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Syntax quick reference: hledger

Big 3 | Ledger | hledger | Beancount

Brief (incomplete) syntax overview for hledger's journal file format. Last tested: 2016. See also: hledger manual, Cheatsheets

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Basic example

; a comment

2016/1/1 set opening balance
   assets:checking       $500.00
   equity:opening balances

2016/1/5 farmer's market
   expenses:groceries     $50.00
   assets:checking

Comments

; comment
# comment
* comment and org-mode outline node

Basic transactions

DATE [DESCRIPTION]
   ACCOUNT    AMOUNT
   ACCOUNT    [AMOUNT]

Non-comment lines may end with a comment. Indented comments are attached to the preceding transaction or posting.

Dates

YYYY-MM-DD
YYYY/MM/DD
YYYY.MM.DD
MM-DD
MM/DD
MM.DD

Account names

TOPACCT[:SUBACCT[:...]]

Revenues:Salary
liabilities:credit card:CITI 1234
other assets:house

Account names begin with a letter. May contain single spaces. May contain subaccounts separated by : (colon).

Amounts

One of COMMODITY QUANTITY, QUANTITY COMMODITY, QUANTITY.

10
$10.00
1,000.0001 USD
10 "prepaid classes"
1.000.000,01
12,34,567.89

Decimal point is . or , (period or comma). Digit group separator is , or . (the one not used for decimal point). Any digit grouping can be used, not just thousands.

More transaction features

DATE [FLAG] [(CODE)] DESCRIPTION
   [FLAG] ACCOUNT  AMOUNT [PRICE] [=BAL]
   ...
   [FLAG] ACCOUNT  AMOUNT [PRICE] [=BAL]

Prices

One of @ FIXEDUNITPRICE @@ FIXEDTOTALPRICE and/or {=FIXEDLOTUNITPRICE}.

These do not record market prices. The lot price syntax is ignored.

Balance assertions

= AMOUNT after posting amount & price.

Asserts the balance in this commodity, in this account, excluding subaccounts, on this day. Same day events are processed in parse order.

Balance assignments

Directives

KEYWORD ARGS...

account (alias for apply)
alias
apply
comment
D
end
include

account, open

close

commodity

market price

P DATE [TIME] COMMODITY UNITPRICE

P 2015/8/9 GBP $1.55

Used by -V. A time is ignored.

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