Begin with verified source records
Keep a copy of the signed lease and amendments, the agreed rent schedule, statements, bank transactions, payment processor receipts and correspondence. A ledger is a summary of those documents, not a substitute for them.
Record every transaction separately
Use columns for date, rental period, transaction type, description, charge, payment, credit, running balance, receipt reference and notes. Preserve reversals and corrections as new dated lines; don't silently overwrite history.
A useful partial-payment example
Suppose April rent is $1,900. The tenant pays $900 and then $600, with both payments properly applied to April rent. The arithmetic difference is $400. A promised payment should not appear as collected money. Disputed charges, credits, prior balances or applicable rules may alter what can legally be demanded.
Reconcile before taking action
Compare each monthly total against actual bank deposits. Identify missing receipts, rejected transfers, duplicate entries and unapplied credits. Keep the original record and a dated corrected version when needed.
Make the file review-ready
If a qualified professional reviews the matter, prepare a chronological ledger with a linked document index: L-001 lease, P-001 payment receipt, M-001 communication. Include uncertain items and unresolved differences instead of presenting assumptions as facts.
Free roadmap, complete records workflow.
Start with the free printable Georgia process map. When you need organized ledgers, source logs, editable handoff forms and an offline organizer, see the $29 Rental Casebook.
View the full toolkit ↗