feedback/some proposals concerning stocks and currencies

[Ross Boylan]

On Mon, May 20, 2002 at 10:08:59PM -0000, christoph@meier.tf wrote:
> i suggest some desiderata to gnucash concerning stocks and currencies 
> 
> a) stocks:
> - automated handling / tracking of dividend and brokerage-fees linked to
> individual stocks (in ledger and in reports)
> - automated handling of (realized / not realized) profits and losses (lifo;
> fifo; average ... methode)
> - automated update of price in price-list when buying / selling a stock / bond
> - online quotes for swiss stocks (zurich/virt-x)  ;-)
> 

This inspires me to mention a feature I'd like: the ability to sell
stocks/mutual funds in order based on their basis, rather than
purchase date.  For example, sell x shares, choosing the shares that
result in the smallest (or largest) capital gain.

A complication is that in some cases one may want to restrict
attention to shares acquired before or after a certain date.

Finally, on the handling of dividends, I'm not sure if the "automated
handling" refers to getting electronic statement, or handling after
that point.  Both could be useful.  To take a personal example, I hold
the same mutual fund in several accounts, and with my current software
(Managing Your Money) I have to enter a whole bunch of tiny dividends,
one in each account.  It would be nice to handle that more rapidly,
though because of rounding problems I'm a bit skeptical complete
automation if possible.