diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Account.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Account.hs
index c47d43c35..74365dfa5 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Account.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Data/Account.hs
@@ -52,10 +52,12 @@ nullacct = Account
   , aboring = False
   }
 
--- | Derive 1. an account tree and 2. their total changes from a list of postings.
--- (ledger's core feature). The accounts are returned in a list, but
---- also reference each other as a tree structure; the first account is
---- the root of the tree.
+-- | Derive 1. an account tree and 2. each account's total exclusive
+-- and inclusive changes from a list of postings.
+-- This is the core of the balance command (and of *ledger).
+-- The accounts are returned as a list in flattened tree order,
+-- and also reference each other as a tree.
+-- (The first account is the root of the tree.)
 accountsFromPostings :: [Posting] -> [Account]
 accountsFromPostings ps =
   let
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/BalanceReport.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/BalanceReport.hs
index 1cb1a7e45..b7a80992e 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/BalanceReport.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/BalanceReport.hs
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances, ScopedTypeVariables, OverloadedStrings #-}
 {-|
 
 Balance report, used by the balance command.
@@ -12,10 +11,11 @@ Balance report, used by the balance command.
 
 
 
+{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances, ScopedTypeVariables, OverloadedStrings #-}
+
 module Hledger.Reports.BalanceReport (
   BalanceReport,
   BalanceReportItem,
-  RenderableAccountName,
   balanceReport,
   balanceReportValue,
   mixedAmountValue,
@@ -46,22 +46,23 @@ import Hledger.Reports.ReportOptions
 
 -- | A simple single-column balance report. It has:
 --
--- 1. a list of rows, each containing a renderable account name and a corresponding amount
+-- 1. a list of items, one per account, each containing:
+--
+--   * the full account name
+--
+--   * the Ledger-style elided short account name
+--     (the leaf account name, prefixed by any boring parents immediately above);
+--     or with --flat, the full account name again
+--
+--   * the number of indentation steps for rendering a Ledger-style account tree,
+--     taking into account elided boring parents, --no-elide and --flat
+--
+--   * an amount
+--
+-- 2. the total of all amounts
 --
--- 2. the final total of the amounts
 type BalanceReport = ([BalanceReportItem], MixedAmount)
-type BalanceReportItem = (RenderableAccountName, MixedAmount)
-
--- | A renderable account name includes some additional hints for rendering accounts in a balance report.
--- It has:
---
--- * The full account name
---
--- * The ledger-style short elided account name (the leaf name, prefixed by any boring parents immediately above)
---
--- * The number of indentation steps to use when rendering a ledger-style account tree
---   (normally the 0-based depth of this account excluding boring parents, or 0 with --flat).
-type RenderableAccountName = (AccountName, AccountName, Int)
+type BalanceReportItem = (AccountName, AccountName, Int, MixedAmount)
 
 -- | When true (the default), this makes balance --flat reports and their implementation clearer.
 -- Single/multi-col balance reports currently aren't all correct if this is false.
@@ -104,10 +105,10 @@ balanceReport opts q j = (items, total)
             prunezeros  = if empty_ opts then id else fromMaybe nullacct . pruneAccounts (isZeroMixedAmount . balance)
             markboring  = if no_elide_ opts then id else markBoringParentAccounts
       items = dbg1 "items" $ map (balanceReportItem opts q) accts'
-      total | not (flat_ opts) = dbg1 "total" $ sum [amt | ((_,_,indent),amt) <- items, indent == 0]
+      total | not (flat_ opts) = dbg1 "total" $ sum [amt | (_,_,indent,amt) <- items, indent == 0]
             | otherwise        = dbg1 "total" $
                                  if flatShowsExclusiveBalance
-                                 then sum $ map snd items
+                                 then sum $ map fourth4 items
                                  else sum $ map aebalance $ clipAccountsAndAggregate 1 accts'
 
 -- | In an account tree with zero-balance leaves removed, mark the
@@ -121,8 +122,8 @@ markBoringParentAccounts = tieAccountParents . mapAccounts mark
 
 balanceReportItem :: ReportOpts -> Query -> Account -> BalanceReportItem
 balanceReportItem opts q a
-  | flat_ opts = ((name, name,       0),      (if flatShowsExclusiveBalance then aebalance else aibalance) a)
-  | otherwise  = ((name, elidedname, indent), aibalance a)
+  | flat_ opts = (name, name,       0,      (if flatShowsExclusiveBalance then aebalance else aibalance) a)
+  | otherwise  = (name, elidedname, indent, aibalance a)
   where
     name | queryDepth q > 0 = aname a
          | otherwise        = "..."
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ balanceReportValue j d r = r'
   where
     (items,total) = r
     r' = dbg8 "balanceReportValue"
-         ([(n, mixedAmountValue j d a) |(n,a) <- items], mixedAmountValue j d total)
+         ([(n, n', i, mixedAmountValue j d a) |(n,n',i,a) <- items], mixedAmountValue j d total)
 
