contain at least two characters. If there is +no similar-enough match, no transaction will be shown. + +With `--new`, for each FILE being read, hledger reads (and writes) a +special state file (`.latest.FILE` in the same directory), containing +the latest transaction date(s) that were seen last time FILE was read. +When this file is found, only transactions with newer dates (and new +transactions on the latest date) are printed. This is useful for +ignoring already-seen entries in import data, such as downloaded CSV +files. Eg: + +``` {.console} +$ hledger -f bank1.csv print --new +# shows transactions added since last print --new on this file +``` + +This assumes that transactions added to FILE always have same or +increasing dates, and that transactions on the same day do not get +reordered. See also the [import](#import) command. + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. Here’s an example of +print’s CSV output: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print -Ocsv +"txnidx","date","date2","status","code","description","comment","account","amount","commodity","credit","debit","posting-status","posting-comment" +"1","2008/01/01","","","","income","","assets:bank:checking","1","$","","1","","" +"1","2008/01/01","","","","income","","income:salary","-1","$","1","","","" +"2","2008/06/01","","","","gift","","assets:bank:checking","1","$","","1","","" +"2","2008/06/01","","","","gift","","income:gifts","-1","$","1","","","" +"3","2008/06/02","","","","save","","assets:bank:saving","1","$","","1","","" +"3","2008/06/02","","","","save","","assets:bank:checking","-1","$","1","","","" +"4","2008/06/03","","*","","eat & shop","","expenses:food","1","$","","1","","" +"4","2008/06/03","","*","","eat & shop","","expenses:supplies","1","$","","1","","" +"4","2008/06/03","","*","","eat & shop","","assets:cash","-2","$","2","","","" +"5","2008/12/31","","*","","pay off","","liabilities:debts","1","$","","1","","" +"5","2008/12/31","","*","","pay off","","assets:bank:checking","-1","$","1","","","" +``` + +- There is one CSV record per posting, with the parent transaction’s + fields repeated. +- The “txnidx” (transaction index) field shows which postings belong + to the same transaction. (This number might change if transactions + are reordered within the file, files are parsed/included in a + different order, etc.) +- The amount is separated into “commodity” (the symbol) and “amount” + (numeric quantity) fields. +- The numeric amount is repeated in either the “credit” or “debit” + column, for convenience. (Those names are not accurate in the + accounting sense; it just puts negative amounts under credit and + zero or greater amounts under debit.) + +#### print-unique + +print-unique\ +Print transactions which do not reuse an already-seen description. + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ cat unique.journal +1/1 test + (acct:one) 1 +2/2 test + (acct:two) 2 +$ LEDGER_FILE=unique.journal hledger print-unique +(-f option not supported) +2015/01/01 test + (acct:one) 1 +``` + +#### register + +register, reg, r\ +Show postings and their running total. + +The register command displays postings in date order, one per line, and +their running total. This is typically used with a [query](#queries) +selecting a particular account, to see that account’s activity: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking +2008/01/01 income assets:bank:checking $1 $1 +2008/06/01 gift assets:bank:checking $1 $2 +2008/06/02 save assets:bank:checking $-1 $1 +2008/12/31 pay off assets:bank:checking $-1 0 +``` + +With –date2, it shows and sorts by secondary date instead. + +The `--historical`/`-H` flag adds the balance from any undisplayed prior +postings to the running total. This is useful when you want to see only +recent activity, with a historically accurate running balance: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking -b 2008/6 --historical +2008/06/01 gift assets:bank:checking $1 $2 +2008/06/02 save assets:bank:checking $-1 $1 +2008/12/31 pay off assets:bank:checking $-1 0 +``` + +The `--depth` option limits the amount of sub-account detail displayed. + +The `--average`/`-A` flag shows the running average posting amount +instead of the running total (so, the final number displayed is the +average for the whole report period). This flag implies `--empty` (see +below). It is affected by `--historical`. It works best when showing +just one account and one commodity. + +The `--related`/`-r` flag shows the *other* postings in the transactions +of the postings which would normally be shown. + +The `--invert` flag negates all amounts. For example, it can be used on +an income account where amounts are normally displayed as negative +numbers. It’s also useful to show postings on the checking account +together with the related account: + + $ hledger register --related --invert assets:checking + +With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), register shows summary +postings, one per interval, aggregating the postings to each account: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register --monthly income +2008/01 income:salary $-1 $-1 +2008/06 income:gifts $-1 $-2 +``` + +Periods with no activity, and summary postings with a zero amount, are +not shown by default; use the `--empty`/`-E` flag to see them: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register --monthly income -E +2008/01 income:salary $-1 $-1 +2008/02 0 $-1 +2008/03 0 $-1 +2008/04 0 $-1 +2008/05 0 $-1 +2008/06 income:gifts $-1 $-2 +2008/07 0 $-2 +2008/08 0 $-2 +2008/09 0 $-2 +2008/10 0 $-2 +2008/11 0 $-2 +2008/12 0 $-2 +``` + +Often, you’ll want to see just one line per interval. The `--depth` +option helps with this, causing subaccounts to be aggregated: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register --monthly assets --depth 1h +2008/01 assets $1 $1 +2008/06 assets $-1 0 +2008/12 assets $-1 $-1 +``` + +Note when using report intervals, if you specify start/end dates these +will be adjusted outward if necessary to contain a whole number of +intervals. This ensures that the first and last intervals are full +length and comparable to the others in the report. + +##### Custom register output + +register uses the full terminal width by default, except on windows. You +can override this by setting the `COLUMNS` environment variable (not a +bash shell variable) or by using the `--width`/`-w` option. + +The description and account columns normally share the space equally +(about half of (width - 40) each). You can adjust this by adding a +description width as part of –width’s argument, comma-separated: +`--width W,D` . Here’s a diagram (won’t display correctly in –help): + + <--------------------------------- width (W) ----------------------------------> + date (10) description (D) account (W-41-D) amount (12) balance (12) + DDDDDDDDDD dddddddddddddddddddd aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa AAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAA + +and some examples: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger reg # use terminal width (or 80 on windows) +$ hledger reg -w 100 # use width 100 +$ COLUMNS=100 hledger reg # set with one-time environment variable +$ export COLUMNS=100; hledger reg # set till session end (or window resize) +$ hledger reg -w 100,40 # set overall width 100, description width 40 +$ hledger reg -w $COLUMNS,40 # use terminal width, & description width 40 +``` + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +#### register-match + +register-match\ +Print the one posting whose transaction description is closest to DESC, +in the style of the register command. If there are multiple equally good +matches, it shows the most recent. Query options (options, not +arguments) can be used to restrict the search space. Helps +ledger-autosync detect already-seen transactions when importing. + +#### rewrite + +rewrite\ +Print all transactions, rewriting the postings of matched transactions. +For now the only rewrite available is adding new postings, like print +–auto. + +This is a start at a generic rewriter of transaction entries. It reads +the default journal and prints the transactions, like print, but adds +one or more specified postings to any transactions matching QUERY. The +posting amounts can be fixed, or a multiplier of the existing +transaction’s first posting amount. + +Examples: + + hledger-rewrite.hs ^income --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33 ; income tax' --add-posting '(reserve:gifts) $100' + hledger-rewrite.hs expenses:gifts --add-posting '(reserve:gifts) *-1"' + hledger-rewrite.hs -f rewrites.hledger + +rewrites.hledger may consist of entries like: + + = ^income amt:<0 date:2017 + (liabilities:tax) *0.33 ; tax on income + (reserve:grocery) *0.25 ; reserve 25% for grocery + (reserve:) *0.25 ; reserve 25% for grocery + +Note the single quotes to protect the dollar sign from bash, and the two +spaces between account and amount. + +More: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- [QUERY] --add-posting "ACCT AMTEXPR" ... +$ hledger rewrite -- ^income --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33' +$ hledger rewrite -- expenses:gifts --add-posting '(budget:gifts) *-1"' +$ hledger rewrite -- ^income --add-posting '(budget:foreign currency) *0.25 JPY; diversify' +``` + +Argument for `--add-posting` option is a usual posting of transaction +with an exception for amount specification. More precisely, you can use +`'*'` (star symbol) before the amount to indicate that that this is a +factor for an amount of original matched posting. If the amount includes +a commodity name, the new posting amount will be in the new commodity; +otherwise, it will be in the matched posting amount’s commodity. + +###### Re-write rules in a file + +During the run this tool will execute so called [“Automated +Transactions”](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Automated-Transactions) +found in any journal it process. I.e instead of specifying this +operations in command line you can put them in a journal file. + +``` {.shell} +$ rewrite-rules.journal +``` + +Make contents look like this: + +``` {.journal} += ^income + (liabilities:tax) *.33 + += expenses:gifts + budget:gifts *-1 + assets:budget *1 +``` + +Note that `'='` (equality symbol) that is used instead of date in +transactions you usually write. It indicates the query by which you want +to match the posting to add new ones. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- -f input.journal -f rewrite-rules.journal > rewritten-tidy-output.journal +``` + +This is something similar to the commands pipeline: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- -f input.journal '^income' --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33' \ + | hledger rewrite -- -f - expenses:gifts --add-posting 'budget:gifts *-1' \ + --add-posting 'assets:budget *1' \ + > rewritten-tidy-output.journal +``` + +It is important to understand that relative order of such entries in +journal is important. You can re-use result of previously added +postings. + +###### Diff output format + +To use this tool for batch modification of your journal files you may +find useful output in form of unified diff. + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger rewrite -- --diff -f examples/sample.journal '^income' --add-posting '(liabilities:tax) *.33' +``` + +Output might look like: + +``` {.diff} +--- /tmp/examples/sample.journal ++++ /tmp/examples/sample.journal +@@ -18,3 +18,4 @@ + 2008/01/01 income +- assets:bank:checking $1 ++ assets:bank:checking $1 + income:salary ++ (liabilities:tax) 0 +@@ -22,3 +23,4 @@ + 2008/06/01 gift +- assets:bank:checking $1 ++ assets:bank:checking $1 + income:gifts ++ (liabilities:tax) 0 +``` + +If you’ll pass this through `patch` tool you’ll get transactions +containing the posting that matches your query be updated. Note that +multiple files might be update according to list of input files +specified via `--file` options and `include` directives inside of these +files. + +Be careful. Whole transaction being re-formatted in a style of output +from `hledger print`. + +See also: + +https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/issues/99 + +###### rewrite vs. print –auto + +This command predates print –auto, and currently does much the same +thing, but with these differences: + +- with multiple files, rewrite lets rules in any file affect all other + files. print –auto uses standard directive scoping; rules affect + only child files. + +- rewrite’s query limits which transactions can be rewritten; all are + printed. print –auto’s query limits which transactions are printed. + +- rewrite applies rules specified on command line or in the journal. + print –auto applies rules specified in the journal. + +#### roi + +roi\ +Shows the time-weighted (TWR) and money-weighted (IRR) rate of return on +your investments. + +This command assumes that you have account(s) that hold nothing but your +investments and whenever you record current appraisal/valuation of these +investments you offset unrealized profit and loss into account(s) that, +again, hold nothing but unrealized profit and loss. + +Any transactions affecting balance of investment account(s) and not +originating from unrealized profit and loss account(s) are assumed to be +your investments or withdrawals. + +At a minimum, you need to supply a query (which could be just an account +name) to select your investments with `--inv`, and another query to +identify your profit and loss transactions with `--pnl`. + +It will compute and display the internalized rate of return (IRR) and +time-weighted rate of return (TWR) for your investments for the time +period requested. Both rates of return are annualized before display, +regardless of the length of reporting interval. + +#### stats + +stats\ +Show some journal statistics. + +The stats command displays summary information for the whole journal, or +a matched part of it. With a [reporting interval](#reporting-interval), +it shows a report for each report period. + +Example: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger stats +Main journal file : /src/hledger/examples/sample.journal +Included journal files : +Transactions span : 2008-01-01 to 2009-01-01 (366 days) +Last transaction : 2008-12-31 (2333 days ago) +Transactions : 5 (0.0 per day) +Transactions last 30 days: 0 (0.0 per day) +Transactions last 7 days : 0 (0.0 per day) +Payees/descriptions : 5 +Accounts : 8 (depth 3) +Commodities : 1 ($) +``` + +This command also supports [output +destination](/manual.html#output-destination) and [output +format](/manual.html#output-format) selection. + +#### tags + +tags\ +List all the tag names used in the journal. With a TAGREGEX argument, +only tag names matching the regular expression (case insensitive) are +shown. With QUERY arguments, only transactions matching the query are +considered. + +#### test + +test\ +Run built-in unit tests. + +This command runs the unit tests built in to hledger-lib and hledger, +printing test names and results on stdout. If any test fails, the exit +code will be non-zero. + +Test names include a group prefix. If