> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.uselim.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Quickstart > Your first journal entry in 5 minutes. # Your First Journal Entry in 5 Minutes Get from zero to a recorded journal entry using the lim CLI. ## Prerequisites * Node.js 24+ * A lim account ([sign up](https://app.uselim.com)) ## Install ```bash npm theme={null} npm install -g @lim-labs/lim ``` ```bash pnpm theme={null} pnpm add -g @lim-labs/lim ``` ## Authenticate ```bash theme={null} lim auth login ``` This opens your browser for OAuth authentication. Once complete, you're logged in. ```bash theme={null} lim auth whoami # => ✅ tsumi@uselim.com (user_01ABC...) ``` ## Create or Select a Company ```bash theme={null} # Create a new company lim companies create --name "My Startup Inc." --slug my-startup-inc # Or list existing companies lim companies list # Inspect the active company profile lim companies show # Set the active company by slug lim companies use my-startup-inc ``` ## Add Your First Journal Entry lim understands natural language. Just describe the transaction: ```bash theme={null} lim add "AWS 11000 yen credit card" ``` ``` ✅ Communication 10,000 / Accounts payable 11,000 Input VAT 1,000 📚 Learned rule for "AWS" (auto-suggest next time) ``` lim automatically: - Identifies the correct accounts (Communication expense + Input VAT) - Decomposes the tax-inclusive amount (10% consumption tax) - Creates a rule so next month's AWS bill is instant ## Add from a Receipt Photo ```bash theme={null} lim add "expense" --file receipt.jpg ``` lim reads the receipt, extracts the vendor, amount, and date, then creates the journal entry. Supported formats: PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP, PDF. ## Check Your Trial Balance ```bash theme={null} lim reports tb --from 2026-01-01 --to 2026-12-31 ``` ``` Trial Balance (2026-01-01 ~ 2026-12-31) ──────────────────────────────────────────────── Account Debit Credit ──────────────────────────────────────────────── Communication 10,000 Input VAT 1,000 Accounts payable 11,000 ──────────────────────────────────────────────── Total 11,000 11,000 ✓ ``` ## What Just Happened? 1. **You described a transaction** in natural language 2. **The Judgment Engine** matched "AWS" to communication expense (rule match) 3. **Tax decomposition** split ¥11,000 into ¥10,000 expense + ¥1,000 VAT 4. **A rule was created** — next time you mention "AWS", lim skips AI entirely 5. **The trial balance** updates in real-time ## Next Steps Learn more about how the judgment engine processes your entries. P\&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow, and more. Connect Claude Code to automate accounting. Full command reference.