 mixedAmountValue :: Journal -> Day -> MixedAmount -> MixedAmount
 mixedAmountValue j d (Mixed as) = Mixed $ map (amountValue j d) as
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ tests_balanceReport =
     (opts,journal) `gives` r = do
       let (eitems, etotal) = r
           (aitems, atotal) = balanceReport opts (queryFromOpts nulldate opts) journal
-          showw (acct,amt) = (acct, showMixedAmountDebug amt)
+          showw (acct,acct',indent,amt) = (acct, acct', indent, showMixedAmountDebug amt)
       assertEqual "items" (map showw eitems) (map showw aitems)
       assertEqual "total" (showMixedAmountDebug etotal) (showMixedAmountDebug atotal)
     usd0 = usd 0
@@ -200,36 +201,36 @@ tests_balanceReport =
   ,"balanceReport with no args on sample journal" ~: do
    (defreportopts, samplejournal) `gives`
     ([
-      (("assets","assets",0), mamountp' "$-1.00")
-     ,(("assets:bank:saving","bank:saving",1), mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("assets:cash","cash",1), mamountp' "$-2.00")
-     ,(("expenses","expenses",0), mamountp' "$2.00")
-     ,(("expenses:food","food",1), mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("expenses:supplies","supplies",1), mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("income","income",0), mamountp' "$-2.00")
-     ,(("income:gifts","gifts",1), mamountp' "$-1.00")
-     ,(("income:salary","salary",1), mamountp' "$-1.00")
-     ,(("liabilities:debts","liabilities:debts",0), mamountp' "$1.00")
+      ("assets","assets",0, mamountp' "$-1.00")
+     ,("assets:bank:saving","bank:saving",1, mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("assets:cash","cash",1, mamountp' "$-2.00")
+     ,("expenses","expenses",0, mamountp' "$2.00")
+     ,("expenses:food","food",1, mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("expenses:supplies","supplies",1, mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("income","income",0, mamountp' "$-2.00")
+     ,("income:gifts","gifts",1, mamountp' "$-1.00")
+     ,("income:salary","salary",1, mamountp' "$-1.00")
+     ,("liabilities:debts","liabilities:debts",0, mamountp' "$1.00")
      ],
      Mixed [usd0])
 
   ,"balanceReport with --depth=N" ~: do
    (defreportopts{depth_=Just 1}, samplejournal) `gives`
     ([
-      (("assets",      "assets",      0), mamountp' "$-1.00")
-     ,(("expenses",    "expenses",    0), mamountp'  "$2.00")
-     ,(("income",      "income",      0), mamountp' "$-2.00")
-     ,(("liabilities", "liabilities", 0), mamountp'  "$1.00")
+      ("assets",      "assets",      0, mamountp' "$-1.00")
+     ,("expenses",    "expenses",    0, mamountp'  "$2.00")
+     ,("income",      "income",      0, mamountp' "$-2.00")
+     ,("liabilities", "liabilities", 0, mamountp'  "$1.00")
      ],
      Mixed [usd0])
 
   ,"balanceReport with depth:N" ~: do
    (defreportopts{query_="depth:1"}, samplejournal) `gives`
     ([
-      (("assets",      "assets",      0), mamountp' "$-1.00")
-     ,(("expenses",    "expenses",    0), mamountp'  "$2.00")
-     ,(("income",      "income",      0), mamountp' "$-2.00")
-     ,(("liabilities", "liabilities", 0), mamountp'  "$1.00")
+      ("assets",      "assets",      0, mamountp' "$-1.00")
+     ,("expenses",    "expenses",    0, mamountp'  "$2.00")
+     ,("income",      "income",      0, mamountp' "$-2.00")
+     ,("liabilities", "liabilities", 0, mamountp'  "$1.00")
      ],
      Mixed [usd0])
 
@@ -239,32 +240,32 @@ tests_balanceReport =
      Mixed [nullamt])
    (defreportopts{query_="date2:'in 2009'"}, samplejournal2) `gives`
     ([
-      (("assets:bank:checking","assets:bank:checking",0),mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("income:salary","income:salary",0),mamountp' "$-1.00")
+      ("assets:bank:checking","assets:bank:checking",0,mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("income:salary","income:salary",0,mamountp' "$-1.00")
      ],
      Mixed [usd0])
 
