# Hot **URL:** https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/hot.md [Latest](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/latest.md) · [Categories](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/categories.md) · [Tags](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/tags.md) --- ## [Welcome to the Plain Text Accounting forum!](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/welcome-to-the-plain-text-accounting-forum/33)
**Author:** [@system](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/system)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [March 5, 2024, 4:24pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/welcome-to-the-plain-text-accounting-forum/33 "2024-03-05T16:24:33Z")
We are building clarity, balance and financial fitness together, with plain text and nimble tools. Welcome! What is Plain Text Accounting ? Plain Text Accounting, or PTA for short, is a way of doing bookkeeping and acco… --- ## [ANN: hledger 1.99.4 (& 1.52.4)](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-99-4-1-52-4/886)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [October 30, 2026, 7:23am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-99-4-1-52-4/886 "2026-10-30T07:23:52Z")
I'm pleased to announce two hledger releases! hledger 1.52.4: dependency updates, for packagers. hledger 1.99.4 (2.0 preview 4): new holdings report, better lot tracking, command aliases, reorganised help command, run/… --- ## [Chow, a plain text and FOSS food diary](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/chow-a-plain-text-and-foss-food-diary/895)
**Author:** [@doug](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/doug)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [October 7, 2026, 3:15am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/chow-a-plain-text-and-foss-food-diary/895 "2026-10-07T03:15:48Z")
Hi folks, Does tracking what you eat count as "accounting"? I'll let you decide... Today I'm showing off Chow, a plain-text FOSS food diary. You can self-host it with the Dockerfile or just use the one I host on chow.f… --- ## [Converting Time to Money](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/converting-time-to-money/925)
**Author:** [@dirt\_peasant](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/dirt_peasant)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [October 22, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/converting-time-to-money/925 "2026-10-22T14:18:12Z")
I've read the writeups out there but I can't quite make this work for my use case. Using the timedot format in hledger, I'd like to know how to track time, bill for it, and then track the revenue using cash-basis account… --- ## [ANN: hledger 1.99.5](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-99-5/898)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [October 6, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-99-5/898 "2026-10-06T00:13:13Z")
I'm pleased to announce hledger 1.99.5 (2.0 preview 5): the fastest hledger yet, with UI translations, find-anywhere query, compact transactions report, lossless print --export, CSV merge rule, includable CSV & rules f… --- ## [Hledger fan blog: I needed a history of roof repairs](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/hledger-fan-blog-i-needed-a-history-of-roof-repairs/926)
**Author:** [@hledgerfan](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/hledgerfan)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 23, 2026, 2:18pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/hledger-fan-blog-i-needed-a-history-of-roof-repairs/926 "2026-10-23T14:18:55Z")
I needed a list of who had done roof work for us, so I turned to hledger for the answer. You can read about it at hledger gives history of roof repair – A User's view of Hledger. --- ## [PTA app benchmarks](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/pta-app-benchmarks/891)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 27, 2026, 9:03am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/pta-app-benchmarks/891 "2026-09-27T09:03:03Z")
While updating the hledger performance page, I did some testing of other apps. I think this is the first detailed multi-PTA-app performance test. Check out the results, and see if you can reproduce them! :racing\_car: … --- ## [Plaintextaccounting project finance, and how you can help](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/plaintextaccounting-project-finance-and-how-you-can-help/872)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 18, 2026, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/plaintextaccounting-project-finance-and-how-you-can-help/872 "2026-09-18T16:27:20Z")
G'day all! The plaintextaccounting github organisation is a place to collect funds to support general PTA resources like plaintextaccounting.org, forum.plaintextaccounting.org, reddit.com/r/plaintextaccounting and the p… --- ## [Hledger - counting transactions](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/hledger-counting-transactions/870)
**Author:** [@parseaus](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/parseaus)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 2, 2026, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/hledger-counting-transactions/870 "2026-09-02T13:00:25Z")
I want to count the amount of transactions in a few accounts. Similar to part of what hledger stats does, bit with particular accounts and a custom period. How would I go about this in the simplest possible way? --- ## [How do you keep your journal structure scalable over time?](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/how-do-you-keep-your-journal-structure-scalable-over-time/784)
**Author:** [@chickpeafilae](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/chickpeafilae)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [April 30, 2026, 3:22am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/how-do-you-keep-your-journal-structure-scalable-over-time/784 "2026-04-30T03:22:03Z")
I’ve been experimenting with plain text accounting tools like hledger and Beancount, and one challenge I keep running into is maintaining a clean and scalable journal structure as the number of transactions grows. At the… --- ## [ANN: Tackler goes to eleven with new release](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-tackler-goes-to-eleven-with-new-release/900)
