diff --git a/doc/common.m4 b/doc/common.m4
index 4984e52e3..a0c4c1a4d 100644
--- a/doc/common.m4
+++ b/doc/common.m4
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ m4_define({{_reportingoptions_}}, {{
 (using the most recent applicable [market price](journal.html#market-prices), if any)
 
 `--auto`
-: apply [automated posting rules](journal.html#auto-postings-transaction-modifiers) to modify transactions.
+: apply [automated posting rules](journal.html#auto-postings) to modify transactions.
 
 `--forecast`
 : generate future transactions from [periodic transaction](journal.html#periodic-transactions) rules, for the next 6 months or till report end date.
diff --git a/hledger-lib/hledger_journal.m4.md b/hledger-lib/hledger_journal.m4.md
index 4ea866a96..06d9bcda9 100644
--- a/hledger-lib/hledger_journal.m4.md
+++ b/hledger-lib/hledger_journal.m4.md
@@ -796,7 +796,7 @@ so here is a table summarising the directives and their effects, with links to m
 [`include`]:       #including-other-files
 [`P`]:             #market-prices
 [`Y`]:             #default-year
-[`=`]:             #auto-postings-transaction-modifiers
+[`=`]:             #auto-postings
 
 And some definitions:
 
@@ -1424,33 +1424,35 @@ and
 <a name="automated-postings"></a>
 <a name="auto-postings"></a>
 
-## Auto postings / transaction modifiers
+## Auto postings
 
-Transaction modifier rules, AKA auto posting rules, describe changes to be applied automatically to certain matched transactions.
-Currently just one kind of change is possible - adding extra postings, which we call "automated postings" or just "auto postings".
-These rules become active when you use the `--auto` flag.
-
-A transaction modifier rule looks much like a normal transaction
-except the first line is an equals sign followed by a
-[query](hledger.html#queries) that matches certain postings
-(mnemonic: `=` suggests matching).
-And each "posting" is actually a posting-generating rule:
+"Automated postings" or "auto postings" are extra postings which get
+added automatically to transactions which match certain queries,
+defined by "auto posting rules", when you use the `--auto` flag.
 
+An auto posting rule looks a bit like a transaction:
 ```journal
 = QUERY
     ACCOUNT  AMOUNT
-    ACCOUNT  [AMOUNT]
     ...
+    ACCOUNT  [AMOUNT]
 ```
-
-These posting-generating rules look like normal postings, except the amount can be:
+except the first line is an equals sign (mnemonic: `=` suggests matching),
+followed by a [query](hledger.html#queries) (which matches existing postings),
+and each "posting" line describes a posting to be generated, 
+and the posting amounts can be:
 
 - a normal amount with a commodity symbol, eg `$2`. This will be used as-is.
-- a number, eg `2`. The commodity symbol (if any) from the matched posting will be added to this.
-- a numeric multiplier, eg `*2` (a star followed by a number N).  The matched posting's amount (and total price, if any) will be multiplied by N.
-- a multiplier with a commodity symbol, eg `*$2` (a star, number N, and symbol S). The matched posting's amount will be multiplied by N, and its commodity symbol will be replaced with S.
+- a number, eg `2`. The commodity symbol (if any) from the matched
+  posting will be added to this.
+- a numeric multiplier, eg `*2` (a star followed by a number N). The
+  matched posting's amount (and total price, if any) will be
+  multiplied by N.
+- a multiplier with a commodity symbol, eg `*$2` (a star, number N,
+  and symbol S). The matched posting's amount will be multiplied by N,
+  and its commodity symbol will be replaced with S.
 
-A query term containing spaces must be enclosed in single or double
+Any query term containing spaces must be enclosed in single or double
 quotes, as on the command line. Eg, note the quotes around the second query term below:
 ```journal
 = expenses:groceries 'expenses:dining out'
@@ -1505,7 +1507,7 @@ will also be used in the generated posting.
 
 ### Auto postings and transaction balancing / inferred amounts / balance assertions
 
-Currently, transaction modifiers are applied / auto postings are added:
+Currently, auto postings are added:
 
 - after [missing amounts are inferred, and transactions are checked for balancedness](#postings),
 - but before [balance assertions](#balance-assertions) are checked.
@@ -1517,14 +1519,14 @@ background.
 
 ### Auto posting tags
 
-Postings added by transaction modifiers will have some extra [tags](#tags-1):
+Automated postings will have some extra [tags](#tags-1):
 
 - `generated-posting:= QUERY`  - shows this was generated by an auto posting rule, and the query
 - `_generated-posting:= QUERY` - a hidden tag, which does not appear in hledger's output.
                                      This can be used to match postings generated "just now",
                                      rather than generated in the past and saved to the journal.
 
-Also, any transaction that has been changed by transaction modifier rules will have these tags added:
+Also, any transaction that has been changed by auto posting rules will have these tags added:
 
 - `modified:` - this transaction was modified
 - `_modified:` - a hidden tag not appearing in the comment; this transaction was modified "just now".