Help with everyday work
User manual and help.
An illustrated manual explaining what Ledger does and how to use it, from installation and company setup through everyday accounting, reporting, and backups.
What would you like to do?
New to LedgerSL? Begin with Start Here or follow one business example from purchase to payment. The guide uses Ledger for shared instructions and names LedgerSL or LedgerPG when a step differs.
Keep help available offline.
Download the ZIP, extract it, and open Help/index.html in your web browser. The guide includes its own contents and search, and needs no Internet connection after downloading.
- In LedgerSL, press F1 and look at the file address in your browser to identify the installed help file.
- Keep a copy of the old help. Replace the external Help/index.html with the new file and copy the included images and examples folders into Help. Keep the exact capitalization on Linux. If F1 opens a generated copy, use the instructions included in the download to place an external Help folder beside the application in a location you can write to.
- Close the old help tab, press F1 again, and check the guide's revision date. If you cannot update the installation folder, you can still open the downloaded guide directly.
The October 5 guide includes installation and first connection, the revised Company menu, starter chart and CSV import, statistics, and company backups. These features require a build that includes them; updating help alone does not update LedgerSL.
This download updates documentation only. It contains no program installer or company database. F1 requires a build with help support connected; the same HTML guide can always be opened directly for either edition.
Protect your company data.
Your company database contains your business records. Keep backups somewhere separate from the working copy, and make one before installing an application update or making major setup changes.
Make a dated backup
- Confirm the company name and active database path, and finish and save transaction edits.
- Choose Company > Back Up Company in the current LedgerSL release.
- Save a dated copy to a separate drive or other protected location. Check the result and confirm the backup file exists.
- Keep several dated recovery points and periodically test a separate copy before you need it.
If you use a file-copy backup instead, close LedgerSL completely and ensure no other program has the database open. Copy the data folder and accompanying files together. Preserve any journal or WAL files; do not delete them to clear an error.
Check a backup or move to another computer
- Keep the current database and original backup safe. Copy the backup into a separate local folder; do not overwrite your working data to test it.
- Use a compatible LedgerSL version, then select the copied database through Company > Change Company.
- Check the company name, recent invoices, balances, and important reports. A successful copy alone does not confirm that you selected the right company or date.
- For a permanent move, install LedgerSL on the new computer and repeat these checks before continuing work there. Keep one clearly identified working copy so later transactions do not become split between computers.
Restoring an older backup returns you to the records in that copy. Work entered after that backup will need to be accounted for. If the files or results are unclear, stop and contact support before replacing anything.
These file-copy instructions are for LedgerSL. LedgerPG requires PostgreSQL backup and restore procedures; copying a single file is not its backup method.
Common questions, plain answers.
What does SL mean?
LedgerSL is the SQLite edition. It stores each company’s accounting data in a local database file and does not need a separate database server.
Is the Linux version free? What does demo mean?
The standard Linux version is free to use. Demo refers to the sample company records for learning and testing. A separate database with minimal setup data provides a starting point for your own company. Custom modifications are available by arrangement; contact us to discuss scope and pricing.
Do I need to be an accountant?
You can follow the help instructions for everyday entry without knowing accounting terminology. Initial account choices, taxes, opening balances, and period-end checks still need to be correct. Have your bookkeeper or accountant help with that setup, then use the agreed defaults for daily work.
Can I use LedgerSL without inventory?
Yes. You can invoice services and use the accounting functions you need without maintaining physical stock. Service items represent work or charges and do not reduce stock quantities.
Can I track more than one location?
Yes. Divisions let you separate business locations or operating areas for reporting. Inventory locations such as WHSE and VAN1 track physical stock. These are different settings. The sample data represents one company with several locations.
Can several people use the same company at once?
LedgerSL is for one active user per company database on a local computer. Do not open the same company database simultaneously from different computers or use a shared network drive for concurrent entry. LedgerPG is our flagship PostgreSQL edition for a shared company database; see its dedicated overview for current development details.
Can I keep more than one company?
Yes. Keep each company in its own database and use Company > Change Company to select it. Always check the company name before entering transactions, and back up each company separately.
Does the Company Setup Wizard create a database?
No. It updates the default company information and basic setup in the database already open. For a separate company, use Company > Change Company > Create New Company, name its database file, choose the folder, and restart into it before running the wizard.
Where are Change Company and the setup wizard?
Both are in the top-left Company menu and require administrator access. They are no longer permanent buttons on the Main Console.
How do I add a Chart of Accounts?
Open Company > Company Setup Wizard and continue to Step 4: GL Accounts. Load the 36-account starter chart into an empty chart, import your own CSV, or choose Review / Edit Accounts for manual entry. Preview and confirm additions, then configure posting accounts.
Will CSV import replace accounts or bring in balances?
No. It adds new account definitions only. Duplicates and invalid rows must be corrected before the import can proceed. Existing accounts, balances, transactions, and posting-account assignments are not imported or replaced.
Do I need an Internet connection?
Everyday accounting uses the database on your computer, and the downloaded HTML help can be read offline. Visiting the website, downloading updates, and sending email require the appropriate connection or service.
What is the difference between saving and posting?
Saving keeps the entry; posting completes a later processing step for that type of document. The effect depends on the screen. For example, saving a stock receipt does not add stock, but saving a customer payment can already change invoice balances before payment posting. Follow the instructions for that document, and review before posting.
Why can’t I post my customer invoice?
Check that it has a nonzero amount, is marked printed, is not on hold, and has not already been posted. Check the accounting period and any message shown by the posting screen. A document saved for later work may not yet be ready to post.
Does receiving a purchase order also enter the supplier’s bill?
No. Posting the receipt records the goods received. Enter the supplier’s bill separately in Payables and link it to the PO as described in Help. Recording the bill does not receive the stock a second time.
Can I edit an invoice after posting it?
Posted invoices are protected from ordinary editing. Use the appropriate correction procedure and keep the original history. If you are unsure which correction applies, contact support with the document number and what needs correcting.
Will the help and website continue to change?
Yes. The help file and website will be updated as more information becomes available and the application changes. Check the guide’s revision date and the notes for your application version; a newer guide may describe a feature your installed build does not yet have.
More about the SQLite edition · Explore LedgerPG · PG Banking Center · PG recurring transactions · PG budgets versus actuals
Tell us where you got stuck.
Include your LedgerSL version, Linux version, screen name, what you were doing, and the exact message you saw. A screenshot with private customer or business details covered is helpful. Mention whether the problem occurs in the sample company or your own company.
Suggestions are welcome. For a custom report or workflow, describe the result you need and contact us to discuss the work.
Use the contact form