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faq: updates

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Simon Michael
2024-04-12 08:04:13 -10:00
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@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ See [[What is Plain Text Accounting ?]].
### Which PTA app should I choose ?
Here are some (mostly old) [comparisons](https://plaintextaccounting.org#comparisons)
Here are some old and outdated [comparisons](https://plaintextaccounting.org#comparisons)
Check out the projects' stats, and perhaps their chat rooms / mail lists.
Developer opinions are hard to find, but here are a few:
@@ -174,6 +174,25 @@ or showing [debits](https://ledger-cli.org/doc/ledger3.html#index-_002d_002ddc)
- [hledger FAQ: Why are my revenue (income), liability, and equity balances negative ?](https://hledger.org/faq.html#why-are-my-revenue-income-liability-and-equity-balances-negative-)
- [reddit: Is there any plain text accounting software which uses standard debits and credits?](https://www.reddit.com/r/plaintextaccounting/comments/18sbmsx/is_there_any_plain_text_accounting_software_which/)
### Should I categorise with account, payee, description, tags... ?
PTA apps let you group and filter by account, but often also by other fields like payee/description, code, or tags.
Accounts are the primary, best supported mechanism, so typically you should use them for most categorising.
But exactly what to track in each field depends on the level of detail you need, your data entry process, your PTA app, and your preferences.
- If you like economy of concepts and portability across tools, and your app has good depth-limiting support:
use accounts primarily, making them as deep and detailed as you need.
- If you like entering and seeing simple accounts by default, without needing to limit depth:
keep the account tree shallow, and add extra details in the payee and/or description field when needed.
- If you have multiple categorisation schemes that are independent/cross-cutting -
eg you have standard expense categories, but also clients or projects or trips they are associated with:
use accounts for the primary scheme and tags for the others.
Some apps will let you pivot on tags, payee, or other fields, showing them as alternate account names when needed.
More:
- [Reddit: On ledger-cli, what is the difference between payee and account?](https://www.reddit.com/r/plaintextaccounting/comments/ybwi4a/on_ledgercli_what_is_the_difference_between_payee/)
### Which account type are loans ?
If you are the lender, in your ledger it's an asset. Eg `assets:loans:PERSON` or `assets:receivable:BORROWER`.
@@ -193,20 +212,3 @@ You can record them either in your base currency, or with a dedicated commodity
As you use them, transfer/convert them to expenses.
If you don't need such detail you can record their full amount as an expense on the purchase date, and not track them further.
### Should I categorise with account, payee, description, tags... ?
PTA apps let you group and filter by account, but often also by other fields like payee/description, code, or tags.
Accounts are the primary, best supported mechanism, so typically you should use them for most categorising.
But how much detail to put in each field is a judgement call, influenced by your data entry process and your PTA app's UX:
- If you like economy of concepts and portability across tools, and your app has good depth-limiting support:
you could use accounts primarily, making them as deep and detailed as you need.
- If you like entering and seeing simple categories by default, without having to limit depth:
you could keep the account tree shallow and simple, and add extra details in the payee and/or description field when needed.
- If you have multiple categorisation schemes that are independent/cross-cutting - eg, standard expense categories, but also clients or projects or trips they are associated with:
use accounts for the primary scheme and tags for the others.
(Some apps will let you pivot on tags or other fields, showing them as alternate account names when needed.)
More:
- [Reddit: On ledger-cli, what is the difference between payee and account?](https://www.reddit.com/r/plaintextaccounting/comments/ybwi4a/on_ledgercli_what_is_the_difference_between_payee/)