missing documentation

[Ian Lewis]

How do you keep your own records? I don't keep these in gnucash. Normally I
just keep the bank notes when I withdraw or deposit money. I then download
the transactions from the bank into Gnucash, and "reconcile" against the
records I have. I put quotes around reconcile because I don't actually use
the gnucash reconcile process (I might if I was running a cash drawer or
something). I just check my records with what was downloaded from the bank.
This process saves me from having to input the transactions one by one into
gnucash. I can just download transactions from the bank and then change them
or dispute them where necessary.

In any case if it doesn't work for you, or you don't like doing that then
there is nothing wrong with entering the transactions yourself and
reconciling that against the bank.

Ian

2008/1/5, Thomas Bushnell BSG <tb at becket.net>:
>
>
> On Sat, 2008-01-05 at 10:28 +0900, Ian Lewis wrote:
> > Thomas,
> >
> > Using Direct Connect and importing of QIF files etc. are simply there
> > so you can import the transactions from your bank without having to
> > enter them by hand. This can be a real time saver and doesn't really
> > affect reconciliation. Basically looking at the web interface for your
> > bank and entering transactions based on what's written there and
> > importing from Direct Connect or a QIF is the same. Except that there
> > is less chance for human error and less time spent when importing. You
> > can then reconcile normally.
>
> Ok, that's what I meant by making reconciliation pointless...since you
> are now "reconciling" the same data against itself.
>
> Normally in accounting, reconciling is where you compare your own record
> against the bank's record to make sure they agree.  But if "your own
> record" is just a clone of the bank's record, there isn't any actual
> accuracy check going on.
>
> Thomas
>
>
>