accounts.texi (1873B)
1 @anchor{accounts} 2 @chapter Accounts 3 4 Accounts are made up of two parts, @emph{type} and @emph{path}. 5 6 @anchor{account_type} 7 @section Types 8 There are four account types: 9 10 @itemize 11 @item @strong{income}, representing funds moving into the ledger. 12 @item @strong{expense}, representing funds moving out of the ledger. 13 @item @strong{asset}, representing value stored in the ledger. 14 @item @strong{liability}, representing value owed in the ledger. 15 @end itemize 16 17 @anchor{account_value} 18 @subsection Values 19 20 Values for each type are intepreted according as follows: 21 22 A @emph{positive} value for @strong{income} or @strong{asset} means an @emph{increase} in value. 23 A @emph{positive} value for @strong{expense} or @strong{liability} means a @emph{decrease} in value. 24 25 Consider the following examples: 26 27 @itemize 28 @item Taking out credit card debt (a @emph{liability}) could be a @emph{positive debit value} for @strong{liability} (transaction leads to more liability) and a @emph{positive credit value} for @strong{asset} (the borrowed value the liability yields, e.g. in cash). 29 @item Paying back credit card debt (a @emph{liability}) could be a @emph{negative debit value} for @strong{asset} (àsset has less value), and a @emph{negative credit value} for @strong{liability} (transaction leads to less liability). 30 @item Crediting an @emph{issued invoice} that has already been paid could be a @emph{negative debit value} for @strong{income}, and a @emph{positive debit value} for @strong{liability} (i.e. the pending refund). 31 @end itemize 32 33 34 @anchor{account_path} 35 @section Path 36 37 Under each type, a path-like identifier may be freely chosen to subdivide the context under each type. This context can in turn be used to obtain granular balances and totals. 38 39 For example, @code{rents/Apartment A} could subdivide an @code{income} account type to separate it from @code{rents/Apartment B}