a (exact, case sensitive) group +prefix, or a full test name is provided as the first argument, only that +group or test is run. + +If a numeric second argument is provided, it will set the randomness +seed, for repeatable results from tests using randomness (currently none +of them). + +This is mainly used by developers, but it’s nice to be able to +sanity-check your installed hledger executable at any time. All tests +are expected to pass - if you ever see otherwise, something has gone +wrong, please report a bug! + +### ADD-ON COMMANDS + +hledger also searches for external add-on commands, and will include +these in the commands list. These are programs or scripts in your PATH +whose name starts with `hledger-` and ends with a recognised file +extension (currently: no extension, `bat`,`com`,`exe`, +`hs`,`lhs`,`pl`,`py`,`rb`,`rkt`,`sh`). + +Add-ons can be invoked like any hledger command, but there are a few +things to be aware of. Eg if the `hledger-web` add-on is installed, + +- `hledger -h web` shows hledger’s help, while `hledger web -h` shows + hledger-web’s help. + +- Flags specific to the add-on must have a preceding `--` to hide them + from hledger. So `hledger web --serve --port 9000` will be rejected; + you must use `hledger web -- --serve --port 9000`. + +- You can always run add-ons directly if preferred: + `hledger-web --serve --port 9000`. + +Add-ons are a relatively easy way to add local features or experiment +with new ideas. They can be written in any language, but haskell scripts +have a big advantage: they can use the same hledger (and haskell) +library functions that built-in commands do, for command-line options, +journal parsing, reporting, etc. + +Here are some hledger add-ons available: + +#### Official add-ons + +These are maintained and released along with hledger. + +##### api + +[hledger-api](hledger-api.html) serves hledger data as a JSON web API. + +##### ui + +[hledger-ui](hledger-ui.html) provides an efficient curses-style +interface. + +##### web + +[hledger-web](hledger-web.html) provides a simple web interface. + +#### Third party add-ons + +These are maintained separately, and usually updated shortly after a +hledger release. + +##### diff + +[hledger-diff](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-diff) shows +differences in an account’s transactions between one journal file and +another. + +##### iadd + +[hledger-iadd](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-iadd) is a +curses-style, more interactive replacement for the [add +command](/hledger.html#add). + +##### interest + +[hledger-interest](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-interest) +generates interest transactions for an account according to various +schemes. + +##### irr + +[hledger-irr](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-irr) calculates +the internal rate of return of an investment account, but it’s +superseded now by the built-in [roi](#roi) command. + +#### Experimental add-ons + +These are available in source form in the hledger repo’s bin/ directory; +installing them is [pretty easy](/download.html#d). They may be less +mature and documented than built-in commands. Reading and tweaking these +is a good way to start making your own! + +##### autosync + +[hledger-autosync](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/blob/master/bin/hledger-autosync) +is a symbolic link for easily running +[ledger-autosync](https://pypi.python.org/pypi/ledger-autosync), if +installed. ledger-autosync does deduplicating conversion of OFX data and +some CSV formats, and can also download the data [if your bank offers +OFX Direct +Connect](http://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/OFX_Direct_Connect_Bank_Settings). + +##### chart + +[hledger-chart.hs](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/blob/master/bin/hledger-chart.hs#L47) +is an old pie chart generator, in need of some love. + +##### check + +[hledger-check.hs](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/blob/master/bin/hledger-check.hs) +checks more powerful account balance assertions. + +### ENVIRONMENT + +**COLUMNS** The screen width used by the register command. Default: the +full terminal width. + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### BUGS + +The need to precede addon command options with `--` when invoked from +hledger is awkward. + +When input data contains non-ascii characters, a suitable system locale +must be configured (or there will be an unhelpful error). Eg on POSIX, +set LANG to something other than C. + +In a Microsoft Windows CMD window, non-ascii characters and colours are +not supported. + +In a Cygwin/MSYS/Mintty window, the tab key is not supported in hledger +add. + +Not all of Ledger’s journal file syntax is supported. See [file format +differences](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/FAQ#file-formats). + +On large data files, hledger is slower and uses more memory than Ledger. + +### TROUBLESHOOTING + +Here are some issues you might encounter when you run hledger (and +remember you can also seek help from the [IRC +channel](http://irc.hledger.org), [mail list](http://list.hledger.org) +or [bug tracker](http://bugs.hledger.org)): + +**Successfully installed, but “No command ‘hledger’ found”**\ +stack and cabal install binaries into a special directory, which should +be added to your PATH environment variable. Eg on unix-like systems, +that is \~/.local/bin and \~/.cabal/bin respectively. + +**I set a custom LEDGER\_FILE, but hledger is still using the default +file**\ +`LEDGER_FILE` should be a real environment variable, not just a shell +variable. The command `env | grep LEDGER_FILE` should show it. You may +need to use `export`. Here’s an +[explanation](http://stackoverflow.com/a/7411509). + +**“Illegal byte sequence” or “Invalid or incomplete multibyte or wide +character” errors**\ +In order to handle non-ascii letters and symbols (like £), hledger needs +an appropriate locale. This is usually configured system-wide; you can +also configure it temporarily. The locale may need to be one that +supports UTF-8, if you built hledger with GHC \< 7.2 (or possibly +always, I’m not sure yet). + +Here’s an example of setting the locale temporarily, on ubuntu +gnu/linux: + +``` {.shell} +$ file my.journal +my.journal: UTF-8 Unicode text # <- the file is UTF8-encoded +$ locale -a +C +en_US.utf8 # <- a UTF8-aware locale is available +POSIX +$ LANG=en_US.utf8 hledger -f my.journal print # <- use it for this command +``` + +Here’s one way to set it permanently, there are probably better ways: + +``` {.shell} +$ echo "export LANG=en_US.UTF-8" >>~/.bash_profile +$ bash --login +``` + +If we preferred to use eg `fr_FR.utf8`, we might have to install that +first: + +``` {.shell} +$ apt-get install language-pack-fr +$ locale -a +C +en_US.utf8 +fr_BE.utf8 +fr_CA.utf8 +fr_CH.utf8 +fr_FR.utf8 +fr_LU.utf8 +POSIX +$ LANG=fr_FR.utf8 hledger -f my.journal print +``` + +Note some platforms allow variant locale spellings, but not all (ubuntu +accepts `fr_FR.UTF8`, mac osx requires exactly `fr_FR.UTF-8`). + + +## hledger-ui + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +hledger-ui - curses-style interface for the hledger accounting tool + +### SYNOPSIS + +`hledger-ui [OPTIONS] [QUERYARGS]`\ +`hledger ui -- [OPTIONS] [QUERYARGS]` + +### DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1). + + +
+ + + + + + + + + + + +
+ +hledger-ui is hledger’s curses-style interface, providing an efficient +full-window text UI for viewing accounts and transactions, and some +limited data entry capability. It is easier than hledger’s command-line +interface, and sometimes quicker and more convenient than the web +interface. + +Note hledger-ui has some different defaults (experimental): + +- it generates rule-based transactions and postings by default + (–forecast and –auto are always on). +- it hides transactions dated in the future by default (change this + with –future or the F key). + +Like hledger, it reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, +timeclock, timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or +`$LEDGER_FILE`, or `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). For more about this see hledger(1), +hledger\_journal(5) etc. + +### OPTIONS + +Note: if invoking hledger-ui as a hledger subcommand, write `--` before +options as shown above. + +Any QUERYARGS are interpreted as a hledger search query which filters +the data. + +`--watch` +: watch for data and date changes and reload automatically + +`--theme=default|terminal|greenterm` +: use this custom display theme + +`--register=ACCTREGEX` +: start in the (first) matched account’s register screen + +`--change` +: show period balances (changes) at startup instead of historical + balances + +`-F --flat` +: show accounts as a list (default) + +`-T --tree` +: show accounts as a tree + +`--future` +: show transactions dated later than today (normally hidden) + +hledger input options: + +`-f FILE --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`--rules-file=RULESFILE` +: Conversion rules file to use when reading CSV (default: FILE.rules) + +`--separator=CHAR` +: Field separator to expect when reading CSV (default: ‘,’) + +`--alias=OLD=NEW` +: rename accounts named OLD to NEW + +`--anon` +: anonymize accounts and payees + +`--pivot FIELDNAME` +: use some other field or tag for the account name + +`-I --ignore-assertions` +: ignore any failing balance assertions + +hledger reporting options: + +`-b --begin=DATE` +: include postings/txns on or after this date + +`-e --end=DATE` +: include postings/txns before this date + +`-D --daily` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by day + +`-W --weekly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by week + +`-M --monthly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by month + +`-Q --quarterly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by quarter + +`-Y --yearly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by year + +`-p --period=PERIODEXP` +: set start date, end date, and/or reporting interval all at once + using [period expressions](manual.html#period-expressions) syntax + (overrides the flags above) + +`--date2` +: match the secondary date instead (see command help for other + effects) + +`-U --unmarked` +: include only unmarked postings/txns (can combine with -P or -C) + +`-P --pending` +: include only pending postings/txns + +`-C --cleared` +: include only cleared postings/txns + +`-R --real` +: include only non-virtual postings + +`-NUM --depth=NUM` +: hide/aggregate accounts or postings more than NUM levels deep + +`-E --empty` +: show items with zero amount, normally hidden (and vice-versa in + hledger-ui/hledger-web) + +`-B --cost` +: convert amounts to their cost at transaction time (using the + [transaction price](journal.html#transaction-prices), if any) + +`-V --value` +: convert amounts to their market value on the report end date (using + the most recent applicable [market + price](journal.html#market-prices), if any) + +`--auto` +: apply [automated posting + rules](journal.html#automated-posting-rules) to modify transactions. + +`--forecast` +: apply [periodic transaction](journal.html#periodic-transactions) + rules to generate future transactions, to 6 months from now or + report end date. + +When a reporting option appears more than once in the command line, the +last one takes precedence. + +Some reporting options can also be written as [query +arguments](#queries). + +hledger help options: + +`-h --help` +: show general usage (or after COMMAND, command usage) + +`--version` +: show version + +`--debug[=N]` +: show debug output (levels 1-9, default: 1) + +A @FILE argument will be expanded to the contents of FILE, which should +contain one command line option/argument per line. (To prevent this, +insert a `--` argument before.) + +### KEYS + +`?` shows a help dialog listing all keys. (Some of these also appear in +the quick help at the bottom of each screen.) Press `?` again (or +`ESCAPE`, or `LEFT`) to close it. The following keys work on most +screens: + +The cursor keys navigate: `right` (or `enter`) goes deeper, `left` +returns to the previous screen, +`up`/`down`/`page up`/`page down`/`home`/`end` move up and down through +lists. Vi-style (`h`/`j`/`k`/`l`) and Emacs-style +(`CTRL-p`/`CTRL-n`/`CTRL-f`/`CTRL-b`) movement keys are also supported. +A tip: movement speed is limited by your keyboard repeat rate, to move +faster you may want to adjust it. (If you’re on a mac, the Karabiner app +is one way to do that.) + +With shift pressed, the cursor keys adjust the report period, limiting +the transactions to be shown (by default, all are shown). +`shift-down/up` steps downward and upward through these standard report +period durations: year, quarter, month, week, day. Then, +`shift-left/right` moves to the previous/next period. `t` sets the +report period to today. With the `--watch` option, when viewing a +“current” period (the current day, week, month, quarter, or year), the +period will move automatically to track the current date. To set a +non-standard period, you can use `/` and a `date:` query. + +`/` lets you set a general filter query limiting the data shown, using +the same [query terms](/hledger.html#queries) as in hledger and +hledger-web. While editing the query, you can use [CTRL-a/e/d/k, BS, +cursor +keys](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/brick-0.7/docs/Brick-Widgets-Edit.html#t:Editor); +press `ENTER` to set it, or `ESCAPE`to cancel. There are also keys for +quickly adjusting some common filters like account depth and transaction +status (see below). `BACKSPACE` or `DELETE` removes all filters, showing +all transactions. + +As mentioned above, hledger-ui shows auto-generated periodic +transactions, and hides future transactions (auto-generated or not) by +default. `F` toggles showing and hiding these future transactions. This +is similar to using a query like `date:-tomorrow`, but more convenient. +(experimental) + +`ESCAPE` removes all filters and jumps back to the top screen. Or, it +cancels a minibuffer edit or help dialog in progress. + +`CTRL-l` redraws the screen and centers the selection if possible +(selections near the top won’t be centered, since we don’t scroll above +the top). + +`g` reloads from the data file(s) and updates the current screen and any +previous screens. (With large files, this could cause a noticeable +pause.) + +`I` toggles balance assertion checking. Disabling balance assertions +temporarily can be useful for troubleshooting. + +`a` runs command-line hledger’s add command, and reloads the updated +file. This allows some basic data entry. + +`A` is like `a`, but runs the +[hledger-iadd](http://hackage.haskell.org/package/hledger-iadd) tool, +which provides a curses-style interface. This key will be available if +`hledger-iadd` is installed in \$PATH. + +`E` runs \$HLEDGER\_UI\_EDITOR, or \$EDITOR, or a default +(`emacsclient -a "" -nw`) on the journal file. With some editors (emacs, +vi), the cursor will be positioned at the current transaction when +invoked from the register and transaction