More transactions

Now, to test some reports, let's make your journal look like the one below.

As usual, there two common ways to update the journal:

  • You could delete the old file, then use hledger add to add each of the entries below.
  • Or you can open the file in your text editor and replace the contents with the below.
2025-01-01 starting balances
    assets:cash               100 USD
    assets:bank:checking     1000 USD
    liabilities:credit card  -400 USD
    equity:start

2025-01-01 pay rent
    assets:bank:checking
    expenses:rent             800 USD

2025-01-02 salary
    revenues:salary
    assets:bank:checking     1000 USD

2025-01-03 pay half of credit card balance
    assets:bank:checking
    liabilities:credit card   200 USD

2025-01-04 shopping
    assets:bank:checking
    expenses:food             200 USD
    expenses:supplies          50 USD

A few differences from the previous example:

  • The starting balances transaction now sets balances for three accounts, not just one.
  • One of them is a liability (a credit card with a balance owed); so this one is negative.
  • Currency symbols are using a different style: a three-letter currency code, on the right side.

These entries represent the following money flows:
1. equity -> assets, liabilitiesset starting balances
2. checking -> rentpay rent from checking account
3. revenues -> checkingreceive salary to checking account
4. checking -> credit cardpay part of credit card balance from checking account
5. checking -> food, suppliesa mixed purchase from checking account

(Part of hledger by example.)