Workbook Project Layout (Files and Folders)

This page explains how a LedgerLoom workbook project is organized on disk.

You do not need to be a programmer. Think of this as “a folder with a few files.”

Big picture: inputs → outputs

  • You put inputs (CSV tables + a small config file) in a project folder.

  • LedgerLoom reads them and writes outputs (artifact CSVs) into an outputs/ folder.

A typical workbook project looks like this:

my_books/
  ledgerloom.yaml
  config/
    chart_of_accounts.yaml
  inputs/
    2026-01/
      transactions.csv
      adjustments.csv
  outputs/
    run1/
      artifacts/
        entries.csv
        trial_balance_unadjusted.csv
        trial_balance_adjusted.csv
        closing_entries.csv
        trial_balance_post_close.csv
      manifest.json
      run_meta.json

What each part means

ledgerloom.yaml

The project configuration. It tells LedgerLoom what “profile” you’re using (for this workbook: workbook) and where your inputs live.

config/chart_of_accounts.yaml

Your chart of accounts. This is where accounts are typed (Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, Expenses, Dividends/Draws).

inputs/<period>/transactions.csv

Your transaction table (the “raw events” you enter or export from a sheet).

inputs/<period>/adjustments.csv

Your adjusting entries table (often empty at the start of Chapter 1).

outputs/<run_id>/artifacts/

The CSV results LedgerLoom generates. These are meant to be opened in Excel/Sheets and compared to your workbook.

What is a run_id?

A run_id is just a name for “this run of the pipeline.”

Example:

  • run1 (first attempt)

  • run2_fix_sign_error (after you fix a mistake)

  • week3_submission (when you submit)

Using a new run_id is useful because you keep old results for comparison.

What are “artifacts” and why do we care?

Artifacts are the “official outputs” of the accounting pipeline.

They help you answer:

  • What did my journal entries normalize into?

  • What do postings look like account-by-account?

  • Do my temporary accounts close properly?

  • Does the post-close TB contain only Balance Sheet accounts?

Artifacts are also easy to grade and review because:

  • they are stable

  • they are shareable

  • they can be regenerated from inputs

Common workflow (what you actually do)

  1. Create a project folder:

ledgerloom init --profile workbook my_books

  1. Run checks (fast sanity checks):

ledgerloom check --project my_books --run-id run1

  1. Build artifacts:

ledgerloom build --project my_books --run-id run1

  1. Open artifacts in Excel/Sheets and compare.

If something is wrong, don’t panic

LedgerLoom failing a check is not “bad”—it’s feedback.

Typical beginner mistakes:

  • a debit/credit swap

  • a sign flip (positive vs negative)

  • an account name typo

  • an account placed in the wrong type (e.g., Revenue vs Asset)

Fix the input table, run again with a new run_id, and compare.

Next: Student Quick Start

Go to:

Student Quick Start (Linux, Windows, macOS)