Beancount

Introduction

Beancount is a double-entry bookkeeping computer language that lets you define financial transaction records in a text file, read them in memory, generate a variety of reports from them, and provides a web interface. You can visit the documentation via this link.

Running the tests

nosetests -s -v --all-modules ./importers/

Import documents into Beancount

Step 1:

Download statement documents from Bank of America, Chase and Discover website. Rename BoA checking and savings statements as the form stmt_checking or stmt_savings

Step 2:

Move these documents in to downloads folder under Beancount folder. Then rename some documents:

ofx.csv -> ofx_YYYYMMDD_Amex_Rose_Gold.csv  # Amex Rose Gold credit card rename rule
activity.csv -> activity_YYYYMMDD_Amex_Rose_Gold.csv # Amex Rose Gold credit card rename rule
activity.csv -> activity_YYYYMMDD_Amex_Everyday.csv # Amex Everyday credit card rename rule

Step 3:

Change rows about Chase payment in the checking statement:

CHASE CREDIT CRD DES -> CHASE CREDIT CRD 7218 DES # Freedom credit card
CHASE CREDIT CRD DES -> CHASE CREDIT CRD 1173 DES # Sapphire credit card
AMERICAN EXPRESS DES:ACH PMT -> AMERICAN EXPRESS 91004 DES:ACH PMT # Amex Rose Gold credit card
AMERICAN EXPRESS DES:ACH PMT -> AMERICAN EXPRESS 91006 DES:ACH PMT # Amex Everyday credit card

Step 4:

Identify these documents category and make sure everything is ok.

bean-identify finance.import ./downloads/

Step 5:

Back up the original beancount file

cp finance.main.beancount finance.main.beancount.backup

Extract data from these documents.

Dry run this command first to make sure no bug occurs in running.

bean-extract finance.import ./downloads/

Export them to the tail of the beancount file if everything goes ok.

bean-extract finance.import ./downloads/ >> finance.main.beancount

Add balance assertions (find balance statement from bank website) , usually you need to add 4 assertions at the end like below codes.

2021-03-25 balance Liabilities:US:CreditCard:Discover:Discover             0.00    USD
2021-03-23 balance Liabilities:US:CreditCard:Chase:Freedom                -1.99    USD
2021-03-23 balance Liabilities:US:CreditCard:Chase:SapphirePreferred      -1.99    USD
2021-03-23 balance Liabilities:US:CreditCard:BofA:TravelRewards            0.00    USD
2021-03-21 balance Liabilities:US:CreditCard:AmericanExpress:Everyday      0.00    USD
2021-03-31 balance Assets:US:Stock:Robinhood:Cash                        523.34    USD

Step 6:

Add stock price in finance.stock.price.beancount

bean-price finance.main.beancount

If no error occurs, then:

bean-price finance.main.beancount >> finance.stock.price.beancount

Check the beancount file whether changed as expected.

bean-check finance.main.beancount

If everything goes fine, remove backup beancount file.

rm finance.main.beancount.backup

Step 7:

Move these documents files into documents folder.

Dry run the command below and check if the destinations are as expected.

bean-file finance.import ./downloads/ --dry-run -o ./documents/

Then move them into the folder.

bean-file finance.import ./downloads/ -o ./documents/

Step 8:

Push these changes via VScode and PowerShell.

git push

Done! Enjoy

Visualization fava finance.beancount