Chapter 2. The Basics

Table of Contents

2.1. Accounting Concepts
2.1.1. The 5 Basic Accounts
2.1.2. The Accounting Equation
2.1.3. Debits and Credits
2.1.4. Double Entry
2.2. Data Entry Concepts
2.2.1. Files
2.2.2. Accounts
2.2.3. Transactions
2.3. Running GnuCash
2.3.1. Welcome to GnuCash dialog
2.3.2. New Account Hierarchy Setup
2.3.3. Tip of the Day
2.3.4. Account Tree Window
2.3.5. Account Register Window
2.3.6. Toolbar Buttons
2.3.7. Tab Bar
2.3.8. Menu Items
2.3.9. Menu Shortcuts
2.4. Storing your financial data
2.4.1. Overview
2.4.2. Storage Comparison and Recommendations
2.4.3. Storage Comparison Table
2.4.4. Creating a file
2.4.5. Saving data
2.4.6. Opening data
2.4.7. Duplicating an Account Hierarchy
2.5. Backing Up and Recovering Data
2.5.1. Backup file (.gnucash)
2.5.2. Log file (.log)
2.5.3. Lock files (.LNK and .LCK)
2.5.4. File Management
2.6. Migrating GnuCash data
2.6.1. Migrating financial data
2.6.2. Migrating preferences data
2.7. Putting It All Together
2.8. Accounts
2.8.1. Basic Accounting Concepts
2.8.2. GnuCash Accounts
2.8.3. Putting It All Together
2.9. Transactions
2.9.1. Basic Concepts
2.9.2. The Account Register
2.9.3. Simple vs. Split Transactions
2.9.4. Reconciliation
2.9.5. Scheduled Transactions
2.9.6. Putting It All Together

This chapter will introduce some of the basics of using GnuCash. It is recommended that you read through this chapter, before starting to do any real work with GnuCash. Next chapters will begin to show you hands on examples.