screens, and at the error +location (if possible) when invoked from the error screen. + +`q` quits the application. + +Additional screen-specific keys are described below. + +### SCREENS + +#### Accounts screen + +This is normally the first screen displayed. It lists accounts and their +balances, like hledger’s balance command. By default, it shows all +accounts and their latest ending balances (including the balances of +subaccounts). if you specify a query on the command line, it shows just +the matched accounts and the balances from matched transactions. + +Account names are shown as a flat list by default. Press `T` to toggle +tree mode. In flat mode, account balances are exclusive of subaccounts, +except where subaccounts are hidden by a depth limit (see below). In +tree mode, all account balances are inclusive of subaccounts. + +To see less detail, press a number key, `1` to `9`, to set a depth +limit. Or use `-` to decrease and `+`/`=` to increase the depth limit. +`0` shows even less detail, collapsing all accounts to a single total. +To remove the depth limit, set it higher than the maximum account depth, +or press `ESCAPE`. + +`H` toggles between showing historical balances or period balances. +Historical balances (the default) are ending balances at the end of the +report period, taking into account all transactions before that date +(filtered by the filter query if any), including transactions before the +start of the report period. In other words, historical balances are what +you would see on a bank statement for that account (unless disturbed by +a filter query). Period balances ignore transactions before the report +start date, so they show the change in balance during the report period. +They are more useful eg when viewing a time log. + +`U` toggles filtering by [unmarked status](/journal.html#status), +including or excluding unmarked postings in the balances. Similarly, `P` +toggles pending postings, and `C` toggles cleared postings. (By default, +balances include all postings; if you activate one or two status +filters, only those postings are included; and if you activate all +three, the filter is removed.) + +`R` toggles real mode, in which [virtual +postings](/journal.html#virtual-postings) are ignored. + +`Z` toggles nonzero mode, in which only accounts with nonzero balances +are shown (hledger-ui shows zero items by default, unlike command-line +hledger). + +Press `right` or `enter` to view an account’s transactions register. + +#### Register screen + +This screen shows the transactions affecting a particular account, like +a check register. Each line represents one transaction and shows: + +- the other account(s) involved, in abbreviated form. (If there are + both real and virtual postings, it shows only the accounts affected + by real postings.) + +- the overall change to the current account’s balance; positive for an + inflow to this account, negative for an outflow. + +- the running historical total or period total for the current + account, after the transaction. This can be toggled with `H`. + Similar to the accounts screen, the historical total is affected by + transactions (filtered by the filter query) before the report start + date, while the period total is not. If the historical total is not + disturbed by a filter query, it will be the running historical + balance you would see on a bank register for the current account. + +Transactions affecting this account’s subaccounts will be included in +the register if the accounts screen is in tree mode, or if it’s in flat +mode but this account has subaccounts which are not shown due to a depth +limit. In other words, the register always shows the transactions +contributing to the balance shown on the accounts screen.\ +Tree mode/flat mode can be toggled with `T` here also. + +`U` toggles filtering by [unmarked status](/journal.html#status), +showing or hiding unmarked transactions. Similarly, `P` toggles pending +transactions, and `C` toggles cleared transactions. (By default, +transactions with all statuses are shown; if you activate one or two +status filters, only those transactions are shown; and if you activate +all three, the filter is removed.) + +`R` toggles real mode, in which [virtual +postings](/journal.html#virtual-postings) are ignored. + +`Z` toggles nonzero mode, in which only transactions posting a nonzero +change are shown (hledger-ui shows zero items by default, unlike +command-line hledger). + +Press `right` (or `enter`) to view the selected transaction in detail. + +#### Transaction screen + +This screen shows a single transaction, as a general journal entry, +similar to hledger’s print command and journal format +(hledger\_journal(5)). + +The transaction’s date(s) and any cleared flag, transaction code, +description, comments, along with all of its account postings are shown. +Simple transactions have two postings, but there can be more (or in +certain cases, fewer). + +`up` and `down` will step through all transactions listed in the +previous account register screen. In the title bar, the numbers in +parentheses show your position within that account register. They will +vary depending on which account register you came from (remember most +transactions appear in multiple account registers). The \#N number +preceding them is the transaction’s position within the complete +unfiltered journal, which is a more stable id (at least until the next +reload). + +#### Error screen + +This screen will appear if there is a problem, such as a parse error, +when you press g to reload. Once you have fixed the problem, press g +again to reload and resume normal operation. (Or, you can press escape +to cancel the reload attempt.) + +### ENVIRONMENT + +**COLUMNS** The screen width to use. Default: the full terminal width. + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### BUGS + +The need to precede options with `--` when invoked from hledger is +awkward. + +`-f-` doesn’t work (hledger-ui can’t read from stdin). + +`-V` affects only the accounts screen. + +When you press `g`, the current and all previous screens are +regenerated, which may cause a noticeable pause with large files. Also +there is no visual indication that this is in progress. + +`--watch` is not yet fully robust. It works well for normal usage, but +many file changes in a short time (eg saving the file thousands of times +with an editor macro) can cause problems at least on OSX. Symptoms +include: unresponsive UI, periodic resetting of the cursor position, +momentary display of parse errors, high CPU usage eventually subsiding, +and possibly a small but persistent build-up of CPU usage until the +program is restarted. + + +## hledger-web + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +hledger-web - web interface for the hledger accounting tool + +### SYNOPSIS + +`hledger-web [OPTIONS]`\ +`hledger web -- [OPTIONS]` + +### DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1). + + +
+ + + + + + +
+ +hledger-web is hledger’s web interface. It starts a simple web +application for browsing and adding transactions, and optionally opens +it in a web browser window if possible. It provides a more user-friendly +UI than the hledger CLI or hledger-ui interface, showing more at once +(accounts, the current account register, balance charts) and allowing +history-aware data entry, interactive searching, and bookmarking. + +hledger-web also lets you share a ledger with multiple users, or even +the public web. There is no access control, so if you need that you +should put it behind a suitable web proxy. As a small protection against +data loss when running an unprotected instance, it writes a numbered +backup of the main journal file (only ?) on every edit. + +Like hledger, it reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, +timeclock, timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or +`$LEDGER_FILE`, or `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). For more about this see hledger(1), +hledger\_journal(5) etc. + +### OPTIONS + +Command-line options and arguments may be used to set an initial filter +on the data. These filter options are not shown in the web UI, but it +will be applied in addition to any search query entered there. + +Note: if invoking hledger-web as a hledger subcommand, write `--` before +options, as shown in the synopsis above. + +`--serve` +: serve and log requests, don’t browse or auto-exit + +`--host=IPADDR` +: listen on this IP address (default: 127.0.0.1) + +`--port=PORT` +: listen on this TCP port (default: 5000) + +`--base-url=URL` +: set the base url (default: http://IPADDR:PORT). You would change + this when sharing over the network, or integrating within a larger + website. + +`--file-url=URL` +: set the static files url (default: BASEURL/static). hledger-web + normally serves static files itself, but if you wanted to serve them + from another server for efficiency, you would set the url with this. + +`--capabilities=CAP[,CAP..]` +: enable the view, add, and/or manage capabilities (default: view,add) + +`--capabilities-header=HTTPHEADER` +: read capabilities to enable from a HTTP header, like + X-Sandstorm-Permissions (default: disabled) + +hledger input options: + +`-f FILE --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`--rules-file=RULESFILE` +: Conversion rules file to use when reading CSV (default: FILE.rules) + +`--separator=CHAR` +: Field separator to expect when reading CSV (default: ‘,’) + +`--alias=OLD=NEW` +: rename accounts named OLD to NEW + +`--anon` +: anonymize accounts and payees + +`--pivot FIELDNAME` +: use some other field or tag for the account name + +`-I --ignore-assertions` +: ignore any failing balance assertions + +hledger reporting options: + +`-b --begin=DATE` +: include postings/txns on or after this date + +`-e --end=DATE` +: include postings/txns before this date + +`-D --daily` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by day + +`-W --weekly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by week + +`-M --monthly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by month + +`-Q --quarterly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by quarter + +`-Y --yearly` +: multiperiod/multicolumn report by year + +`-p --period=PERIODEXP` +: set start date, end date, and/or reporting interval all at once + using [period expressions](manual.html#period-expressions) syntax + (overrides the flags above) + +`--date2` +: match the secondary date instead (see command help for other + effects) + +`-U --unmarked` +: include only unmarked postings/txns (can combine with -P or -C) + +`-P --pending` +: include only pending postings/txns + +`-C --cleared` +: include only cleared postings/txns + +`-R --real` +: include only non-virtual postings + +`-NUM --depth=NUM` +: hide/aggregate accounts or postings more than NUM levels deep + +`-E --empty` +: show items with zero amount, normally hidden (and vice-versa in + hledger-ui/hledger-web) + +`-B --cost` +: convert amounts to their cost at transaction time (using the + [transaction price](journal.html#transaction-prices), if any) + +`-V --value` +: convert amounts to their market value on the report end date (using + the most recent applicable [market + price](journal.html#market-prices), if any) + +`--auto` +: apply [automated posting + rules](journal.html#automated-posting-rules) to modify transactions. + +`--forecast` +: apply [periodic transaction](journal.html#periodic-transactions) + rules to generate future transactions, to 6 months from now or + report end date. + +When a reporting option appears more than once in the command line, the +last one takes precedence. + +Some reporting options can also be written as [query +arguments](#queries). + +hledger help options: + +`-h --help` +: show general usage (or after COMMAND, command usage) + +`--version` +: show version + +`--debug[=N]` +: show debug output (levels 1-9, default: 1) + +A @FILE argument will be expanded to the contents of FILE, which should +contain one command line option/argument per line. (To prevent this, +insert a `--` argument before.) + +By default, hledger-web starts the web app in “transient mode” and also +opens it in your default web browser if possible. In this mode the web +app will keep running for as long as you have it open in a browser +window, and will exit after two minutes of inactivity (no requests and +no browser windows viewing it). With `--serve`, it just runs the web app +without exiting, and logs requests to the console. + +By default the server listens on IP address 127.0.0.1, accessible only +to local requests. You can use `--host` to change this, eg +`--host 0.0.0.0` to listen on all configured addresses. + +Similarly, use `--port` to set a TCP port other than 5000, eg if you are +running multiple hledger-web instances. + +You can use `--base-url` to change the protocol, hostname, port and path +that appear in hyperlinks, useful eg for integrating hledger-web within +a larger website. The default is `http://HOST:PORT/` using the server’s +configured host address and TCP port (or `http://HOST` if PORT is 80). + +With `--file-url` you can set a different base url for static files, eg +for better caching or cookie-less serving on high performance websites. + +### PERMISSIONS + +By default, hledger-web allows anyone who can reach it to view the +journal and to add new transactions, but not to change existing data. + +You can restrict who can reach it by + +- setting the IP address it listens on (see `--host` above). By + default it listens on 127.0.0.1, accessible to all users on the + local machine. +- putting it behind an authenticating proxy, using eg apache or nginx +- custom firewall rules + +You can restrict what the users who reach it can do, by + +- using the `--capabilities=CAP[,CAP..]