rebalancing

James LewisMoss jimdres@mindspring.com
21 Nov 2000 12:42:35 -0500


>>>>> On Tue, 21 Nov 2000 02:44:31 -0800, Dave Peticolas <dave@krondo.com> said:

 Dave> Transaction Rebalancing -----------------------

 Dave> Proposal --------

 Dave> 1. Rebalancing should work by computing the imbalance, and then
 Dave>    modifying a specially designated 'imbalance' split to bring
 Dave>    the transaction into balance. If the imbalance split does
 Dave>    not exist one will be created. If it does exist and its
 Dave>    value should be zero for balance, the imbalance split will
 Dave>    be deleted.

 Dave> 2. Rebalancing should only occur when user code requests it,
 Dave>    not automatically. For convenience, the
 Dave>    xaccTransCommitEdit() api should be extended with a flag to
 Dave>    ask for rebalancing, but user code can elect not to
 Dave>    rebalance.

 Dave> 3. The gui should visually identify imbalance splits, and allow
 Dave>    the user to bring up a list of unbalanced transactions.

This is one thing I found cbb doing really well.  As you type along
adding in new split info it automatically puts the amount needed to
"complete" the transaction in the current split.

I found this especially useful for putting in splits for the grocery
store and such places.  I could put in Tax-Sales <some number> press
tab and the next line would have the total minus the Tax-Sales
number.  Then I could put in Household (tape, and light bulbs) <some
number> press tab and the next line would have the total minus the two
numbers and so on.  Till I'd classify everything left (food products
at this point) as "Groceries".

When first encountering gnucash I was very confused.  It kept changing
numbers on me.  I found out though that if I put "groceries" as the
first item and then added items after that it'd take away (or add in
the case of coupons) from that first item: "Groceries".

Anyway.  Just another data point if it's useful.

Jim

-- 
@James LewisMoss <dres@debian.org>      |  Blessed Be!
@    http://jimdres.home.mindspring.com |  Linux is kewl!
@"Argue for your limitations and sure enough, they're yours." Bach