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Please take a look at document [1] by author of beancount regarding how to do double entry accounting, including introduction to single entry bookkeeping. So fa

Please take a look at document [1] by author of beancount regarding how to do double entry accounting, including introduction to single entry bookkeeping. So far I find this is the best resource for developers to learn about accounting along with illustrations. Debit and Credits are introduced later once the basics are explained in details grounded in accounting principles in play for thousands of years. [1] https://beancount.github.io/docs/the_double_entry_counting_method.html https://beancount.github.io/docs/the_double_entry_counting_m...

stilley2 6y ago
Thanks, this was very helpful.
braho 6y ago
Not only is Martin Blais' explanation very helpful, his software, Beancount, is also very suitable for any personal finance projects, especially if you have a background as Developer. Personally, I combine beancount with fava and find it much better than e.g. GnuCash.
- neolog 6y ago
  Is beancount the kind of tool that's mostly useful if you put a lot of time into it, like Emacs? Or is it immediately useful with even small investments of time?
  - eginhard 6y ago
    I found it easy to get started with the very basics (e.g. recording of simple transactions) and I'm just reading up more over time on how to handle more complex things like splitting expenses with a partner or investments. Thanks to Python I was also able to customise my setup almost right away. There is also an Emacs mode for those who have already made that investment.
  - hesk 6y ago
    I found ledger-cli (upon which beancount is based) immediately useful. However, since you mentioned Emacs, I should say that I use ledger-mode in Emacs to add entries. But I do most of my reporting directly on the command line.
  - Tijdreiziger 6y ago
    If you're familiar with double-entry bookkeeping, I found it very easy to get started. If you're not, it will take some time to familiarize yourself with that concept.
- Tijdreiziger 6y ago
  Beancount+Fava is awesome if you're a developer who understands double-entry accounting.

stilley2 6y ago

Thanks, this was very helpful.

braho 6y ago

Not only is Martin Blais' explanation very helpful, his software, Beancount, is also very suitable for any personal finance projects, especially if you have a background as Developer. Personally, I combine beancount with fava and find it much better than e.g. GnuCash.

neolog 6y ago
Is beancount the kind of tool that's mostly useful if you put a lot of time into it, like Emacs? Or is it immediately useful with even small investments of time?
- eginhard 6y ago
  I found it easy to get started with the very basics (e.g. recording of simple transactions) and I'm just reading up more over time on how to handle more complex things like splitting expenses with a partner or investments. Thanks to Python I was also able to customise my setup almost right away. There is also an Emacs mode for those who have already made that investment.
- hesk 6y ago
  I found ledger-cli (upon which beancount is based) immediately useful. However, since you mentioned Emacs, I should say that I use ledger-mode in Emacs to add entries. But I do most of my reporting directly on the command line.
- Tijdreiziger 6y ago
  If you're familiar with double-entry bookkeeping, I found it very easy to get started. If you're not, it will take some time to familiarize yourself with that concept.
Tijdreiziger 6y ago
Beancount+Fava is awesome if you're a developer who understands double-entry accounting.