Want to write up quick balance sheet, etc. Via tables?

[David Combs]

I need to write up something quick in which I give some
people the bare rudiments of balance sheets and income
statements.

Easy to do in pencil on paper.  Not so easy on a computer,
getting the columns to line up right, etc.  Which is exactly
what I need to do.


You know what a balance sheet looks like:


  ASSETS                     LIABILITIES

cash       20,000          short term debt   89,000
...        ......          ...............   ......  <-- a similar line
...        ......          ...............   ......  <-- a similar line
...        ......          ...............   ......  <-- a similar line

----       ------          ---------------   -----
...        ......          ...............   .....   <--- a total or sub-total 
line




And also pairs (say) of debits and credits:


inventory  34(db)
debt       34(cr)

plus more pairs (or triples) like that.


MY QUESTION:

How to make it easy, almost foolproof, to be able to quickly format
the stuff I type in.


One idea would be to use emacs's TABLE facility.  At least
that way I've ready-made boxes that different parts can
fit into.

Or I suppose I could use tabs, as set to columns I choose.


Any ideas?

If TABLES, I've played with them just a bit, so maybe
some hints would help.  Or maybe there are other table
mechanisms that people use and find reliable, other
than the one that comes with emacs.  You know, maybe
in the wiki or elsewhere.


THANKS SO MUCH!

David