Master accounts file
Last updated on Jan 06, 2021
The JCF tool uses the accounts listed in your master.ledger and master.accounts files as a basis for user input and match guesses. Before matching a CSV, consider whether all of the accounts listed in your master.accounts are sufficient. You likely have plenty from the example master.accounts file you originally set up, but you can add as many as you’d like.
One primary consideration is reporting. If you’d like to create a budget report you should make sure all categories you want tracked in that budget have their own account.
Examples
account Assets:Current Assets:Checking 1234account Assets:Current Assets:Investments:Vanguardaccount Expenses:Category:Sub Categoryaccount Expenses:Fun Budget:Concertsaccount Expenses:Bills:Insurance:Vehicleaccount Income:Salaryaccount Income:Dividendsaccount Income:Capital Gains:Unrealizedaccount Liabilities:Credit Card:Chaseaccount Liabilities:Loans:Student Loan
What is: Equity:Opening Balances
If you aren’t familiar with accounting I thought I would mention what this account is for because it confused me when I first started. I had heard the term ‘equity’ when referring to equity in a home, but never in another accounting context. The purpose of this account is solely to record any money you already had that initially “appeared” in the account as the opening balance.