This blog post will take you through the steps to install Ledger double-entry accounting system on Ubuntu 18.04. Ledger is a powerful command-line accounting tool based on the power and completeness of double-entry accounting. Ledger gives you unparalleled command-line reporting interface to your data without the need for a flashy UI.
With Ledger, all entries are kept in a text file that you maintain. It figures out from looking at your data what you mean by it and how you want it reported back to you. Ledger is a double-entry accounting tool, meaning that all entries must balance. If an entry does not balance, it will cause an error and the report will not be generated.
Perform package index repo update
sudo apt updateInstall Ledger on Ubuntu 22.04|20.04|18.04
There are two methods that can be used to install Ledger on Ubuntu.
Method 1: Install Ledger from OS APT repo
Update your APT package index:
sudo apt updateThen run the relevant commands to install Ledger
sudo apt install ledgerTo check the version of Ledger software installed, run:
$ ledger --version
Ledger 3.1.3-20190331, the command-line accounting tool
Copyright (c) 2003-2019, John Wiegley. All rights reserved.
This program is made available under the terms of the BSD Public License.
See LICENSE file included with the distribution for details and disclaimer.Method 2: Build Ledger from source
The ledger source code is available on GitHub. Install the dependencies required to build the application.
sudo apt install build-essential cmake doxygen \
libboost-system-dev libboost-dev python3-dev gettext git \
libboost-date-time-dev libboost-filesystem-dev \
libboost-iostreams-dev libboost-python-dev libboost-regex-dev \
libboost-test-dev libedit-dev libgmp3-dev libmpfr-dev texinfo tzdataWith the dependencies installed, clone the project from Github and build ledger application.
git clone [email protected]:ledger/ledger.git
sudo ln -sf /usr/bin/python3 /usr/bin/python
cd ledger && ./acprep updateConfirm if your installation was successful:
$ ./ledger --version
Ledger 3.2.1-20200518, the command-line accounting tool
Copyright (c) 2003-2019, John Wiegley. All rights reserved.
This program is made available under the terms of the BSD Public License.
See LICENSE file included with the distribution for details and disclaimer.Using Ledger double-entry accounting system on Ubuntu
Now that you have installed Ledger, it is time to use it for your accounting. The official Ledger Documentation cover many use cases with examples. Ledger needs a Journal File with a record of your financial transaction to work on.
An example journal is included with the source code distribution, called drewr3.dat (see Example Journal File). Download the file to your local machine:
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ledger/ledger/master/test/input/drewr3.datThis file exhibits many ledger features include automatic and virtual transactions.
Show balances of all of your accounts
$ ledger -f drewr3.dat balance
$ -3,804.00 Assets
$ 1,396.00 Checking
$ 30.00 Business
$ -5,200.00 Savings
$ -1,000.00 Equity:Opening Balances
$ 6,654.00 Expenses
$ 5,500.00 Auto
$ 20.00 Books
$ 300.00 Escrow
$ 334.00 Food:Groceries
$ 500.00 Interest:Mortgage
$ -2,030.00 Income
$ -2,000.00 Salary
$ -30.00 Sales
$ -63.60 Liabilities
$ -20.00 MasterCard
$ 200.00 Mortgage:Principal
$ -243.60 Tithe
--------------------
$ -243.60This shows you the balance of all accounts. Options and search terms can pare this down to show only the accounts you want.
Show only your Assets and Liabilities:
A more useful report is to show only your Assets and Liabilities:
$ ledger -f drewr3.dat balance Assets LiabilitiesSee output below:
Register Report
To show all transactions and a running total:
$ ledger -f drewr3.dat registerLedger will generate:
10-Dec-01 Checking balance Assets:Checking $ 1,000.00 $ 1,000.00
Equity:Opening Balances $ -1,000.00 0
10-Dec-20 Organic Co-op Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 37.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 75.00
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 112.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 150.00
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 187.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 225.00
Assets:Checking $ -225.00 0
10-Dec-28 Acme Mortgage Liabilities:Mortgage:Principal $ 200.00 $ 200.00
Expenses:Interest:Mortgage $ 500.00 $ 700.00
Expenses:Escrow $ 300.00 $ 1,000.00
Assets:Checking $ -1,000.00 0
11-Jan-02 Grocery Store Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 65.00 $ 65.00
Assets:Checking $ -65.00 0
11-Jan-05 Employer Assets:Checking $ 2,000.00 $ 2,000.00
Income:Salary $ -2,000.00 0
(Liabilities:Tithe) $ -240.00 $ -240.00
11-Jan-14 Bank Assets:Savings $ 300.00 $ 60.00
Assets:Checking $ -300.00 $ -240.00
11-Jan-19 Grocery Store Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 44.00 $ -196.00
Assets:Checking $ -44.00 $ -240.00
11-Jan-25 Bank Assets:Checking $ 5,500.00 $ 5,260.00
Assets:Savings $ -5,500.00 $ -240.00
11-Jan-25 Tom's Used Cars Expenses:Auto $ 5,500.00 $ 5,260.00
Assets:Checking $ -5,500.00 $ -240.00
11-Jan-27 Book Store Expenses:Books $ 20.00 $ -220.00
Liabilities:MasterCard $ -20.00 $ -240.00
11-Dec-01 Sale Assets:Checking:Business $ 30.00 $ -210.00
Income:Sales $ -30.00 $ -240.00
(Liabilities:Tithe) $ -3.60 $ -243.60To limit this to a more useful subset, simply add the accounts you are interested in seeing transactions for:
$ ledger -f drewr3.dat register Groceries
10-Dec-20 Organic Co-op Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 37.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 75.00
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 112.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 150.00
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 187.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 225.00
11-Jan-02 Grocery Store Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 65.00 $ 290.00
11-Jan-19 Grocery Store Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 44.00 $ 334.00This matches the balance reported for the Groceries’ account:
$ ledger -f drewr3.dat balance Groceries
$ 334.00 Expenses:Food:GroceriesIf you would like to find a transaction to only a certain payee use ‘payee’ or ‘@’:
$ ledger -f drewr3.dat register payee "Organic"
10-Dec-20 Organic Co-op Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 37.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 75.00
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 112.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 150.00
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 187.50
Expenses:Food:Groceries $ 37.50 $ 225.00
Assets:Checking $ -225.00 0Cleared Report
The cleared report shows what your obligations are versus what expenditures have actually been recorded.
$ ledger -f drewr3.dat cleared
$ -3,804.00 $ 775.00 Assets
$ 1,396.00 $ 775.00 10-Dec-20 Checking
$ 30.00 0 Business
$ -5,200.00 0 Savings
$ -1,000.00 $ -1,000.00 10-Dec-01 Equity:Opening Balances
$ 6,654.00 $ 225.00 Expenses
$ 5,500.00 0 Auto
$ 20.00 0 Books
$ 300.00 0 Escrow
$ 334.00 $ 225.00 10-Dec-20 Food:Groceries
$ 500.00 0 Interest:Mortgage
$ -2,030.00 0 Income
$ -2,000.00 0 Salary
$ -30.00 0 Sales
$ -63.60 0 Liabilities
$ -20.00 0 MasterCard
$ 200.00 0 Mortgage:Principal
$ -243.60 0 Tithe
---------------- ---------------- ---------
$ -243.60 0Check Ledger Documentation to learn more.
