diff --git a/conservancy_beancount/reports/accrual.py b/conservancy_beancount/reports/accrual.py
index 07c154f7c2287d63169291d4c777400cef3bf2a6..9c960fc739da43b7d8e3b011285e965bc1350209 100644
--- a/conservancy_beancount/reports/accrual.py
+++ b/conservancy_beancount/reports/accrual.py
@@ -623,13 +623,6 @@ class ReportType(enum.Enum):
     OUT = OUTGOING
     OUTGOINGS = OUTGOING
 
-    @classmethod
-    def by_name(cls, name: str) -> 'ReportType':
-        try:
-            return cls[name.upper()]
-        except KeyError:
-            raise ValueError(f"unknown report type {name!r}") from None
-
 
 def filter_search(postings: Iterable[data.Posting],
                   search_terms: Iterable[cliutil.SearchTerm],
@@ -644,12 +637,14 @@ def parse_arguments(arglist: Optional[Sequence[str]]=None) -> argparse.Namespace
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(prog=PROGNAME)
     cliutil.add_version_argument(parser)
     cliutil.add_rewrite_rules_argument(parser)
+    report_type_arg = cliutil.EnumArgument(ReportType)
     parser.add_argument(
         '--report-type', '-t',
         metavar='NAME',
-        type=ReportType.by_name,
-        help="""The type of report to generate, one of `aging`, `balance`, or
-`outgoing`. If not specified, the default is `aging` when no search terms are
+        type=report_type_arg.enum_type,
+        help=f"""The type of report to generate.
+Choices are {report_type_arg.choices_str()}.
+If not specified, the default is `aging` when no search terms are
 given, `outgoing` for search terms that return a single outstanding payable,
 and `balance` any other time.
 """)
diff --git a/tests/test_reports_accrual.py b/tests/test_reports_accrual.py
index ecfa8ece0e576c08bc5f8e676ed1406d83d3e0f3..2f48915603b76ecf371454f1787196a25c1e6eb6 100644
--- a/tests/test_reports_accrual.py
+++ b/tests/test_reports_accrual.py
@@ -242,30 +242,6 @@ def test_filter_search(accrual_postings, search_terms, expect_count, check_func)
     for post in actual:
         assert check_func(post)
 
-@pytest.mark.parametrize('arg,expected', [
-    ('aging', accrual.AgingReport),
-    ('balance', accrual.BalanceReport),
-    ('outgoing', accrual.OutgoingReport),
-    ('age', accrual.AgingReport),
-    ('bal', accrual.BalanceReport),
-    ('out', accrual.OutgoingReport),
-    ('outgoings', accrual.OutgoingReport),
-])
-def test_report_type_by_name(arg, expected):
-    assert accrual.ReportType.by_name(arg.lower()).value is expected
-    assert accrual.ReportType.by_name(arg.title()).value is expected
-    assert accrual.ReportType.by_name(arg.upper()).value is expected
-
-@pytest.mark.parametrize('arg', [
-    'unknown',
-    'blance',
-    'outgong',
-])
-def test_report_type_by_unknown_name(arg):
-    # Raising ValueError helps argparse generate good messages.
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
-        accrual.ReportType.by_name(arg)
-
 @pytest.mark.parametrize('acct_name,invoice,day', testutil.combine_values(
     INVOICE_ACCOUNTS,
     ['FIXME', '', None, *testutil.NON_STRING_METADATA_VALUES],