**Author:** [@35VLG84](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/35VLG84)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [October 3, 2026, 8:47am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-tackler-goes-to-eleven-with-new-release/900 "2026-10-03T08:47:25Z")
With this new release (v26.10.1)Tackler goes to eleven, and breaks the one million transactions per second barrier! It's processing speed is now over 1.2M txns/s, see Performance documentation for details. See Quicksta… --- ## [ANN: hledger 1.52, hledger 2.0 preview 1](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-52-hledger-2-0-preview-1/772)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 8, 2026, 7:33am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-52-hledger-2-0-preview-1/772 "2026-04-08T07:33:45Z")
G'day all. I'm pleased to announce a hledger double release! hledger 1.52, with more robust paging, faster valuation, commodity tags, and cost basis annotations which are preserved and can be exported (examples prov… --- ## [Basic Procedure for Accrual Accounting when making a product and selling it?](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/basic-procedure-for-accrual-accounting-when-making-a-product-and-selling-it/821)
**Author:** [@Andrew\_Leer](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/Andrew_Leer)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [July 7, 2026, 6:09pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/basic-procedure-for-accrual-accounting-when-making-a-product-and-selling-it/821 "2026-07-07T18:09:31Z")
I've started running a business, in terms of making something from raw materials, processing it, and then it becomes a product that can be sold to people. Receive Raw Materials Process those raw materials into a produc… --- ## [Is AI slop killing the Beancount community? (beancount mail list)](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/is-ai-slop-killing-the-beancount-community-beancount-mail-list/830)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [September 11, 2026, 11:49pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/is-ai-slop-killing-the-beancount-community-beancount-mail-list/830 "2026-09-11T23:49:38Z")
--- ## [Using (local) LLMs with hledger records and reports](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/using-local-llms-with-hledger-records-and-reports/742)
**Author:** [@adept](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/adept)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [February 18, 2026, 11:18pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/using-local-llms-with-hledger-records-and-reports/742 "2026-02-18T23:18:56Z")
I’ve spent some time recently playing with LLMs and my financial records, and I want to share my findings. Most of them are trivial, but I hope that they could nevertheless be useful or provide food for thought. I’m qui… --- ## [Beanie Budgets - looking for testers (beancount compatible iOS app)](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/beanie-budgets-looking-for-testers-beancount-compatible-ios-app/882)
**Author:** [@quabbage](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/quabbage)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [September 22, 2026, 9:06pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/beanie-budgets-looking-for-testers-beancount-compatible-ios-app/882 "2026-09-22T21:06:34Z")
Thank you Simon for inviting me to post here. Beanie Budgets is a beancount compatibile native iOS app. I have been working on it for purely personal reasons: I really wanted an elegant iOS app to capture transactions o… --- ## [Surebeans: a modern YNAB4 + hledger GUI](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/surebeans-a-modern-ynab4-hledger-gui/779)
**Author:** [@doug](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/doug)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 21, 2026, 1:41am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/surebeans-a-modern-ynab4-hledger-gui/779 "2026-04-21T01:41:15Z")
Hey folks, Simon and I connected on Hacker News, and he warmly invited me to tell you about Surebeans and Beanscrape, two budgeting apps I built. You can think of Surebeans as a modern YNAB4, the discontinued desktop ap… --- ## [Above average results from the hledger --average flag](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/above-average-results-from-the-hledger-average-flag/890)
**Author:** [@hledgerfan](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/hledgerfan)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [September 28, 2026, 8:01pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/above-average-results-from-the-hledger-average-flag/890 "2026-09-28T20:01:51Z")
In this week's hledger fan blog post, I discover how easy it is to use the --average flag to calculate average weekly food expenses. Or at least after I discover a misconception that was keeping it from working. Read abo… --- ## [Hledger finds icing on the cake re meal costs](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/hledger-finds-icing-on-the-cake-re-meal-costs/889)
**Author:** [@hledgerfan](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/hledgerfan)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [September 19, 2026, 5:16pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/hledger-finds-icing-on-the-cake-re-meal-costs/889 "2026-09-19T17:16:01Z")
In this week's hledger fan blog, hledger helps me calculate savings on food after dropping a meal kit delivery service. Read about it at hledger helps quantify expenses after dropping meal kit delivery service – A User's… --- ## [Tracking a shared allowance pool that spans several payment accounts](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/tracking-a-shared-allowance-pool-that-spans-several-payment-accounts/865)
