Mjara Books

Mjara Books is a free, open-source desktop accounting application designed for freelancers and small business owners. It simplifies invoicing, billing, and accounting with a modern, intuitive interface.

Overview

Mjara Books provides:

• Double-Entry Accounting - Professional bookkeeping
• Invoicing - Create professional invoices
• Payments - Track receivables and payables
• Financial Reports - P&L, Balance Sheet, and more
• Offline First - Works without internet

Why Desktop?

Key Features

Double-Entry Accounting

Professional accounting standards:

• Every transaction has debit and credit
• Automatic balance verification
• Complete audit trail
• Chart of accounts

Invoicing

Create professional invoices:

Invoice Template Builder

Create custom invoice designs:

• HTML-based templates
• Full customization
• Preview before sending
• Save multiple templates

Payments

Track all payments:

• Record payments against invoices
• Partial payment support
• Payment history
• Outstanding tracking

Bills

Manage expenses:

• Enter supplier bills
• Track payables
• Payment scheduling
• Expense categorization

Financial Reports

Available Reports

General Ledger

Complete transaction record:

• All accounts
• Date range filtering
• Transaction details
• Running balances

Profit and Loss Statement

Business profitability:

• Revenue summary
• Expense breakdown
• Net profit/loss
• Period comparison

Balance Sheet

Financial position:

• Assets
• Liabilities
• Equity
• Instant snapshot

Trial Balance

Verify accuracy:

• All account balances
• Debit totals
• Credit totals
• Balance verification

Chart of Accounts

Organize your finances:

Account Types

Default Accounts

Pre-configured accounts:

• Standard chart of accounts
• Industry templates
• Customizable structure
• Add/remove as needed

Journal Entries

Record complex transactions:

Entry Types

Creating Entries

1. Select date
2. Add reference
3. Enter accounts
4. Add amounts
5. Balance debits/credits
6. Save

Workflow

Sales Workflow

Customer → Invoice → Payment → Receipt

Purchase Workflow

Supplier → Bill → Payment → Record

Accounting Cycle

Transactions → Journal → Ledger → Trial Balance → Reports

Quick Commands

Fuzzy search for fast navigation:

• Press Ctrl+K anywhere
• Type action (e.g., "create sales")
• Navigate instantly

Data Management

Local Storage

Your data stays local:

• SQLite database
• File-based storage
• Easy backup
• No cloud required

Backup

Protect your data:

• Regular backups
• Export functionality
• File copy
• Version management

Import/Export

Move data in and out:

• CSV import
• Data export
• Backup restore
• Migration support

Settings

Company Setup

Tax Configuration

Set up taxes:

• Tax rates
• Tax accounts
• Tax reports
• Compliance settings

Supported Platforms

Best Practices

Getting Started

1. Download and install
2. Create new company
3. Set up chart of accounts
4. Add customers and suppliers
5. Create your first invoice
6. Record payments
7. Generate reports