` flag when you start it, + enabling one or more of the following capabilities. The default + value is `view,add`: + - `view` - allows viewing the journal file and all included files + - `add` - allows adding new transactions to the main journal file + - `manage` - allows editing, uploading or downloading the main or + included files +- using the `--capabilities-header=HTTPHEADER` flag to specify a HTTP + header from which it will read capabilities to enable. hledger-web + on Sandstorm uses the X-Sandstorm-Permissions header to integrate + with Sandstorm’s permissions. This is disabled by default. + +### EDITING, UPLOADING, DOWNLOADING + +If you enable the `manage` capability mentioned above, you’ll see a new +“spanner” button to the right of the search form. Clicking this will let +you edit, upload, or download the journal file or any files it includes. + +Note, unlike any other hledger command, in this mode you (or any +visitor) can alter or wipe the data files. + +Normally whenever a file is changed in this way, hledger-web saves a +numbered backup (assuming file permissions allow it, the disk is not +full, etc.) hledger-web is not aware of version control systems, +currently; if you use one, you’ll have to arrange to commit the changes +yourself (eg with a cron job or a file watcher like entr). + +Changes which would leave the journal file(s) unparseable or non-valid +(eg with failing balance assertions) are prevented. (Probably. This +needs re-testing.) + +### RELOADING + +hledger-web detects changes made to the files by other means (eg if you +edit it directly, outside of hledger-web), and it will show the new data +when you reload the page or navigate to a new page. If a change makes a +file unparseable, hledger-web will display an error message until the +file has been fixed. + +### JSON API + +In addition to the web UI, hledger-web provides some JSON API routes. +These are similar to the API provided by the hledger-api tool, but it +may be convenient to have them in hledger-web also. + + /accountnames + /transactions + /prices + /commodities + /accounts + /accounttransactions/#AccountName + +### ENVIRONMENT + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### BUGS + +The need to precede options with `--` when invoked from hledger is +awkward. + +`-f-` doesn’t work (hledger-web can’t read from stdin). + +Query arguments and some hledger options are ignored. + +Does not work in text-mode browsers. + +Does not work well on small screens. + + +## hledger-api + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +hledger-api - web API server for the hledger accounting tool + +### SYNOPSIS + +`hledger-api [OPTIONS]`\ +`hledger api -- [OPTIONS]` + +### DESCRIPTION + +hledger is a cross-platform program for tracking money, time, or any +other commodity, using double-entry accounting and a simple, editable +file format. hledger is inspired by and largely compatible with +ledger(1). + +hledger-api is a simple web API server, intended to support client-side +web apps operating on hledger data. It comes with a series of simple +client-side app examples, which drive its evolution. + +Like hledger, it reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, +timeclock, timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or +`$LEDGER_FILE`, or `$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). For more about this see hledger(1), +hledger\_journal(5) etc. + +The server listens on IP address 127.0.0.1, accessible only to local +requests, by default. You can change this with `--host`, eg +`--host 0.0.0.0` to listen on all addresses. Note there is no other +access control, and hledger-api allows file browsing, so on shared +machines you will certainly need to put it behind an authenticating +proxy to restrict access. + +You can change the TCP port it listens on (default: 8001) with +`-p PORT`. + +API methods look like: + + /api/v1/accountnames + /api/v1/transactions + /api/v1/prices + /api/v1/commodities + /api/v1/accounts + /api/v1/accounts/ACCTNAME + +See `/api/swagger.json` for a full list in Swagger 2.0 format. (Or you +can run `hledger-api --swagger` to print this in the console.) + +hledger-api also serves files, from the current directory by default, +and the `/` path will also show a directory listing. This is convenient +for serving client-side web code, in addition to the server-side api. + +### OPTIONS + +Note: if invoking hledger-api as a hledger subcommand, write `--` before +options as shown above. + +`-f --file=FILE` +: use a different input file. For stdin, use - (default: + `$LEDGER_FILE` or `$HOME/.hledger.journal`) + +`-d --static-dir=DIR` +: serve files from a different directory (default: `.`) + +`--host=IPADDR` +: listen on this IP address (default: 127.0.0.1) + +`-p --port=PORT` +: listen on this TCP port (default: 8001) + +`--swagger` +: print API docs in Swagger 2.0 format, and exit + +`--version` +: show version + +`-h --help` +: show usage + +### ENVIRONMENT + +**LEDGER\_FILE** The journal file path when not specified with `-f`. +Default: `~/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### FILES + +Reads data from one or more files in hledger journal, timeclock, +timedot, or CSV format specified with `-f`, or `$LEDGER_FILE`, or +`$HOME/.hledger.journal` (on windows, perhaps +`C:/Users/USER/.hledger.journal`). + +### BUGS + +The need to precede options with `--` when invoked from hledger is +awkward. + + +## journal format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +Journal - hledger’s default file format, representing a General Journal + +### DESCRIPTION + +hledger’s usual data source is a plain text file containing journal +entries in hledger journal format. This file represents a standard +accounting [general +journal](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_journal). I use file names +ending in `.journal`, but that’s not required. The journal file contains +a number of transaction entries, each describing a transfer of money (or +any commodity) between two or more named accounts, in a simple format +readable by both hledger and humans. + +hledger’s journal format is a compatible subset, mostly, of [ledger’s +journal +format](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Journal-Format), so +hledger can work with +[compatible](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/FAQ#file-formats) +ledger journal files as well. It’s safe, and encouraged, to run both +hledger and ledger on the same journal file, eg to validate the results +you’re getting. + +You can use hledger without learning any more about this file; just use +the [add](#add) or [web](#web) commands to create and update it. Many +users, though, also edit the journal file directly with a text editor, +perhaps assisted by the helper modes for emacs or vim. + +Here’s an example: + +``` {.journal} +; A sample journal file. This is a comment. + +2008/01/01 income ; <- transaction's first line starts in column 0, contains date and description + assets:bank:checking $1 ; <- posting lines start with whitespace, each contains an account name + income:salary $-1 ; followed by at least two spaces and an amount + +2008/06/01 gift + assets:bank:checking $1 ; <- at least two postings in a transaction + income:gifts $-1 ; <- their amounts must balance to 0 + +2008/06/02 save + assets:bank:saving $1 + assets:bank:checking ; <- one amount may be omitted; here $-1 is inferred + +2008/06/03 eat & shop ; <- description can be anything + expenses:food $1 + expenses:supplies $1 ; <- this transaction debits two expense accounts + assets:cash ; <- $-2 inferred + +2008/10/01 take a loan + assets:bank:checking $1 + liabilities:debts $-1 + +2008/12/31 * pay off ; <- an optional * or ! after the date means "cleared" (or anything you want) + liabilities:debts $1 + assets:bank:checking +``` + +### FILE FORMAT + + +#### Transactions + +Transactions are movements of some quantity of commodities between named +accounts. Each transaction is represented by a journal entry beginning +with a [simple date](#simple-dates) in column 0. This can be followed by +any of the following, separated by spaces: + +- (optional) a [status](#status) character (empty, `!`, or `*`) +- (optional) a transaction code (any short number or text, enclosed in + parentheses) +- (optional) a transaction description (any remaining text until end + of line or a semicolon) +- (optional) a transaction comment (any remaining text following a + semicolon until end of line) + +Then comes zero or more (but usually at least 2) indented lines +representing… + +#### Postings + +A posting is an addition of some amount to, or removal of some amount +from, an account. Each posting line begins with at least one space or +tab (2 or 4 spaces is common), followed by: + +- (optional) a [status](#status) character (empty, `!`, or `*`), + followed by a space +- (required) an [account name](#account-names) (any text, optionally + containing **single spaces**, until end of line or a double space) +- (optional) **two or more spaces** or tabs followed by an + [amount](#amounts). + +Positive amounts are being added to the account, negative amounts are +being removed. + +The amounts within a transaction must always sum up to zero. As a +convenience, one amount may be left blank; it will be inferred so as to +balance the transaction. + +Be sure to note the unusual two-space delimiter between account name and +amount. This makes it easy to write account names containing spaces. But +if you accidentally leave only one space (or tab) before the amount, the +amount will be considered part of the account name. + +#### Dates + +##### Simple dates + +Within a journal file, transaction dates use Y/M/D (or Y-M-D or Y.M.D) +Leading zeros are optional. The year may be omitted, in which case it +will be inferred from the context - the current transaction, the default +year set with a [default year directive](#default-year), or the current +date when the command is run. Some examples: `2010/01/31`, `1/31`, +`2010-01-31`, `2010.1.31`. + +##### Secondary dates + +Real-life transactions sometimes involve more than one date - eg the +date you write a cheque, and the date it clears in your bank. When you +want to model this, eg for more accurate balances, you can specify +individual [posting dates](#posting-dates), which I recommend. Or, you +can use the secondary dates (aka auxiliary/effective dates) feature, +supported for compatibility with Ledger. + +A secondary date can be written after the primary date, separated by an +equals sign. The primary date, on the left, is used by default; the +secondary date, on the right, is used when the `--date2` flag is +specified (`--aux-date` or `--effective` also work). + +The meaning of secondary dates is up to you, but it’s best to follow a +consistent rule. Eg write the bank’s clearing date as primary, and when +needed, the date the transaction was initiated as secondary. + +Here’s an example. Note that a secondary date will use the year of the +primary date if unspecified. + +``` {.journal} +2010/2/23=2/19 movie ticket + expenses:cinema $10 + assets:checking +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking +2010/02/23 movie ticket assets:checking $-10 $-10 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger register checking --date2 +2010/02/19 movie ticket assets:checking $-10 $-10 +``` + +Secondary dates require some effort; you must use them consistently in +your journal entries and remember whether to use or not use the +`--date2` flag for your reports. They are included in hledger for Ledger +compatibility, but posting dates are a more powerful and less confusing +alternative. + +##### Posting dates + +You can give individual postings a different date from their parent +transaction, by adding a [posting comment](#comments) containing a +[tag](#tags) (see below) like `date:DATE`. This is probably the best way +to control posting dates precisely. Eg in this example the expense +should appear in May reports, and the deduction from checking should be +reported on 6/1 for easy bank reconciliation: + +``` {.journal} +2015/5/30 + expenses:food $10 ; food purchased on saturday 5/30 + assets:checking ; bank cleared it on monday, date:6/1 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.j register food +2015/05/30 expenses:food $10 $10 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.j register checking +2015/06/01 assets:checking $-10 $-10 +``` + +DATE should be a [simple date](#simple-dates); if the year is not +specified it will use the year of the transaction’s date. You can set +the secondary date similarly, with `date2:DATE2`. The `date:` or +`date2:` tags must have a valid simple date value if they are present, +eg a `date:` tag with no value is not allowed. + +Ledger’s earlier, more compact bracketed date syntax is also supported: +`[DATE]`, `[DATE=DATE2]` or `[=DATE2]`. hledger will attempt to parse +any square-bracketed sequence of the `0123456789/-.=` characters in this +way. With this syntax, DATE infers its year from the transaction and +DATE2 infers its year from DATE. + +#### Status + +Transactions, or individual postings within a transaction, can have a +status mark, which is a single character before the transaction +description or posting account name, separated from it by a space, +indicating one of three statuses: + + mark   status + -------- ---------- +   unmarked + `!` pending + `*` cleared + +When reporting, you can filter by status with the `-U/--unmarked`, +`-P/--pending`, and `-C/--cleared` flags; or the `status:`, `status:!`, +and `status:*` [queries](/manual.html#queries); or the U, P, C keys in +hledger-ui. + +Note, in Ledger and in older versions of hledger, the “unmarked” state +is called “uncleared”. As of hledger 1.3 we have renamed it to unmarked +for clarity. + +To replicate Ledger and old hledger’s behaviour of also matching +pending, combine -U and -P. + +Status marks are optional, but can be helpful eg for reconciling with +real-world accounts. Some editor modes provide highlighting and +shortcuts for working with status. Eg in Emacs ledger-mode, you can +toggle transaction status with C-c C-e, or posting status with C-c C-c. + +What “uncleared”, “pending”, and “cleared” actually mean is up to you. +Here’s one suggestion: + + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + status meaning + ----------- --------------------------------------------------------- + uncleared recorded but not yet reconciled; needs review + + pending tentatively reconciled (if needed, eg during a big + reconciliation) + + cleared complete, reconciled as far as possible, and considered + correct + --------------------------------------------------------------------- + +With this scheme, you would use `-PC` to see the current balance at your +bank, `-U` to see things which will probably hit your bank soon (like +uncashed checks), and no flags to see the most up-to-date state of your +finances. + +#### Description + +A transaction’s description is the rest of the line following the date +and status mark (or until a comment begins). Sometimes called the +“narration” in traditional bookkeeping, it can be used for whatever you +wish, or left blank. Transaction descriptions can be queried, unlike +[comments](#comments). + +##### Payee and note + +You can optionally include a `|` (pipe) character in a description to +subdivide it into a payee/payer name on the left and additional notes on +the right. This may be worthwhile if you need to do more precise +[querying](/hledger.html#queries) and [pivoting](/hledger.html#pivoting) +by payee. + +#### Account names + +Account names typically have several parts separated by a full colon, +from which hledger derives a hierarchical chart of accounts. They can be +anything you like, but in finance there are traditionally five top-level +accounts: `assets`, `liabilities`, `income`, `expenses`, and `equity`. + +Account names may contain single spaces, eg: +`assets:accounts receivable`. Because of this, they must always be +followed by **two or more spaces** (or newline). + +Account names can be [aliased](#rewriting-accounts). + +#### Amounts + +After the account name, there is usually an amount. Important: between +account name and amount, there must be **two or more spaces**. + +Amounts consist of a number and (usually) a currency symbol or commodity +name. Some examples: + +`2.00001`\ +`$1`\ +`4000 AAPL`\ +`3 "green apples"`\ +`-$1,000,000.00`\ +`INR 9,99,99,999.00`\ +`EUR -2.000.000,00`\ +`1 999 999.9455`\ +`EUR 1E3`\ +`1000E-6s` + +As