   ,"balanceReport with desc:" ~: do
    (defreportopts{query_="desc:income"}, samplejournal) `gives`
     ([
-      (("assets:bank:checking","assets:bank:checking",0),mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("income:salary","income:salary",0), mamountp' "$-1.00")
+      ("assets:bank:checking","assets:bank:checking",0,mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("income:salary","income:salary",0, mamountp' "$-1.00")
      ],
      Mixed [usd0])
 
   ,"balanceReport with not:desc:" ~: do
    (defreportopts{query_="not:desc:income"}, samplejournal) `gives`
     ([
-      (("assets","assets",0), mamountp' "$-2.00")
-     ,(("assets:bank","bank",1), Mixed [usd0])
-     ,(("assets:bank:checking","checking",2),mamountp' "$-1.00")
-     ,(("assets:bank:saving","saving",2), mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("assets:cash","cash",1), mamountp' "$-2.00")
-     ,(("expenses","expenses",0), mamountp' "$2.00")
-     ,(("expenses:food","food",1), mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("expenses:supplies","supplies",1), mamountp' "$1.00")
-     ,(("income:gifts","income:gifts",0), mamountp' "$-1.00")
-     ,(("liabilities:debts","liabilities:debts",0), mamountp' "$1.00")
+      ("assets","assets",0, mamountp' "$-2.00")
+     ,("assets:bank","bank",1, Mixed [usd0])
+     ,("assets:bank:checking","checking",2,mamountp' "$-1.00")
+     ,("assets:bank:saving","saving",2, mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("assets:cash","cash",1, mamountp' "$-2.00")
+     ,("expenses","expenses",0, mamountp' "$2.00")
+     ,("expenses:food","food",1, mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("expenses:supplies","supplies",1, mamountp' "$1.00")
+     ,("income:gifts","income:gifts",0, mamountp' "$-1.00")
+     ,("liabilities:debts","liabilities:debts",0, mamountp' "$1.00")
      ],
      Mixed [usd0])
 
diff --git a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReports.hs b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReports.hs
index 9211640c1..49ec93489 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReports.hs
+++ b/hledger-lib/Hledger/Reports/MultiBalanceReports.hs
@@ -32,32 +32,34 @@ import Hledger.Reports.BalanceReport
 
 -- | A multi balance report is a balance report with one or more columns. It has:
 --
--- 1. a list of each column's date span
+-- 1. a list of each column's period (date span)
 --
--- 2. a list of rows, each containing a renderable account name and the amounts to show in each column
+-- 2. a list of row items, each containing:
 --
--- 3. a list of each column's final total
+--   * the full account name
+--
+--   * the leaf account name
+--
+--   * the account's depth
+--
+--   * the amounts to show in each column
+--
+--   * the total of the row's amounts
+--
+--   * the average of the row's amounts
+--
+-- 3. the column totals and the overall total and average
 --
 -- The meaning of the amounts depends on the type of multi balance
 -- report, of which there are three: periodic, cumulative and historical
 -- (see 'BalanceType' and "Hledger.Cli.Balance").
-newtype MultiBalanceReport = MultiBalanceReport ([DateSpan]
-                                                ,[MultiBalanceReportRow]
-                                                ,MultiBalanceTotalsRow
-                                                )
-
--- | A row in a multi balance report has
---
--- * An account name, with rendering hints
---
--- * A list of amounts to be shown in each of the report's columns.
---
--- * The total of the row amounts.
---
--- * The average of the row amounts.
-type MultiBalanceReportRow = (RenderableAccountName, [MixedAmount], MixedAmount, MixedAmount)
-
-type MultiBalanceTotalsRow = ([MixedAmount], MixedAmount, MixedAmount)
+newtype MultiBalanceReport =
+  MultiBalanceReport ([DateSpan]
+                     ,[MultiBalanceReportRow]
+                     ,MultiBalanceReportTotals
+                     )
+type MultiBalanceReportRow    = (AccountName, AccountName, Int, [MixedAmount], MixedAmount, MixedAmount)
+type MultiBalanceReportTotals = ([MixedAmount], MixedAmount, MixedAmount)
 
 instance Show MultiBalanceReport where
     -- use ppShow to break long lists onto multiple lines
@@ -125,7 +127,7 @@ multiBalanceReport opts q j = MultiBalanceReport (displayspans, items, totalsrow
       postedAccts :: [AccountName] = dbg1 "postedAccts" $ sort $ accountNamesFromPostings ps
 
