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Logs
A log is the core building block of Anchorline.
Think of a log as a record that shows how something changed over time. Whether you are tracking money moving in and out or building a list of things you own, logs help you see both where you are now and how you got there.
If you understand logs, you understand how Anchorline works.
What a log is
A log is not a spreadsheet, a folder, or a snapshot.
It is a record of what happened, stored in order. Every time something changes, that change gets recorded. You can always see what the current state is, and you can always look back through the history to see how you got there.
A log answers the question: what happened, and in what order?
What a log is for
You create a log when you want to track something that changes over time.
That might be money moving through accounts, items being added to a collection, or tasks progressing through stages. Each log stays focused on one thing, so its history tells a clear story.
If two things do not belong on the same record, they should not be in the same log.
Two types of logs
Anchorline has two types of logs, each designed for different kinds of tracking.
Balanced logs track value
Balanced logs are for tracking things that have a running balance. Money, points, hours, or anything where you need to know how much you have.
Good for: checking accounts, savings goals, budgets, subscriptions, points, time tracking
When you use a balanced log:
- You add value when it comes in from outside
- You spend value when it goes out
- You transfer value between logs you control
- Anchorline keeps a running balance and makes sure you never spend more than you have
Balanced logs need a unit (like USD, hours, or points) that defines what you are tracking.
You see your current balance at the top, and below that a table of all your entries showing the amount, date, and details for each transaction.
Collection logs track things
Collection logs are for tracking items you want to organize and keep searchable. Books, gear, contacts, tasks, or any collection where things get added, updated, or removed.
Good for: home inventory, collections, reading lists, repairs & maintenance, photos, contacts, events
When you use a collection log:
- You add items to the collection
- You link existing items from other logs
- You unlink items you no longer need
- You can update details about items without losing history
Collection logs do not have balances. They just keep track of what belongs to the collection.
You see a table of all your items with their details, and you can search, filter, and sort to find what you need.
How logs change
You do not edit a log directly.
Logs change when you record something new. For balanced logs, this means recording transactions (adding money, spending it, or moving it between logs). For collection logs, this means adding items, linking them, updating their details, or removing them.
Each entry gets added with a date and any relevant details. If you made a mistake, you record what happened next rather than erasing what came before.
This keeps your history complete and honest.
Why you can trust what you see
When you look at a balanced log, the balance you see is calculated from all the entries below it.
Anchorline adds up every transaction from the beginning to show you the current total. This means the balance and the entries always match—they cannot get out of sync.
If you want to know where a number came from, you can scroll through the entries and see exactly which transactions contributed to it.
For collection logs, the items you see are built from the record of what was added, linked, and unlinked over time.
Organizing logs
Logs can be organized to match how you think about them.
You can create parent and child logs. For example, you might have a Budget log as the parent, with Groceries and Gas as child logs underneath.
For balanced logs, child logs inherit the same unit as their parent. You can move value from parent to child, which helps you break down tracking without losing sight of the big picture.
You can also group logs into directories to keep related logs together.
What makes logs different
Logs are different from spreadsheets, notes, or tables because they optimize for clarity and trust over convenience.
You cannot just change a number. You record what actually happened. This makes corrections visible and keeps you honest about what changed and when.
You can see how you got here. The entries are always there. You are never looking at a result you cannot explain.
Mistakes do not disappear. If you record something wrong, you fix it by recording what happened next. This keeps your record complete and transparent.
This approach takes a little more intention than quick edits, but it gives you confidence that your data tells the truth.
Common log properties
Every log has:
- A name that describes what it tracks
- A unique identifier (called a slug) used in URLs
- Visibility settings so you can keep logs private, share them with specific people, or make them public
- Status that shows whether the log is active, closed, or archived
Balanced logs also have:
- A unit that defines what is being tracked (like USD, hours, or a custom unit you create)
- A balance showing the current total, how much is allocated to child logs, and how much is available
Collection logs can have:
- Templates that define what fields items should have
- Custom fields to track details specific to your collection
Where to go next
Now that you understand logs:
- Read Balanced Logs to see how value tracking works in practice
- Read Collection Logs to see how item tracking works in practice
- Try Create your first log if you learn better by doing
The rest of Anchorline builds on these ideas. Once logs make sense, everything else follows naturally.