you can see, the amount format is somewhat flexible: + +- amounts are a number (the “quantity”) and optionally a currency + symbol/commodity name (the “commodity”). +- the commodity is a symbol, word, or phrase, on the left or right, + with or without a separating space. If the commodity contains + numbers, spaces or non-word punctuation it must be enclosed in + double quotes. +- negative amounts with a commodity on the left can have the minus + sign before or after it +- digit groups (thousands, or any other grouping) can be separated by + space or comma or period and should be used as separator between all + groups +- decimal part can be separated by comma or period and should be + different from digit groups separator +- scientific E-notation is allowed. Be careful not to use a digit + group separator character in scientific notation, as it’s not + supported and it might get mistaken for a decimal point. (Declaring + the digit group separator character explicitly with a commodity + directive will prevent this.) + +You can use any of these variations when recording data. However, there +is some ambiguous way of representing numbers like `$1.000` and `$1,000` +both may mean either one thousand or one dollar. By default hledger will +assume that this is sole delimiter is used only for decimals. On the +other hand commodity format declared prior to that line will help to +resolve that ambiguity differently: + +``` {.journal} +commodity $1,000.00 + +2017/12/25 New life of Scrooge + expenses:gifts $1,000 + assets +``` + +Though journal may contain mixed styles to represent amount, when +hledger displays amounts, it will choose a consistent format for each +commodity. (Except for [price amounts](#prices), which are always +formatted as written). The display format is chosen as follows: + +- if there is a [commodity directive](#declaring-commodities) + specifying the format, that is used +- otherwise the format is inferred from the first posting amount in + that commodity in the journal, and the precision (number of decimal + places) will be the maximum from all posting amounts in that + commmodity +- or if there are no such amounts in the journal, a default format is + used (like `$1000.00`). + +Price amounts and amounts in `D` directives usually don’t affect amount +format inference, but in some situations they can do so indirectly. (Eg +when D’s default commodity is applied to a commodity-less amount, or +when an amountless posting is balanced using a price’s commodity, or +when -V is used.) If you find this causing problems, set the desired +format with a commodity directive. + +#### Virtual Postings + +When you parenthesise the account name in a posting, we call that a +*virtual posting*, which means: + +- it is ignored when checking that the transaction is balanced +- it is excluded from reports when the `--real/-R` flag is used, or + the `real:1` query. + +You could use this, eg, to set an account’s opening balance without +needing to use the `equity:opening balances` account: + +``` {.journal} +1/1 special unbalanced posting to set initial balance + (assets:checking) $1000 +``` + +When the account name is bracketed, we call it a *balanced virtual +posting*. This is like an ordinary virtual posting except the balanced +virtual postings in a transaction must balance to 0, like the real +postings (but separately from them). Balanced virtual postings are also +excluded by `--real/-R` or `real:1`. + +``` {.journal} +1/1 buy food with cash, and update some budget-tracking subaccounts elsewhere + expenses:food $10 + assets:cash $-10 + [assets:checking:available] $10 + [assets:checking:budget:food] $-10 +``` + +Virtual postings have some legitimate uses, but those are few. You can +usually find an equivalent journal entry using real postings, which is +more correct and provides better error checking. + +#### Balance Assertions + +hledger supports [Ledger-style balance +assertions](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Balance-assertions) +in journal files. These look like, for example, `= EXPECTEDBALANCE` +following a posting’s amount. Eg here we assert the expected dollar +balance in accounts a and b after each posting: + +``` {.journal} +2013/1/1 + a $1 =$1 + b =$-1 + +2013/1/2 + a $1 =$2 + b $-1 =$-2 +``` + +After reading a journal file, hledger will check all balance assertions +and report an error if any of them fail. Balance assertions can protect +you from, eg, inadvertently disrupting reconciled balances while +cleaning up old entries. You can disable them temporarily with the +`-I/--ignore-assertions` flag, which can be useful for troubleshooting +or for reading Ledger files. + +##### Assertions and ordering + +hledger sorts an account’s postings and assertions first by date and +then (for postings on the same day) by parse order. Note this is +different from Ledger, which sorts assertions only by parse order. +(Also, Ledger assertions do not see the accumulated effect of repeated +postings to the same account within a transaction.) + +So, hledger balance assertions keep working if you reorder +differently-dated transactions within the journal. But if you reorder +same-dated transactions or postings, assertions might break and require +updating. This order dependence does bring an advantage: precise control +over the order of postings and assertions within a day, so you can +assert intra-day balances. + +##### Assertions and included files + +With [included files](#including-other-files), things are a little more +complicated. Including preserves the ordering of postings and +assertions. If you have multiple postings to an account on the same day, +split across different files, and you also want to assert the account’s +balance on the same day, you’ll have to put the assertion in the right +file. + +##### Assertions and multiple -f options + +Balance assertions don’t work well across files specified with multiple +-f options. Use include or [concatenate the +files](/hledger.html#input-files) instead. + +##### Assertions and commodities + +The asserted balance must be a simple single-commodity amount, and in +fact the assertion checks only this commodity’s balance within the +(possibly multi-commodity) account balance.\ +This is how assertions work in Ledger also. We could call this a +“partial” balance assertion. + +To assert the balance of more than one commodity in an account, you can +write multiple postings, each asserting one commodity’s balance. + +You can make a stronger “total” balance assertion by writing a double +equals sign (`== EXPECTEDBALANCE`). This asserts that there are no other +unasserted commodities in the account (or, that their balance is 0). + +``` {.journal} +2013/1/1 + a $1 + a 1€ + b $-1 + c -1€ + +2013/1/2 ; These assertions succeed + a 0 = $1 + a 0 = 1€ + b 0 == $-1 + c 0 == -1€ + +2013/1/3 ; This assertion fails as 'a' also contains 1€ + a 0 == $1 +``` + +It’s not yet possible to make a complete assertion about a balance that +has multiple commodities. One workaround is to isolate each commodity +into its own subaccount: + +``` {.journal} +2013/1/1 + a:usd $1 + a:euro 1€ + b + +2013/1/2 + a 0 == 0 + a:usd 0 == $1 + a:euro 0 == 1€ +``` + +##### Assertions and prices + +Balance assertions ignore [transaction prices](#transaction-prices), and +should normally be written without one: + +``` {.journal} +2019/1/1 + (a) $1 @ €1 = $1 +``` + +We do allow prices to be written there, however, and +[print](/manual.html#print) shows them, even though they don’t affect +whether the assertion passes or fails. This is for backward +compatibility (hledger’s [close](/manual.html#close) command used to +generate balance assertions with prices), and because [balance +*assignments*](#balance-assignments) do use them (see below). + +##### Assertions and subaccounts + +The balance assertions above (`=` and `==`) do not count the balance +from subaccounts; they check the account’s exclusive balance only. You +can assert the balance including subaccounts by writing `=*` or `==*`, +eg: + +``` {.journal} +2019/1/1 + equity:opening balances + checking:a 5 + checking:b 5 + checking 1 ==* 11 +``` + +##### Assertions and virtual postings + +Balance assertions are checked against all postings, both real and +[virtual](#virtual-postings). They are not affected by the `--real/-R` +flag or `real:` query. + +##### Assertions and precision + +Balance assertions compare the exactly calculated amounts, which are not +always what is shown by reports. Eg a [commodity +directive](http://hledger.org/journal.html#declaring-commodities) may +limit the display precision, but this will not affect balance +assertions. Balance assertion failure messages show exact amounts. + +#### Balance Assignments + +[Ledger-style balance +assignments](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Balance-assignments) +are also supported. These are like [balance +assertions](#balance-assertions), but with no posting amount on the left +side of the equals sign; instead it is calculated automatically so as to +satisfy the assertion. This can be a convenience during data entry, eg +when setting opening balances: + +``` {.journal} +; starting a new journal, set asset account balances +2016/1/1 opening balances + assets:checking = $409.32 + assets:savings = $735.24 + assets:cash = $42 + equity:opening balances +``` + +or when adjusting a balance to reality: + +``` {.journal} +; no cash left; update balance, record any untracked spending as a generic expense +2016/1/15 + assets:cash = $0 + expenses:misc +``` + +The calculated amount depends on the account’s balance in the commodity +at that point (which depends on the previously-dated postings of the +commodity to that account since the last balance assertion or +assignment). Note that using balance assignments makes your journal a +little less explicit; to know the exact amount posted, you have to run +hledger or do the calculations yourself, instead of just reading it. + +##### Balance assignments and prices + +A [transaction price](#transaction-prices) in a balance assignment will +cause the calculated amount to have that price attached: + +``` {.journal} +2019/1/1 + (a) = $1 @ €2 +``` + + $ hledger print --explicit + 2019/01/01 + (a) $1 @ €2 = $1 @ €2 + +#### Transaction prices + +Within a transaction, you can note an amount’s price in another +commodity. This can be used to document the cost (in a purchase) or +selling price (in a sale). For example, transaction prices are useful to +record purchases of a foreign currency. Note transaction prices are +fixed at the time of the transaction, and do not change over time. See +also [market prices](#market-prices), which represent prevailing +exchange rates on a certain date. + +There are several ways to record a transaction price: + +1. Write the price per unit, as `@ UNITPRICE` after the amount: + + ``` {.journal} + 2009/1/1 + assets:euros €100 @ $1.35 ; one hundred euros purchased at $1.35 each + assets:dollars ; balancing amount is -$135.00 + ``` + +2. Write the total price, as `@@ TOTALPRICE` after the amount: + + ``` {.journal} + 2009/1/1 + assets:euros €100 @@ $135 ; one hundred euros purchased at $135 for the lot + assets:dollars + ``` + +3. Specify amounts for all postings, using exactly two commodities, and + let hledger infer the price that balances the transaction: + + ``` {.journal} + 2009/1/1 + assets:euros €100 ; one hundred euros purchased + assets:dollars $-135 ; for $135 + ``` + +(Ledger users: Ledger uses a different +[syntax](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Fixing-Lot-Prices) +for fixed prices, `{=UNITPRICE}`, which hledger currently ignores). + +Use the [`-B/--cost`](hledger.html#reporting-options) flag to convert +amounts to their transaction price’s commodity, if any. (mnemonic: “B” +is from “cost Basis”, as in Ledger). Eg here is how -B affects the +balance report for the example above: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger bal -N --flat + $-135 assets:dollars + €100 assets:euros +$ hledger bal -N --flat -B + $-135 assets:dollars + $135 assets:euros # <- the euros' cost +``` + +Note -B is sensitive to the order of postings when a transaction price +is inferred: the inferred price will be in the commodity of the last +amount. So if example 3’s postings are reversed, while the transaction +is equivalent, -B shows something different: + +``` {.journal} +2009/1/1 + assets:dollars $-135 ; 135 dollars sold + assets:euros €100 ; for 100 euros +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger bal -N --flat -B + €-100 assets:dollars # <- the dollars' selling price + €100 assets:euros +``` + +#### Comments + +Lines in the journal beginning with a semicolon (`;`) or hash (`#`) or +star (`*`) are comments, and will be ignored. (Star comments cause +org-mode nodes to be ignored, allowing emacs users to fold and navigate +their journals with org-mode or orgstruct-mode.) + +You can attach comments to a transaction by writing them after the +description and/or indented on the following lines (before the +postings). Similarly, you can attach comments to an individual posting +by writing them after the amount and/or indented on the following lines. +Transaction and posting comments must begin with a semicolon (`;`). + +Some examples: + +``` {.journal} +# a file comment + +; also a file comment + +comment +This is a multiline file comment, +which continues until a line +where the "end comment" string +appears on its own (or end of file). +end comment + +2012/5/14 something ; a transaction comment + ; the transaction comment, continued + posting1 1 ; a comment for posting 1 + posting2 + ; a comment for posting 2 + ; another comment line for posting 2 +; a file comment (because not indented) +``` + +You can also comment larger regions of a file using [`comment` and +`end comment` directives](#comment-blocks). + +#### Tags + +Tags are a way to add extra labels or labelled data to postings and +transactions, which you can then [search](/hledger.html#queries) or +[pivot](/hledger.html#pivoting) on. + +A simple tag is a word (which may contain hyphens) followed by a full +colon, written inside a transaction or posting [comment](#comments) +line: + +``` {.journal} +2017/1/16 bought groceries ; sometag: +``` + +Tags can have a value, which is the text after the colon, up to the next +comma or end of line, with leading/trailing whitespace removed: + +``` {.journal} + expenses:food $10 ; a-posting-tag: the tag value +``` + +Note this means hledger’s tag values can not contain commas or newlines. +Ending at commas means you can write multiple short tags on one line, +comma separated: + +``` {.journal} + assets:checking ; a comment containing tag1:, tag2: some value ... +``` + +Here, + +- “`a comment containing`” is just comment text, not a tag +- “`tag1`” is a tag with no value +- “`tag2`” is another tag, whose value is “`some value ...`” + +Tags in a transaction comment affect the transaction and all of its +postings, while tags in a posting comment affect only that posting. For +example, the following transaction has three tags (`A`, `TAG2`, +`third-tag`) and the posting has four (those plus `posting-tag`): + +``` {.journal} +1/1 a transaction ; A:, TAG2: + ; third-tag: a third transaction tag, <- with a value + (a) $1 ; posting-tag: +``` + +Tags are like Ledger’s +[metadata](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Metadata) feature, +except hledger’s tag values are simple strings. + +#### Directives + +A directive is a line in the journal beginning with a special keyword, +that influences how the journal is processed. hledger’s directives are +based on a subset of Ledger’s, but there are many differences (and also +some differences between hledger versions). + +Directives’ behaviour and interactions can get a little bit +[complex](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/issues/793), so here +is a table summarising the directives and their effects, with links to +more detailed docs. + + + + + + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + directive end directive subdirectives purpose can affect (as of + 2018/06) + -------------------------------------------- --------------------- --------------- -------------------- ----------------- + [`account`](#declaring-accounts) any text document account all entries in + names, declare all files, before + account types & or after + display order + + [`alias`](#rewriting-accounts) `end aliases` rewrite account following + names inline/included + entries until end + of current file + or end directive + + [`apply account`](#default-parent-account) `end apply account` prepend a common following + parent to account inline/included + names entries until end + of current file + or end directive + + [`comment`](#comment-blocks) `end comment` ignore part of following + journal inline/included + entries until end + of current file + or end directive + + [`commodity`](#declaring-commodities) `format` declare a commodity number notation: + and its number following entries + notation & display in that commodity + style in all files; +