       -- starting balances and accounts from transactions before the report start date
-      startacctbals = dbg1 "startacctbals" $ map (\((a,_,_),b) -> (a,b)) startbalanceitems
+      startacctbals = dbg1 "startacctbals" $ map (\(a,_,_,b) -> (a,b)) startbalanceitems
           where
             (startbalanceitems,_) = dbg1 "starting balance report" $ balanceReport opts' precedingq j
                                     where
@@ -152,7 +154,7 @@ multiBalanceReport opts q j = MultiBalanceReport (displayspans, items, totalsrow
 
       items :: [MultiBalanceReportRow] =
           dbg1 "items"
-          [((a, accountLeafName a, accountNameLevel a), displayedBals, rowtot, rowavg)
+          [(a, accountLeafName a, accountNameLevel a, displayedBals, rowtot, rowavg)
            | (a,changes) <- acctBalChanges
            , let displayedBals = case balancetype_ opts of
                                   HistoricalBalance -> drop 1 $ scanl (+) (startingBalanceFor a) changes
@@ -167,12 +169,12 @@ multiBalanceReport opts q j = MultiBalanceReport (displayspans, items, totalsrow
           -- dbg1 "totals" $
           map sum balsbycol
           where
-            balsbycol = transpose [bs | ((a,_,_),bs,_,_) <- items, not (tree_ opts) || a `elem` highestlevelaccts]
+            balsbycol = transpose [bs | (a,_,_,bs,_,_) <- items, not (tree_ opts) || a `elem` highestlevelaccts]
             highestlevelaccts     =
                 dbg1 "highestlevelaccts"
                 [a | a <- displayedAccts, not $ any (`elem` displayedAccts) $ init $ expandAccountName a]
 
-      totalsrow :: MultiBalanceTotalsRow =
+      totalsrow :: MultiBalanceReportTotals =
           dbg1 "totalsrow"
           (totals, sum totals, averageMixedAmounts totals)
 
@@ -188,7 +190,7 @@ multiBalanceReportValue j d r = r'
     MultiBalanceReport (spans, rows, (coltotals, rowtotaltotal, rowavgtotal)) = r
     r' = MultiBalanceReport
          (spans,
-          [(n, map convert rowamts, convert rowtotal, convert rowavg) | (n, rowamts, rowtotal, rowavg) <- rows],
+          [(acct, acct', depth, map convert rowamts, convert rowtotal, convert rowavg) | (acct, acct', depth, rowamts, rowtotal, rowavg) <- rows],
           (map convert coltotals, convert rowtotaltotal, convert rowavgtotal))
     convert = mixedAmountValue j d
 
diff --git a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
index 67b494441..cb416381c 100644
--- a/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
+++ b/hledger-ui/Hledger/UI/AccountsScreen.hs
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ asInit d reset ui@UIState{
     (items,_total) = convert $ balanceReport ropts' q j
 