**Author:** [@tlrand](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/tlrand)\ **Replies:** 9\ **Last updated:** [September 4, 2026, 11:54pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/tracking-a-shared-allowance-pool-that-spans-several-payment-accounts/865 "2026-09-04T23:54:20Z")
New to PTA, and a few weeks into hledger (1.52). I have a setup that mostly works, but one problem I can't solve cleanly. My wife and I each get a fixed monthly allowance to spend however we see fit. Mostly small things… --- ## [Is Ledger Cash-Based or Accrual Accounting?](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/is-ledger-cash-based-or-accrual-accounting/807)
**Author:** [@Andrew\_Leer](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/Andrew_Leer)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [June 5, 2026, 1:31pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/is-ledger-cash-based-or-accrual-accounting/807 "2026-06-05T13:31:28Z")
Is Ledger Cash-Based or Accrual Accounting? Or does that depend on how your accounts are setup? If so, what is the difference in the account layout? --- ## [How often do you write/import your transactions?](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/how-often-do-you-write-import-your-transactions/187)
**Author:** [@shlewislee](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/shlewislee)\ **Replies:** 25\ **Last updated:** [January 7, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/how-often-do-you-write-import-your-transactions/187 "2025-01-07T17:08:10Z")
As I do them manually because banks in my country sucks ass, I tend to do them as often as I can. Most of the time, I do them right before I go to my bed and often times I do them right after transaction. It’s cumbersome… --- ## [The Main Thing](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/the-main-thing/849)
**Author:** [@hledgerfan](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/hledgerfan)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 18, 2026, 11:32pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/the-main-thing/849 "2026-07-18T23:32:45Z")
In this week's blog, I apply a quote from Stephen Covey to personal accounting. Read about it at https://hledgerfan.com/the-main-thing/ . --- ## [A trial of Discourse for Plain Text Accounting discussions](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/a-trial-of-discourse-for-plain-text-accounting-discussions/5)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 29\ **Last updated:** [December 21, 2025, 10:52am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/a-trial-of-discourse-for-plain-text-accounting-discussions/5 "2025-12-21T10:52:31Z")
@simonmic is experimenting with alternative discussion tech for the PTA community. This is a 14 day trial of a hosted public Discourse server with no commitment. Why not.. Reddit ? I have spent much time contributing a… --- ## [Accountant24: Local-first AI agent + hledger for personal accounting](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/accountant24-local-first-ai-agent-hledger-for-personal-accounting/799)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [July 9, 2026, 9:57am UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/accountant24-local-first-ai-agent-hledger-for-personal-accounting/799 "2026-07-09T09:57:17Z")
--- ## [Auto-credit an account and see how I am reimboursed?](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/auto-credit-an-account-and-see-how-i-am-reimboursed/753)
**Author:** [@Xavier](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/Xavier)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [February 25, 2026, 5:01pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/auto-credit-an-account-and-see-how-i-am-reimboursed/753 "2026-02-25T17:01:31Z")
How can I record a transaction in hledger where a specific account should be credited a fixed amount, regardless of the actual expense? For example, my employer reimburses a fixed €16 for certain meals, no matter how muc… --- ## [ANN: hledger 1.52.2](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-52-2/868)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [August 24, 2026, 8:03pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-1-52-2/868 "2026-08-24T20:03:26Z")
I'm (not so) pleased to announce hledger 1.52.2. This contains only a fix for an XSS vulnerability in hledger-web. All hledger-web users should upgrade, to avoid this bug. https://github.com/simonmichael/hledger/rele… --- ## [Plain Text Accounting is Pretty Cool](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/plain-text-accounting-is-pretty-cool/867)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [August 21, 2026, 4:56pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/plain-text-accounting-is-pretty-cool/867 "2026-08-21T16:56:07Z")
A nice getting-started-with-hledger article, and discussion (lobsters, reddit) --- ## [ANN: hledger 2.0 preview 3](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-2-0-preview-3/818)
**Author:** [@simonmic](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/simonmic)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [June 26, 2026, 2:44pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/ann-hledger-2-0-preview-3/818 "2026-06-26T14:44:38Z")
G'day all. I'm pleased to announce hledger 2.0 preview release 3 ! Highlights: conventional file layout for rules/data/prices get command commodity aliases print aligns by decimal mark more intuitive precision behavio… --- ## [Using hledger together with Excel](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/using-hledger-together-with-excel/697)
**Author:** [@phobo3s](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/u/phobo3s)\ **Replies:** 15\ **Last updated:** [April 20, 2026, 2:30pm UTC](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/t/using-hledger-together-with-excel/697 "2026-04-20T14:30:19Z")
Hi, I use hledger, but only for general ledger operations such as balance checks, reporting, and validation. The entire ledger also lives in Excel worksheets. Excel is where I review, edit, and reclassify everything. T… [Next page](https://forum.plaintextaccounting.org/hot.md?page=1)