display + style: amounts of + that commodity in + reports + + [`D`](#default-commodity) declare a commodity, commodity: all + number notation & commodityless + display style for entries in all + commodityless files;
number + amounts notation: + following + commodityless + entries and + entries in that + commodity in all + files; +
display + style: amounts of + that commodity in + reports + + [`include`](#including-other-files) include what the included + entries/directives directives affect + from another file + + [`P`](#market-prices) declare a market amounts of that + price for a commodity in + commodity reports, when -V + is used + + [`Y`](#default-year) declare a year for following + yearless dates inline/included + entries until end + of current file + ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- + +And some definitions: + + -------------- ------------------------------------------------------- + subdirective optional indented directive line immediately following + a parent directive + + number how to interpret numbers when parsing journal entries + notation (the identity of the decimal separator character). + (Currently each commodity can have its own notation, + even in the same file.) + + display style how to display amounts of a commodity in reports + (symbol side and spacing, digit groups, decimal + separator, decimal places) + + directive which entries and (when there are multiple files) which + scope files are affected by a directive + -------------- ------------------------------------------------------- + + + + + + + + + + +As you can see, directives vary in which journal entries and files they +affect, and whether they are focussed on input (parsing) or output +(reports). Some directives have multiple effects. + +If you have a journal made up of multiple files, or pass multiple -f +options on the command line, note that directives which affect input +typically last only until the end of their defining file. This provides +more simplicity and predictability, eg reports are not changed by +writing file options in a different order. It can be surprising at times +though. + +##### Comment blocks + +A line containing just `comment` starts a commented region of the file, +and a line containing just `end comment` (or the end of the current +file) ends it. See also [comments](#comments). + +##### Including other files + +You can pull in the content of additional files by writing an include +directive, like this: + +``` {.journal} +include path/to/file.journal +``` + +If the path does not begin with a slash, it is relative to the current +file. The include file path may contain [common glob +patterns](https://hackage.haskell.org/package/Glob-0.9.2/docs/System-FilePath-Glob.html#v:compile) +(e.g. `*`). + +The `include` directive can only be used in journal files. It can +include journal, timeclock or timedot files, but not CSV files. + +##### Default year + +You can set a default year to be used for subsequent dates which don’t +specify a year. This is a line beginning with `Y` followed by the year. +Eg: + +``` {.journal} +Y2009 ; set default year to 2009 + +12/15 ; equivalent to 2009/12/15 + expenses 1 + assets + +Y2010 ; change default year to 2010 + +2009/1/30 ; specifies the year, not affected + expenses 1 + assets + +1/31 ; equivalent to 2010/1/31 + expenses 1 + assets +``` + +##### Declaring commodities + +The `commodity` directive declares commodities which may be used in the +journal (though currently we do not enforce this). It may be written on +a single line, like this: + +``` {.journal} +; commodity EXAMPLEAMOUNT + +; display AAAA amounts with the symbol on the right, space-separated, +; using period as decimal point, with four decimal places, and +; separating thousands with comma. +commodity 1,000.0000 AAAA +``` + +or on multiple lines, using the “format” subdirective. In this case the +commodity symbol appears twice and should be the same in both places: + +``` {.journal} +; commodity SYMBOL +; format EXAMPLEAMOUNT + +; display indian rupees with currency name on the left, +; thousands, lakhs and crores comma-separated, +; period as decimal point, and two decimal places. +commodity INR + format INR 9,99,99,999.00 +``` + +Commodity directives have a second purpose: they define the standard +display format for amounts in the commodity. Normally the display format +is inferred from journal entries, but this can be unpredictable; +declaring it with a commodity directive overrides this and removes +ambiguity. Towards this end, amounts in commodity directives must always +be written with a decimal point (a period or comma, followed by 0 or +more decimal digits). + +##### Default commodity + +The `D` directive sets a default commodity (and display format), to be +used for amounts without a commodity symbol (ie, plain numbers). (Note +this differs from Ledger’s default commodity directive.) The commodity +and display format will be applied to all subsequent commodity-less +amounts, or until the next `D` directive. + +``` {.journal} +# commodity-less amounts should be treated as dollars +# (and displayed with symbol on the left, thousands separators and two decimal places) +D $1,000.00 + +1/1 + a 5 ; <- commodity-less amount, becomes $1 + b +``` + +As with the `commodity` directive, the amount must always be written +with a decimal point. + +##### Market prices + +The `P` directive declares a market price, which is an exchange rate +between two commodities on a certain date. (In Ledger, they are called +“historical prices”.) These are often obtained from a [stock +exchange](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stock_exchange), cryptocurrency +exchange, or the [foreign exchange +market](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_exchange_market). + +Here is the format: + +``` {.journal} +P DATE COMMODITYA COMMODITYBAMOUNT +``` + +- DATE is a [simple date](#simple-dates) +- COMMODITYA is the symbol of the commodity being priced +- COMMODITYBAMOUNT is an [amount](#amounts) (symbol and quantity) in a + second commodity, giving the price in commodity B of one unit of + commodity A. + +These two market price directives say that one euro was worth 1.35 US +dollars during 2009, and \$1.40 from 2010 onward: + +``` {.journal} +P 2009/1/1 € $1.35 +P 2010/1/1 € $1.40 +``` + +The [`-V/--value`](manual.html#market-value) flag can be used to convert +reported amounts to another commodity using these prices. + +##### Declaring accounts + +`account` directives can be used to pre-declare accounts. Though not +required, they can provide several benefits: + +- They can document your intended chart of accounts, providing a + reference. +- They can store extra information about accounts (account numbers, + notes, etc.) +- They can help hledger know your accounts’ types (asset, liability, + equity, revenue, expense), useful for reports like balancesheet and + incomestatement. +- They control account display order in reports, allowing + non-alphabetic sorting (eg Revenues to appear above Expenses). +- They help with account name completion in the add command, + hledger-iadd, hledger-web, ledger-mode etc. + +The simplest form is just the word `account` followed by a hledger-style +[account name](manual.html#account-names), eg: + +``` {.journal} +account assets:bank:checking +``` + +###### Account comments + +[Comments](#comments), beginning with a semicolon, optionally including +[tags](journal.html#tags), can be written after the account name, and/or +on following lines. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +account assets:bank:checking ; a comment + ; another comment + ; acctno:12345, a tag +``` + +Tip: comments on the same line require hledger 1.12+. If you need your +journal to be compatible with older hledger versions, write comments on +the next line instead. + +###### Account subdirectives + +We also allow (and ignore) Ledger-style indented subdirectives, just for +compatibility.: + +``` {.journal} +account assets:bank:checking + format blah blah ; <- subdirective, ignored +``` + +Here is the full syntax of account directives: + +``` {.journal} +account ACCTNAME [ACCTTYPE] [;COMMENT] + [;COMMENTS] + [LEDGER-STYLE SUBDIRECTIVES, IGNORED] +``` + +###### Account types + +hledger recognises five types (or classes) of account: Asset, Liability, +Equity, Revenue, Expense. This is used by a few accounting-aware reports +such as [balancesheet](manual.html#balancesheet), +[incomestatement](manual.html#incomestatement) and +[cashflow](manual.html#cashflow). + +####### Auto-detected account types + +If you name your top-level accounts with some variation of `assets`, +`liabilities`/`debts`, `equity`, `revenues`/`income`, or `expenses`, +their types are detected automatically. + +####### Account types declared with tags + +More generally, you can declare an account’s type with an account +directive, by writing a `type:` [tag](journal.html#tags) in a comment, +followed by one of the words `Asset`, `Liability`, `Equity`, `Revenue`, +`Expense`, or one of the letters `ALERX` (case insensitive): + +``` {.journal} +account assets ; type:Asset +account liabilities ; type:Liability +account equity ; type:Equity +account revenues ; type:Revenue +account expenses ; type:Expenses +``` + +####### Account types declared with account type codes + +Or, you can write one of those letters separated from the account name +by two or more spaces, but this should probably be considered deprecated +as of hledger 1.13: + +``` {.journal} +account assets A +account liabilities L +account equity E +account revenues R +account expenses X +``` + +####### Overriding auto-detected types + +If you ever override the types of those auto-detected english account +names mentioned above, you might need to help the reports a bit. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +; make "liabilities" not have the liability type - who knows why +account liabilities ; type:E + +; we need to ensure some other account has the liability type, +; otherwise balancesheet would still show "liabilities" under Liabilities +account - ; type:L +``` + +###### Account display order + +Account directives also set the order in which accounts are displayed, +eg in reports, the hledger-ui accounts screen, and the hledger-web +sidebar. By default accounts are listed in alphabetical order. But if +you have these account directives in the journal: + +``` {.journal} +account assets +account liabilities +account equity +account revenues +account expenses +``` + +you’ll see those accounts displayed in declaration order, not +alphabetically: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger accounts -1 +assets +liabilities +equity +revenues +expenses +``` + +Undeclared accounts, if any, are displayed last, in alphabetical order. + +Note that sorting is done at each level of the account tree (within each +group of sibling accounts under the same parent). And currently, this +directive: + +``` {.journal} +account other:zoo +``` + +would influence the position of `zoo` among `other`’s subaccounts, but +not the position of `other` among the top-level accounts. This means: - +you will sometimes declare parent accounts (eg `account other` above) +that you don’t intend to post to, just to customize their display order +- sibling accounts stay together (you couldn’t display `x:y` in between +`a:b` and `a:c`). + +##### Rewriting accounts + +You can define account alias rules which rewrite your account names, or +parts of them, before generating reports. This can be useful for: + +- expanding shorthand account names to their full form, allowing + easier data entry and a less verbose journal +- adapting old journals to your current chart of accounts +- experimenting with new account organisations, like a new hierarchy + or combining two accounts into one +- customising reports + +Account aliases also rewrite account names in [account +directives](#declaring-accounts). They do not affect account names being +entered via hledger add or hledger-web. + +See also [Cookbook: Rewrite account +names](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Rewrite-account-names). + +###### Basic aliases + +To set an account alias, use the `alias` directive in your journal file. +This affects all subsequent journal entries in the current file or its +[included files](#including-other-files). The spaces around the = are +optional: + +``` {.journal} +alias OLD = NEW +``` + +Or, you can use the `--alias 'OLD=NEW'` option on the command line. This +affects all entries. It’s useful for trying out aliases interactively. + +OLD and NEW are case sensitive full account names. hledger will replace +any occurrence of the old account name with the new one. Subaccounts are +also affected. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +alias checking = assets:bank:wells fargo:checking +# rewrites "checking" to "assets:bank:wells fargo:checking", or "checking:a" to "assets:bank:wells fargo:checking:a" +``` + +###### Regex aliases + +There is also a more powerful variant that uses a regular expression, +indicated by the forward slashes: + +``` {.journal} +alias /REGEX/ = REPLACEMENT +``` + +or `--alias '/REGEX/=REPLACEMENT'`. + + +REGEX is a case-insensitive regular expression. Anywhere it matches +inside an account name, the matched part will be replaced by +REPLACEMENT. If REGEX contains parenthesised match groups, these can be +referenced by the usual numeric backreferences in REPLACEMENT. Eg: + +``` {.journal} +alias /^(.