     -- pre-render the list items
-    displayitem ((fullacct, shortacct, indent), bal) =
+    displayitem (fullacct, shortacct, indent, bal) =
       AccountsScreenItem{asItemIndentLevel        = indent
                         ,asItemAccountName        = fullacct
                         ,asItemDisplayAccountName = replaceHiddenAccountsNameWith "All" $ if flat_ ropts' then fullacct else shortacct
diff --git a/hledger-web/Handler/Common.hs b/hledger-web/Handler/Common.hs
index f4a448f97..7fb42179b 100644
--- a/hledger-web/Handler/Common.hs
+++ b/hledger-web/Handler/Common.hs
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ balanceReportAsHtml _ vd@VD{..} (items',total) =
    inacctmatcher = inAccountQuery qopts
    items = items' -- maybe items' (\m -> filter (matchesAccount m . \(a,_,_,_)->a) items') showacctmatcher
    itemAsHtml :: ViewData -> BalanceReportItem -> HtmlUrl AppRoute
-   itemAsHtml _ ((acct, adisplay, aindent), abal) = [hamlet|
+   itemAsHtml _ (acct, adisplay, aindent, abal) = [hamlet|
 <tr.item.#{inacctclass}>
  <td.account.#{depthclass}>
   \#{indent}
diff --git a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
index fb37c9e0d..9d26559b6 100644
--- a/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
+++ b/hledger/Hledger/Cli/Balance.hs
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ balance opts@CliOpts{reportopts_=ropts} j = do
 balanceReportAsCsv :: ReportOpts -> BalanceReport -> CSV
 balanceReportAsCsv opts (items, total) =
   ["account","balance"] :
-  [[T.unpack a, showMixedAmountOneLineWithoutPrice b] | ((a, _, _), b) <- items]
+  [[T.unpack a, showMixedAmountOneLineWithoutPrice b] | (a, _, _, b) <- items]
   ++
   if no_total_ opts
   then []
@@ -353,7 +353,7 @@ balanceReportAsText opts ((items, total)) = unlines $ concat lines ++ t
                Right fmt ->
                 let
                   -- abuse renderBalanceReportItem to render the total with similar format
-                  acctcolwidth = maximum' [T.length fullname | ((fullname, _, _), _) <- items]
+                  acctcolwidth = maximum' [T.length fullname | (fullname, _, _, _) <- items]
                   totallines = map rstrip $ renderBalanceReportItem fmt (T.replicate (acctcolwidth+1) " ", 0, total)
                   -- with a custom format, extend the line to the full report width;
                   -- otherwise show the usual 20-char line for compatibility
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ This implementation turned out to be a bit convoluted but implements the followi
 -- differently-priced quantities of the same commodity will appear merged.
 -- The output will be one or more lines depending on the format and number of commodities.
 balanceReportItemAsText :: ReportOpts -> StringFormat -> BalanceReportItem -> [String]
-balanceReportItemAsText opts fmt ((_, accountName, depth), amt) =
+balanceReportItemAsText opts fmt (_, accountName, depth, amt) =
   renderBalanceReportItem fmt (
     maybeAccountNameDrop opts accountName,
     depth,
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ multiBalanceReportAsCsv opts (MultiBalanceReport (colspans, items, (coltotals,to
    (amts
     ++ (if row_total_ opts then [rowtot] else [])
     ++ (if average_ opts then [rowavg] else []))
-  | ((a,a',i), amts, rowtot, rowavg) <- items]
+  | (a,a',i, amts, rowtot, rowavg) <- items]
   ++
   if no_total_ opts
   then []
@@ -486,11 +486,11 @@ periodBalanceReportAsText opts r@(MultiBalanceReport (colspans, items, (coltotal
     items' | empty_ opts = items
            | otherwise   = items -- dbg1 "2" $ filter (any (not . isZeroMixedAmount) . snd) $ dbg1 "1" items
     accts = map renderacct items'
-    renderacct ((a,a',i),_,_,_)
+    renderacct (a,a',i,_,_,_)
       | tree_ opts = T.replicate ((i-1)*2) " " <> a'
       | otherwise  = maybeAccountNameDrop opts a
     acctswidth = maximum' $ map textWidth accts
-    rowvals (_,as,rowtot,rowavg) = as
+    rowvals (_,_,_,as,rowtot,rowavg) = as
                                    ++ (if row_total_ opts then [rowtot] else [])
                                    ++ (if average_ opts then [rowavg] else [])
     addtotalrow | no_total_ opts = id
@@ -518,11 +518,11 @@ cumulativeBalanceReportAsText opts r@(MultiBalanceReport (colspans, items, (colt
                   ++ (if row_total_ opts then ["  Total"] else [])
                   ++ (if average_ opts then ["Average"] else [])
     accts = map renderacct items
-    renderacct ((a,a',i),_,_,_)
+    renderacct (a,a',i,_,_,_)
       | tree_ opts = replicate ((i-1)*2) ' ' ++ T.unpack a'
       | otherwise  = T.unpack $ maybeAccountNameDrop opts a
     acctswidth = maximum' $ map strWidth accts
-    rowvals (_,as,rowtot,rowavg) = as
+    rowvals (_,_,_,as,rowtot,rowavg) = as
                                    ++ (if row_total_ opts then [rowtot] else [])
                                    ++ (if average_ opts then [rowavg] else [])
     addtotalrow | no_total_ opts = id
@@ -550,11 +550,11 @@ historicalBalanceReportAsText opts r@(MultiBalanceReport (colspans, items, (colt
                   ++ (if row_total_ opts then ["  Total"] else [])
                   ++ (if average_ opts then ["Average"] else [])
     accts = map renderacct items
-    renderacct ((a,a',i),_,_,_)
+    renderacct (a,a',i,_,_,_)
       | tree_ opts = replicate ((i-1)*2) ' ' ++ T.unpack a'
       | otherwise  = T.unpack $ maybeAccountNameDrop opts a
     acctswidth = maximum' $ map strWidth accts
-    rowvals (_,as,rowtot,rowavg) = as
+    rowvals (_,_,_,as,rowtot,rowavg) = as
                              ++ (if row_total_ opts then [rowtot] else [])
                              ++ (if average_ opts then [rowavg] else [])
     addtotalrow | no_total_ opts = id