Financial Accounting — The Hybrid Method with LedgerLoom

Subtitle: Stop Guessing. Start Reconciling. Version: 1.0 (compatible with LedgerLoom v0.2.0)

This workbook teaches intro financial accounting using a simple hybrid workflow:

1. Draft your work in Google Sheets (fast, visual).

2. Verify your work with LedgerLoom (strict, deterministic).

3. Reconcile any differences until they match (proof, not vibes).

• Spreadsheet-First Track (No LedgerLoom Yet)
  • What you will build in your spreadsheet
  • Key accounting rules (keep these visible)
  • Your spreadsheet layout (recommended)
  • Chart of Accounts (COA) tab
  • Journal format (Transactions + Adjustments)
  • How this connects to LedgerLoom later
• Spreadsheet Walkthrough: Chapters 1–4 (No LedgerLoom)
  • Chapter 1 — Transactions (Journal)
  • Chapter 2 — Journal → Unadjusted Trial Balance
  • Chapter 3 — Adjusting Entries → Adjusted Trial Balance
  • Chapter 4 — Closing Entries → Post-close Trial Balance
  • Why this matters before LedgerLoom
• Workbook Data Pack (Canonical Inputs)
  • Why this exists
  • Canonical Chart of Accounts
  • Canonical Transactions (what you will journal)
  • Canonical Adjustments (starter file)
  • Canonical Project Config (how LedgerLoom reads the project)
• Spreadsheet-First Build Guide (Ch01–Ch04)
  • Goal
  • What data to use
  • Spreadsheet setup (works in Google Sheets or Excel)
  • Conventions (important)
  • Step 1 — COA tab
  • Step 2 — Journal tab (transactions)
  • Step 3 — TB_Unadjusted
  • Step 4 — Adjustments + TB_Adjusted (Chapter 3)
  • Step 5 — Closing + TB_PostClose (Chapter 4)
  • Where LedgerLoom fits
  • Next: run the runnable project
• Workbook Onboarding: What is LedgerLoom?
  • In one sentence
  • Why LedgerLoom exists (the gap it fills)
  • Where LedgerLoom fits (Excel/Sheets-first workflow)
  • What LedgerLoom does (and does NOT do)
  • A mental model that helps: “Spreadsheet + verifier”
  • How the workbook chapters use LedgerLoom
  • What success looks like (your goal)
  • Next: Student Quick Start
• Workbook Project Layout (Files and Folders)
  • Big picture: inputs → outputs
  • What each part means
  • What is a run_id?
  • What are “artifacts” and why do we care?
  • Common workflow (what you actually do)
  • If something is wrong, don’t panic
  • Next: Student Quick Start
• Optional: Check Your Work Pack (Ch01 Startup)
  • What you get
• Workbook Ch02 — Journal → Trial Balance (optional solution pack)
  • Downloads
  • How to use it
  • Notes for instructors
• Student Quick Start (Linux, Windows, macOS)
  • What you’ll build
  • Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
  • Windows 11 (PowerShell)
  • macOS (Terminal)
• Introduction: The zero-cost stack
  • What you need
  • Install LedgerLoom
  • Create a workbook project
• Workbook Chapter 0 — Setup and a Runnable Startup Project
  • What you need
  • Install LedgerLoom (PyPI)
  • Your first runnable project (in the repo)
  • Run it
  • Where do outputs go?
  • Project config: ledgerloom.yaml
  • Chart of accounts: config/chart_of_accounts.yaml
  • Workbook inputs: transactions.csv
  • Workbook inputs: adjustments.csv
  • The example README (what students actually do)
  • Troubleshooting checklist
• Chapter 1: The equation & the transaction
  • The assignment: “Sparkle Cleaners”
  • Draft the solution in Google Sheets
  • The gotcha: asset vs expense
  • Verify with LedgerLoom (v0.2.0 workflow)
  • Reconciling with your Google Sheet
• Chapter 2: From journal lines to an unadjusted trial balance
  • What is a journal entry?
  • What is a trial balance?
  • Hands-on workflow
  • Common beginner mistakes (and what LedgerLoom catches)
  • Next chapter
• Chapter 3: Adjusting entries and the adjusted trial balance
  • The big idea
  • Hands-on: add one adjustment
  • Common adjustment mistakes
  • Next chapter
• Chapter 4: Closing entries and the post-close trial balance
  • What LedgerLoom generates
  • Hands-on workflow
  • The invariant LedgerLoom enforces
  • Where we go next