+):bank:([^:]+)(.*)/ = \1:\2 \3 +# rewrites "assets:bank:wells fargo:checking" to "assets:wells fargo checking" +``` + +Also note that REPLACEMENT continues to the end of line (or on command +line, to end of option argument), so it can contain trailing whitespace. + +###### Multiple aliases + +You can define as many aliases as you like using directives or +command-line options. Aliases are recursive - each alias sees the result +of applying previous ones. (This is different from Ledger, where aliases +are non-recursive by default). Aliases are applied in the following +order: + +1. alias directives, most recently seen first (recent directives take + precedence over earlier ones; directives not yet seen are ignored) +2. alias options, in the order they appear on the command line + +###### `end aliases` + +You can clear (forget) all currently defined aliases with the +`end aliases` directive: + +``` {.journal} +end aliases +``` + +##### Default parent account + +You can specify a parent account which will be prepended to all accounts +within a section of the journal. Use the `apply account` and +`end apply account` directives like so: + +``` {.journal} +apply account home + +2010/1/1 + food $10 + cash + +end apply account +``` + +which is equivalent to: + +``` {.journal} +2010/01/01 + home:food $10 + home:cash $-10 +``` + +If `end apply account` is omitted, the effect lasts to the end of the +file. Included files are also affected, eg: + +``` {.journal} +apply account business +include biz.journal +end apply account +apply account personal +include personal.journal +``` + +Prior to hledger 1.0, legacy `account` and `end` spellings were also +supported. + +A default parent account also affects [account +directives](#declaring-accounts). It does not affect account names being +entered via hledger add or hledger-web. If account aliases are present, +they are applied after the default parent account. + +#### Periodic transactions + +Periodic transaction rules describe transactions that recur. They allow +you to generate future transactions for forecasting, without having to +write them out explicitly in the journal (with `--forecast`). Secondly, +they also can be used to define budget goals (with `--budget`). + +A periodic transaction rule looks like a normal journal entry, with the +date replaced by a tilde (`~`) followed by a [period +expression](manual.html#period-expressions) (mnemonic: `~` looks like a +recurring sine wave.): + +``` {.journal} +~ monthly + expenses:rent $2000 + assets:bank:checking +``` + +There is an additional constraint on the period expression: the start +date must fall on a natural boundary of the interval. Eg +`monthly from 2018/1/1` is valid, but `monthly from 2018/1/15` is not. + +Partial or relative dates (M/D, D, tomorrow, last week) in the period +expression can work (useful or not). They will be relative to today’s +date, unless a Y default year directive is in effect, in which case they +will be relative to Y/1/1. + +##### Two spaces after the period expression + +If the period expression is followed by a transaction description, these +must be separated by **two or more spaces**. This helps hledger know +where the period expression ends, so that descriptions can not +accidentally alter their meaning, as in this example: + + ; 2 or more spaces needed here, so the period is not understood as "every 2 months in 2020" + ; || + ; vv + ~ every 2 months in 2020, we will review + assets:bank:checking $1500 + income:acme inc + +##### Forecasting with periodic transactions + +With the `--forecast` flag, each periodic transaction rule generates +future transactions recurring at the specified interval. These are not +saved in the journal, but appear in all reports. They will look like +normal transactions, but with an extra [tag](manual.html#tags-1) named +`recur`, whose value is the generating period expression. + +Forecast transactions start on the first occurrence, and end on the last +occurrence, of their interval within the forecast period. The forecast +period: + +- begins on the later of + - the report start date if specified with -b/-p/date: + - the day after the latest normal (non-periodic) transaction in + the journal, or today if there are no normal transactions. +- ends on the report end date if specified with -e/-p/date:, or 180 + days from today. + +where “today” means the current date at report time. The “later of” rule +ensures that forecast transactions do not overlap normal transactions in +time; they will begin only after normal transactions end. + +Forecasting can be useful for estimating balances into the future, and +experimenting with different scenarios. Note the start date logic means +that forecasted transactions are automatically replaced by normal +transactions as you add those. + +Forecasting can also help with data entry: describe most of your +transactions with periodic rules, and every so often copy the output of +`print --forecast` to the journal. + +You can generate one-time transactions too: just write a period +expression specifying a date with no report interval. (You could also +write a normal transaction with a future date, but remember this +disables forecast transactions on previous dates.) + +##### Budgeting with periodic transactions + +With the `--budget` flag, currently supported by the balance command, +each periodic transaction rule declares recurring budget goals for the +specified accounts. Eg the first example above declares a goal of +spending \$2000 on rent (and also, a goal of depositing \$2000 into +checking) every month. Goals and actual performance can then be compared +in [budget reports](/manual.html#budget-report). + +For more details, see: [balance: Budget +report](manual.html#budget-report) and [Cookbook: Budgeting and +Forecasting](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Budgeting-and-forecasting). + + + +#### Transaction modifiers + +Transaction modifier rules describe changes that should be applied +automatically to certain transactions. They can be enabled by using the +`--auto` flag. Currently, just one kind of change is possible: adding +extra postings. These rule-generated postings are known as “automated +postings” or “auto postings”. + +A transaction modifier rule looks quite like a normal transaction, +except the first line is an equals sign followed by a +[query](manual.html#queries) that matches certain postings (mnemonic: +`=` suggests matching). And each “posting” is actually a +posting-generating rule: + +``` {.journal} += QUERY + ACCT AMT + ACCT [AMT] + ... +``` + +These posting rules look like normal postings, except the amount can be: + +- a normal amount with a commodity symbol, eg `$2`. This will be used + as-is. +- a number, eg `2`. The commodity symbol (if any) from the matched + posting will be added to this. +- a numeric multiplier, eg `*2` (a star followed by a number N). The + matched posting’s amount (and total price, if any) will be + multiplied by N. +- a multiplier with a commodity symbol, eg `*$2` (a star, number N, + and symbol S). The matched posting’s amount will be multiplied by N, + and its commodity symbol will be replaced with S. + +Some examples: + +``` {.journal} +; every time I buy food, schedule a dollar donation += expenses:food + (liabilities:charity) $-1 + +; when I buy a gift, also deduct that amount from a budget envelope subaccount += expenses:gifts + assets:checking:gifts *-1 + assets:checking *1 + +2017/12/1 + expenses:food $10 + assets:checking + +2017/12/14 + expenses:gifts $20 + assets:checking +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger print --auto +2017/12/01 + expenses:food $10 + assets:checking + (liabilities:charity) $-1 + +2017/12/14 + expenses:gifts $20 + assets:checking + assets:checking:gifts -$20 + assets:checking $20 +``` + +##### Auto postings and transaction balancing / inferred amounts / balance assertions + +Currently, transaction modifiers are applied / auto postings are added: + +- after [missing amounts are inferred, and transactions are checked + for balancedness](#postings), +- but before [balance assertions](#balance-assertions) are checked. + +Note this means that journal entries must be balanced both before and +after auto postings are added. This changed in hledger 1.12+; see +[\#893](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/issues/893) for +background. + +### EDITOR SUPPORT + +Helper modes exist for popular text editors, which make working with +journal files easier. They add colour, formatting, tab completion, and +helpful commands, and are quite recommended if you edit your journal +with a text editor. They include ledger-mode or hledger-mode for Emacs, +vim-ledger for Vim, hledger-vscode for Visual Studio Code, and others. +See the \[\[Cookbook\]\] at hledger.org for the latest information. + + +## csv format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +CSV - how hledger reads CSV data, and the CSV rules file format + +### DESCRIPTION + +hledger can read +[CSV](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma-separated_values) +(comma-separated value) files as if they were journal files, +automatically converting each CSV record into a transaction. (To learn +about *writing* CSV, see [CSV output](hledger.html#csv-output).) + +Converting CSV to transactions requires some special conversion rules. +These do several things: + +- they describe the layout and format of the CSV data +- they can customize the generated journal entries using a simple + templating language +- they can add refinements based on patterns in the CSV data, eg + categorizing transactions with more detailed account names. + +When reading a CSV file named `FILE.csv`, hledger looks for a conversion +rules file named `FILE.csv.rules` in the same directory. You can +override this with the `--rules-file` option. If the rules file does not +exist, hledger will auto-create one with some example rules, which +you’ll need to adjust. + +At minimum, the rules file must identify the `date` and `amount` fields. +It may also be necessary to specify the date format, and the number of +header lines to skip. Eg: + + fields date, _, _, amount + date-format %d/%m/%Y + skip 1 + +A more complete example: + + # hledger CSV rules for amazon.com order history + + # sample: + # "Date","Type","To/From","Name","Status","Amount","Fees","Transaction ID" + # "Jul 29, 2012","Payment","To","Adapteva, Inc.","Completed","$25.00","$0.00","17LA58JSK6PRD4HDGLNJQPI1PB9N8DKPVHL" + + # skip one header line + skip 1 + + # name the csv fields (and assign the transaction's date, amount and code) + fields date, _, toorfrom, name, amzstatus, amount, fees, code + + # how to parse the date + date-format %b %-d, %Y + + # combine two fields to make the description + description %toorfrom %name + + # save these fields as tags + comment status:%amzstatus, fees:%fees + + # set the base account for all transactions + account1 assets:amazon + + # flip the sign on the amount + amount -%amount + +For more examples, see [Convert CSV +files](https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/wiki/Convert-CSV-files). + +### CSV RULES + +The following seven kinds of rule can appear in the rules file, in any +order. Blank lines and lines beginning with `#` or `;` are ignored. + +#### skip + +`skip`*`N`* + +Skip this number of CSV records at the beginning. You’ll need this +whenever your CSV data contains header lines. Eg: + + + + +``` {.rules} +# ignore the first CSV line +skip 1 +``` + +#### date-format + +`date-format`*`DATEFMT`* + +When your CSV date fields are not formatted like `YYYY/MM/DD` (or +`YYYY-MM-DD` or `YYYY.MM.DD`), you’ll need to specify the format. +DATEFMT is a [strptime-like date parsing +pattern](http://hackage.haskell.org/packages/archive/time/latest/doc/html/Data-Time-Format.html#v:formatTime), +which must parse the date field values completely. Examples: + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "11/06/2013": +date-format %m/%d/%Y +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "6/11/2013" (note the - to make leading zeros optional): +date-format %-d/%-m/%Y +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "2013-Nov-06": +date-format %Y-%h-%d +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# for dates like "11/6/2013 11:32 PM": +date-format %-m/%-d/%Y %l:%M %p +``` + +#### field list + +`fields`*`FIELDNAME1`*, *`FIELDNAME2`*… + +This (a) names the CSV fields, in order (names may not contain +whitespace; uninteresting names may be left blank), and (b) assigns them +to journal entry fields if you use any of these standard field names: +`date`, `date2`, `status`, `code`, `description`, `comment`, `account1`, +`account2`, `amount`, `amount-in`, `amount-out`, `currency`, `balance`. +Eg: + +``` {.rules} +# use the 1st, 2nd and 4th CSV fields as the entry's date, description and amount, +# and give the 7th and 8th fields meaningful names for later reference: +# +# CSV field: +# 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 +# entry field: +fields date, description, , amount, , , somefield, anotherfield +``` + +#### field assignment + +*`ENTRYFIELDNAME`* *`FIELDVALUE`* + +This sets a journal entry field (one of the standard names above) to the +given text value, which can include CSV field values interpolated by +name (`%CSVFIELDNAME`) or 1-based position (`%N`). + Eg: + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# set the amount to the 4th CSV field with "USD " prepended +amount USD %4 +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# combine three fields to make a comment (containing two tags) +comment note: %somefield - %anotherfield, date: %1 +``` + +Field assignments can be used instead of or in addition to a field list. + +#### conditional block + +`if` *`PATTERN`*\ +    *`FIELDASSIGNMENTS`*… + +`if`\ +*`PATTERN`*\ +*`PATTERN`*…\ +    *`FIELDASSIGNMENTS`*… + +This applies one or more field assignments, only to those CSV records +matched by one of the PATTERNs. The patterns are case-insensitive +regular expressions which match anywhere within the whole CSV record +(it’s not yet possible to match within a specific field). When there are +multiple patterns they can be written on separate lines, unindented. The +field assignments are on separate lines indented by at least one space. +Examples: + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# if the CSV record contains "groceries", set account2 to "expenses:groceries" +if groceries + account2 expenses:groceries +``` + +``` {.rules .display-table} +# if the CSV record contains any of these patterns, set account2 and comment as shown +if +monthly service fee +atm transaction fee +banking thru software + account2 expenses:business:banking + comment XXX deductible ? check it +``` + +#### include + +`include`*`RULESFILE`* + +Include another rules file at this point. `RULESFILE` is either an +absolute file path or a path relative to the current