Ledger and transactions
Every artist account has a ledger — a running record of all financial activity. The ledger tracks credits (earnings) and debits (expenses, payments) to maintain an accurate balance.
How the ledger works
Section titled “How the ledger works”The ledger is organized by periods (typically monthly). Each period shows:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Opening balance | Balance carried over from the previous period |
| Credits | Earnings added during this period |
| Debits | Expenses and payments deducted during this period |
| Closing balance | Balance at the end of the period |
Every transaction updates the running total, so the current balance always reflects all activity to date.
Transaction types
Section titled “Transaction types”| Type | Effect | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Earning | Credit (increases balance) | Royalty income from streaming platforms |
| Expense | Debit (decreases balance) | Costs charged to the artist (advances, marketing, etc.) |
| Payment | Debit (decreases balance) | Actual payment made to the artist |
| Adjustment | Credit or debit | Manual corrections or reconciliation entries |
How royalties flow in
Section titled “How royalties flow in”When streaming platforms report earnings:
- LabelGrid processes the platform royalty reports
- Earnings are attributed to releases based on distribution data
- Each artist’s account is credited based on their royalty split percentage configured on the release
- The credited amount appears as an earning transaction in the ledger
For example, if a release earns $100 and an artist has a 50% split, $50 is credited to their account.
Viewing transaction history
Section titled “Viewing transaction history”- Navigate to Royalties → Artist Transactions
- Use filters to narrow results:
- Artist — Select a specific artist
- Type — Filter by earning, expense, payment, or adjustment
- Date range — View transactions for a specific period
- Status — Filter by transaction status
The transaction list shows each entry with its date, type, amount, and running balance after the transaction.
Related guides
Section titled “Related guides”- Artist Accounts — Understanding account balances
- Expenses — How expenses are recorded in the ledger
- Statements and Reports — Period-based summaries of ledger activity
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