diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'README')
| -rw-r--r-- | README | 275 |
1 files changed, 138 insertions, 137 deletions
@@ -622,6 +622,144 @@ ledger entries, use: ledger balance Liabilities:Huqúq </example> + +** Using Emacs to Keep Your Ledger + +In the Ledger tarball is an Emacs module, =ledger.el=. This module +makes the process of keeping a text ledger much easier for Emacs +users. I recommend putting this at the top of your ledger file: + +<example> +; -*-ledger-*- +</example> + +And this in your =.emacs= file, after copying =ledger.el= to your +site-lisp directory: + +<example> +(load "ledger") +</example> + +Now when you edit your ledger file, it will be in =ledger-mode=. +=ledger-mode= adds the following commands: + +C-c C-a :: + For quickly adding new entries based on the form of older ones + (see previous section). + +C-c C-c :: + Toggles the "cleared" flag of the transaction under point. + +C-c C-r :: + Reconciles an account by displaying the transactions in another + buffer, where simply hitting the spacebar will toggle the cleared + flag of the transaction in the ledger. It also displays the current + cleared balance for the account in the modeline. + +** Using GnuCash to Keep Your Ledger + +The Ledger tool is fast and simple, but it offers no custom method for +actually editing the ledger. It assumes you know how to use a text +editor, and like doing so. Perhaps an Emacs mode will appear someday +soon to make editing Ledger's data files much easier. + +Until then, you are free to use GnuCash to maintain your ledger, and +the Ledger program for querying and reporting on the contents +of that ledger. It takes a little longer to parse the XML data format +that GnuCash uses, but the end result is identical. + +Then again, why would anyone use a Gnome-centric, 35 megabyte behemoth +to edit their data, and a 65 kilobyte binary to query it... + +** Using timeclock to record billable time + +The timeclock tool makes it easy to track time events, like clocking +into and out of a particular job. These events accumulate in a +timelog file. + +Each in/out event may have an optional description. If the "in" +description is a ledger account name, these in/out pairs may be viewed +as virtual transactions, adding time commodities (hours) to that +account. + +For example, the command-line version of the timeclock tool (which is +written in Python) could be used to begin a timelog file like: + +<example> +$ export TIMELOG=$HOME/.timelog +$ ti ClientOne category +$ sleep 10 +$ to waited for ten seconds +</example> + +The **.timelog** file now contains: + +<example> +i 2004/10/06 15:21:00 ClientOne category +o 2004/10/06 15:21:10 waited for ten seconds +</example> + +Ledger can parse this directly, as if it had seen the following ledger +entry: + +<example> +2004/10/06 category + (ClientOne) 0.00277h +</example> + +In other words, the timelog event pair is seen as adding 0.00277h (ten +seconds) worth of time to the ClientOne account. This would be +considered billable time, which later could be invoiced and credited +to accounts receivable: + +<example> +2004/11/01 (INV#1) ClientOne, Inc. + Receivable:ClientOne $0.10 + ClientOne -0.00277h @ $35.00 +</example> + +The above transaction converts the clocked time into an invoice for +the time spent, at an hourly rate of $35. Once the invoice is paid, +the money is deposited from the receivable account into a checking +account: + +<example> +2004/12/01 ClientOne, Inc. + Assets:Checking $0.10 + Receivable:ClientOne +</example> + +And now the time spent has been turned into hard cash in the checking +account. + +The advantage to using timeclock and invoicing to bill time is that +you will always know, by looking at the balance report, exactly how +much unbilled and unpaid time you've spent working for any particular +client. + +I like to =!include= my timelog at the top of my company's accounting +ledger, with the attached prefix "Billable": + +<example> +; -*-ledger-*- + +; This is the ledger file for my company. But first, include the +; timelog data, entering all of the time events within the umbrella +; account "Billable". + +!include /home/johnw/.timelog Billable + +; Here follows this fiscal year's transactions for the company. + +2004/11/01 (INV#1) ClientOne, Inc. + Receivable:ClientOne $0.10 + Billable:ClientOne -0.00277h @ $35.00 + +2004/12/01 ClientOne, Inc. + Assets:Checking $0.10 + Receivable:ClientOne +</example> + * Running Ledger Now that you have an