file’s directory. +Eg: + +``` {.rules} +# rules reused with several CSV files +include common.rules +``` + +#### newest-first + +`newest-first` + +Consider adding this rule if all of the following are true: you might be +processing just one day of data, your CSV records are in reverse +chronological order (newest first), and you care about preserving the +order of same-day transactions. It usually isn’t needed, because hledger +autodetects the CSV order, but when all CSV records have the same date +it will assume they are oldest first. + +### CSV TIPS + +#### CSV ordering + +The generated [journal entries](/journal.html#transactions) will be +sorted by date. The order of same-day entries will be preserved (except +in the special case where you might need +[`newest-first`](#newest-first), see above). + +#### CSV accounts + +Each journal entry will have two [postings](/journal.html#postings), to +`account1` and `account2` respectively. It’s not yet possible to +generate entries with more than two postings. It’s conventional and +recommended to use `account1` for the account whose CSV we are reading. + +#### CSV amounts + +The `amount` field sets the [amount](/journal.html#amounts) of the +`account1` posting. + +If the CSV has debit/credit amounts in separate fields, assign to the +`amount-in` and `amount-out` pseudo fields instead. (Whichever one has a +value will be used, with appropriate sign. If both contain a value, it +may not work so well.) + +If an amount value is parenthesised, it will be de-parenthesised and +sign-flipped. + +If an amount value begins with a double minus sign, those will cancel +out and be removed. + +If the CSV has the currency symbol in a separate field, assign that to +the `currency` pseudo field to have it prepended to the amount. Or, you +can use a [field assignment](#field-assignment) to `amount` that +interpolates both CSV fields (giving more control, eg to put the +currency symbol on the right). + +#### CSV balance assertions + +If the CSV includes a running balance, you can assign that to the +`balance` pseudo field; whenever the running balance value is non-empty, +it will be [asserted](/journal.html#balance-assertions) as the balance +after the `account1` posting. + +#### Reading multiple CSV files + +You can read multiple CSV files at once using multiple `-f` arguments on +the command line, and hledger will look for a correspondingly-named +rules file for each. Note if you use the `--rules-file` option, this one +rules file will be used for all the CSV files being read. + + +## timeclock format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +Timeclock - the time logging format of timeclock.el, as read by hledger + +### DESCRIPTION + +hledger can read timeclock files. [As with +Ledger](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Time-Keeping), these +are (a subset of) +[timeclock.el](http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/TimeClock)’s format, +containing clock-in and clock-out entries as in the example below. The +date is a [simple date](#simple-dates). The time format is +HH:MM\[:SS\]\[+-ZZZZ\]. Seconds and timezone are optional. The timezone, +if present, must be four digits and is ignored (currently the time is +always interpreted as a local time). + +``` {.timeclock} +i 2015/03/30 09:00:00 some:account name optional description after two spaces +o 2015/03/30 09:20:00 +i 2015/03/31 22:21:45 another account +o 2015/04/01 02:00:34 +``` + +hledger treats each clock-in/clock-out pair as a transaction posting +some number of hours to an account. Or if the session spans more than +one day, it is split into several transactions, one for each day. For +the above time log, `hledger print` generates these journal entries: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timeclock print +2015/03/30 * optional description after two spaces + (some:account name) 0.33h + +2015/03/31 * 22:21-23:59 + (another account) 1.64h + +2015/04/01 * 00:00-02:00 + (another account) 2.01h +``` + +Here is a +[sample.timeclock](https://raw.github.com/simonmichael/hledger/master/examples/sample.timeclock) +to download and some queries to try: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f sample.timeclock balance # current time balances +$ hledger -f sample.timeclock register -p 2009/3 # sessions in march 2009 +$ hledger -f sample.timeclock register -p weekly --depth 1 --empty # time summary by week +``` + +To generate time logs, ie to clock in and clock out, you could: + +- use emacs and the built-in timeclock.el, or the extended + [timeclock-x.el](http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/timeclock-x.el) and + perhaps the extras in + [ledgerutils.el](http://hub.darcs.net/simon/ledgertools/ledgerutils.el) + +- at the command line, use these bash aliases: + `` shell alias ti="echo i `date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'` \$* >>$TIMELOG" alias to="echo o `date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'` >>$TIMELOG" `` +- or use the old `ti` and `to` scripts in the [ledger 2.x + repository](https://github.com/ledger/ledger/tree/maint/scripts). + These rely on a “timeclock” executable which I think is just the + ledger 2 executable renamed. + + +## timedot format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +### NAME + +Timedot - hledger’s human-friendly time logging format + +### DESCRIPTION + +Timedot is a plain text format for logging dated, categorised quantities +(of time, usually), supported by hledger. It is convenient for +approximate and retroactive time logging, eg when the real-time +clock-in/out required with a timeclock file is too precise or too +interruptive. It can be formatted like a bar chart, making clear at a +glance where time was spent. + +Though called “timedot”, this format is read by hledger as commodityless +quantities, so it could be used to represent dated quantities other than +time. In the docs below we’ll assume it’s time. + +### FILE FORMAT + +A timedot file contains a series of day entries. A day entry begins with +a date, and is followed by category/quantity pairs, one per line. Dates +are hledger-style [simple dates](/journal.html#simple-dates) (see +hledger\_journal(5)). Categories are hledger-style account names, +optionally indented. As in a hledger journal, there must be at least two +spaces between the category (account name) and the quantity. + +Quantities can be written as: + +- a sequence of dots (.) representing quarter hours. Spaces may + optionally be used for grouping and readability. Eg: …. .. + +- an integral or decimal number, representing hours. Eg: 1.5 + +- an integral or decimal number immediately followed by a unit symbol + `s`, `m`, `h`, `d`, `w`, `mo`, or `y`, representing seconds, + minutes, hours, days weeks, months or years respectively. Eg: 90m. + The following equivalencies are assumed, currently: 1m = 60s, 1h = + 60m, 1d = 24h, 1w = 7d, 1mo = 30d, 1y=365d. + +Blank lines and lines beginning with \#, ; or \* are ignored. An +example: + +``` {.timedot} +# on this day, 6h was spent on client work, 1.5h on haskell FOSS work, etc. +2016/2/1 +inc:client1 .... .... .... .... .... .... +fos:haskell .... .. +biz:research . + +2016/2/2 +inc:client1 .... .... +biz:research . +``` + +Or with numbers: + +``` {.timedot} +2016/2/3 +inc:client1 4 +fos:hledger 3 +biz:research 1 +``` + +Reporting: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timedot print date:2016/2/2 +2016/02/02 * + (inc:client1) 2.00 + +2016/02/02 * + (biz:research) 0.25 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timedot bal --daily --tree +Balance changes in 2016/02/01-2016/02/03: + + || 2016/02/01d 2016/02/02d 2016/02/03d +============++======================================== + biz || 0.25 0.25 1.00 + research || 0.25 0.25 1.00 + fos || 1.50 0 3.00 + haskell || 1.50 0 0 + hledger || 0 0 3.00 + inc || 6.00 2.00 4.00 + client1 || 6.00 2.00 4.00 +------------++---------------------------------------- + || 7.75 2.25 8.00 +``` + +I prefer to use period for separating account components. We can make +this work with an [account alias](/journal.html#rewriting-accounts): + +``` {.timedot} +2016/2/4 +fos.hledger.timedot 4 +fos.ledger .. +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timedot --alias /\\./=: bal date:2016/2/4 + 4.50 fos + 4.00 hledger:timedot + 0.50 ledger +-------------------- + 4.50 +``` + +Here is a +[sample.timedot](https://raw.github.com/simonmichael/hledger/master/examples/sample.timedot). + + + + + + + diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/timeclock.md b/site/doc/1.14/timeclock.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..d6c8de757 --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/timeclock.md @@ -0,0 +1,69 @@ +# timeclock format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +Timeclock - the time logging format of timeclock.el, as read by hledger + +## DESCRIPTION + +hledger can read timeclock files. [As with +Ledger](http://ledger-cli.org/3.0/doc/ledger3.html#Time-Keeping), these +are (a subset of) +[timeclock.el](http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/TimeClock)'s format, +containing clock-in and clock-out entries as in the example below. The +date is a [simple date](#simple-dates). The time format is +HH:MM\[:SS\]\[+-ZZZZ\]. Seconds and timezone are optional. The timezone, +if present, must be four digits and is ignored (currently the time is +always interpreted as a local time). + +``` {.timeclock} +i 2015/03/30 09:00:00 some:account name optional description after two spaces +o 2015/03/30 09:20:00 +i 2015/03/31 22:21:45 another account +o 2015/04/01 02:00:34 +``` + +hledger treats each clock-in/clock-out pair as a transaction posting +some number of hours to an account. Or if the session spans more than +one day, it is split into several transactions, one for each day. For +the above time log, `hledger print` generates these journal entries: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timeclock print +2015/03/30 * optional description after two spaces + (some:account name) 0.33h + +2015/03/31 * 22:21-23:59 + (another account) 1.64h + +2015/04/01 * 00:00-02:00 + (another account) 2.01h +``` + +Here is a +[sample.timeclock](https://raw.github.com/simonmichael/hledger/master/examples/sample.timeclock) +to download and some queries to try: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f sample.timeclock balance # current time balances +$ hledger -f sample.timeclock register -p 2009/3 # sessions in march 2009 +$ hledger -f sample.timeclock register -p weekly --depth 1 --empty # time summary by week +``` + +To generate time logs, ie to clock in and clock out, you could: + +- use emacs and the built-in timeclock.el, or the extended + [timeclock-x.el](http://www.emacswiki.org/emacs/timeclock-x.el) and + perhaps the extras in + [ledgerutils.el](http://hub.darcs.net/simon/ledgertools/ledgerutils.el) + +- at the command line, use these bash aliases: + `` shell alias ti="echo i `date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'` \$* >>$TIMELOG" alias to="echo o `date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S'` >>$TIMELOG" `` +- or use the old `ti` and `to` scripts in the [ledger 2.x + repository](https://github.com/ledger/ledger/tree/maint/scripts). + These rely on a "timeclock" executable which I think is just the + ledger 2 executable renamed. diff --git a/site/doc/1.14/timedot.md b/site/doc/1.14/timedot.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..a156ba4df --- /dev/null +++ b/site/doc/1.14/timedot.md @@ -0,0 +1,124 @@ +# timedot format + +This doc is for version **1.14** . []{.docversions} + +\$TOC\$ + +## NAME + +Timedot - hledger's human-friendly time logging format + +## DESCRIPTION + +Timedot is a plain text format for logging dated, categorised quantities +(of time, usually), supported by hledger. It is convenient for +approximate and retroactive time logging, eg when the real-time +clock-in/out required with a timeclock file is too precise or too +interruptive. It can be formatted like a bar chart, making clear at a +glance where time was spent. + +Though called "timedot", this format is read by hledger as commodityless +quantities, so it could be used to represent dated quantities other than +time. In the docs below we'll assume it's time. + +## FILE FORMAT + +A timedot file contains a series of day entries. A day entry begins with +a date, and is followed by category/quantity pairs, one per line. Dates +are hledger-style [simple dates](/journal.html#simple-dates) (see +hledger\_journal(5)). Categories are hledger-style account names, +optionally indented. As in a hledger journal, there must be at least two +spaces between the category (account name) and the quantity. + +Quantities can be written as: + +- a sequence of dots (.) representing quarter hours. Spaces may + optionally be used for grouping and readability. Eg: .... .. + +- an integral or decimal number, representing hours. Eg: 1.5 + +- an integral or decimal number immediately followed by a unit symbol + `s`, `m`, `h`, `d`, `w`, `mo`, or `y`, representing seconds, + minutes, hours, days weeks, months or years respectively. Eg: 90m. + The following equivalencies are assumed, currently: 1m = 60s, 1h = + 60m, 1d = 24h, 1w = 7d, 1mo = 30d, 1y=365d. + +Blank lines and lines beginning with \#, ; or \* are ignored. An +example: + +``` {.timedot} +# on this day, 6h was spent on client work, 1.5h on haskell FOSS work, etc. +2016/2/1 +inc:client1 .... .... .... .... .... .... +fos:haskell .... .. +biz:research . + +2016/2/2 +inc:client1 .... .... +biz:research . +``` + +Or with numbers: + +``` {.timedot} +2016/2/3 +inc:client1 4 +fos:hledger 3 +biz:research 1 +``` + +Reporting: + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timedot print date:2016/2/2 +2016/02/02 * + (inc:client1) 2.00 + +2016/02/02 * + (biz:research) 0.25 +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timedot bal --daily --tree +Balance changes in 2016/02/01-2016/02/03: + + || 2016/02/01d 2016/02/02d 2016/02/03d +============++======================================== + biz || 0.25 0.25 1.00 + research || 0.25 0.25 1.00 + fos || 1.50 0 3.00 + haskell || 1.50 0 0 + hledger || 0 0 3.00 + inc || 6.00 2.00 4.00 + client1 || 6.00 2.00 4.00 +------------++---------------------------------------- + || 7.75 2.25 8.00 +``` + +I prefer to use period for separating account components. We can make +this work with an [account alias](/journal.html#rewriting-accounts): + +``` {.timedot} +2016/2/4 +fos.hledger.timedot 4 +fos.ledger .. +``` + +``` {.shell} +$ hledger -f t.timedot --alias /\\./=: bal date:2016/2/4 + 4.50 fos + 4.00 hledger:timedot + 0.50 ledger +-------------------- + 4.50 +``` + +Here is a +[sample.timedot](https://raw.github.com/simonmichael/hledger/master/examples/sample.timedot). + + + + + + + diff --git a/site/js/site.js b/site/js/site.js index 3ac155851..9423b8915 100644 --- a/site/js/site.js +++ b/site/js/site.js @@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ function addDocVersions() { var relpath = parts.includes("doc") ? "../" : "doc/"; $('.docversions').html('Available versions: \ dev \ +| 1.14 \ | 1.13 \ | 1.12 \ | 1.11 \