orderly and well-organized general ledger, it's @@ -898,143 +1036,6 @@ launches =vi= to let you confirm that the entry looks appropriate. -v :: Display the version of ledger being used. -* Using Emacs to Keep Your Ledger - -In the Ledger tarball is an Emacs module, =ledger.el=. This module -makes the process of keeping a text ledger much easier for Emacs -users. I recommend putting this at the top of your ledger file: - -<example> -; -*-ledger-*- -</example> - -And this in your =.emacs= file, after copying =ledger.el= to your -site-lisp directory: - -<example> -(load "ledger") -</example> - -Now when you edit your ledger file, it will be in =ledger-mode=. -=ledger-mode= adds the following commands: - -C-c C-a :: - For quickly adding new entries based on the form of older ones - (see previous section). - -C-c C-c :: - Toggles the "cleared" flag of the transaction under point. - -C-c C-r :: - Reconciles an account by displaying the transactions in another - buffer, where simply hitting the spacebar will toggle the cleared - flag of the transaction in the ledger. It also displays the current - cleared balance for the account in the modeline. - -* Using GnuCash to Keep Your Ledger - -The Ledger tool is fast and simple, but it offers no custom method for -actually editing the ledger. It assumes you know how to use a text -editor, and like doing so. Perhaps an Emacs mode will appear someday -soon to make editing Ledger's data files much easier. - -Until then, you are free to use GnuCash to maintain your ledger, and -the Ledger program for querying and reporting on the contents -of that ledger. It takes a little longer to parse the XML data format -that GnuCash uses, but the end result is identical. - -Then again, why would anyone use a Gnome-centric, 35 megabyte behemoth -to edit their data, and a 65 kilobyte binary to query it... - -* Using timeclock to record billable time - -The timeclock tool makes it easy to track time events, like clocking -into and out of a particular job. These events accumulate in a -timelog file. - -Each in/out event may have an optional description. If the "in" -description is a ledger account name, these in/out pairs may be viewed -as virtual transactions, adding time commodities (hours) to that -account. - -For example, the command-line version of the timeclock tool (which is -written in Python) could be used to begin a timelog file like: - -<example> -$ export TIMELOG=$HOME/.timelog -$ ti ClientOne category -$ sleep 10 -$ to waited for ten seconds -</example> - -The **.timelog** file now contains: - -<example> -i 2004/10/06 15:21:00 ClientOne category -o 2004/10/06 15:21:10 waited for ten seconds -</example> - -Ledger can parse this directly, as if it had seen the following ledger -entry: - -<example> -2004/10/06 category - (ClientOne) 0.00277h -</example> - -In other words, the timelog event pair is seen as adding 0.00277h (ten -seconds) worth of time to the ClientOne account. This would be -considered billable time, which later could be invoiced and credited -to accounts receivable: - -<example> -2004/11/01 (INV#1) ClientOne, Inc. - Receivable:ClientOne $0.10 - ClientOne -0.00277h @ $35.00 -</example> - -The above transaction converts the clocked time into an invoice for -the time spent, at an hourly rate of $35. Once the invoice is paid, -the money is deposited from the receivable account into a checking -account: - -<example> -2004/12/01 ClientOne, Inc. - Assets:Checking $0.10 - Receivable:ClientOne -</example> - -And now the time spent has been turned into hard cash in the checking -account. - -The advantage to using timeclock and invoicing to bill time is that -you will always know, by looking at the balance report, exactly how -much unbilled and unpaid time you've spent working for any particular -client. - -I like to =!include= my timelog at the top of my company's accounting -ledger, with the attached prefix "Billable": - -<example> -; -*-ledger-*- - -; This is the ledger file for my company. But first, include the -; timelog data, entering all of the time events within the umbrella -; account "Billable". - -!include /home/johnw/.timelog Billable - -; Here follows this fiscal year's transactions for the company. - -2004/11/01 (INV#1) ClientOne, Inc. - Receivable:ClientOne $0.10 - Billable:ClientOne -0.00277h @ $35.00 - -2004/12/01 ClientOne, Inc. - Assets:Checking $0.10 - Receivable:ClientOne -</example> - Footnotes: [1] In some special cases, it will automatically balance the entry for you. |