Import Chapter beginning

[David Carlson]

On 8/30/2015 12:57 PM, David Carlson wrote:
> On 8/28/2015 3:47 AM, Geert Janssens wrote:
>> Hi David,
>>
>> I'm unfortunately not using the import features at all so my input is only limited.
>>
>> Having said that I think your draft overview goes in the right direction.
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Geert
>>
>> On Thursday 27 August 2015 15:11:43 David T. wrote:
>>> As discussed recently here, it was suggested that a new chapter for
>>> impoting data should be added to the documentation.
>>>
>>> Since this is a completely new chapter, I am including my very initial
>>> draft here, with the hopes that others can quickly steer me in a
>>> different direction, should that be necessary.
>>>
>>> Furthemore, there are a lot of gaps in my knowledge, as I do not use
>>> many of these import features. I am really only fluent in the QIF and
>>> OFX importers. I would welcome additional input on all the other
>>> modes of import. In addition, I wonder whether this would be a place
>>> to discuss Online banking (HBCI, DirectConnect, etc.).
>>>
>>> Anyway, here is the rudimentary rough draft:
>>>
>>>
>>> Importing Data
>>>
>>> Importing Data into Gnucash
>>>
>>> Gnucash obviously supports the manual entry of transactions, and for
>>> many users, this primary method of entering transactional data into
>>> your Gnucash books will meet all your needs.
>>>
>>> However, there are many times and circumstances when it would be
>>> desirable to import transactions into Gnucash—without having to
>>> manually enter each transaction. Gnucash provides a number of
>>> different import features and formats that will allow you to add
>>> large sets of transactions to a set of books rapidly.
>>>
>>> Import Formats
>>>
>>> Gnucash recognizes many different standard accounting formats:
>>>
>>> ·      QIF – The Quicken® Interchange Format
>>>
>>> ·      OFX/QFX – Open Financial Exchange/Quicken® Financial Exchange
>>> formats
>>>
>>> ·      MT940/MT942 – Deutsche Banking formats
>>>
>>> ·      DTAUS
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Gnucash also includes options to import data related to its business
>>> features: Bills and Invoices and Customers and Vendors.
>>>
>>> Finally, Gnucash supports a more generalized import of Comma-Separated
>>> Value (csv) files, which for a number of reasons will be discussed in
>>> a separate section.
>>>
>>> The Import Process
>>>
>>> In general, any import process boils down to a few broad steps:
>>>
>>> 1)   secure and verify a data source
>>>
>>> 2)   initiate the import process in Gnucash
>>>
>>> 3)   check that the result will be accurate
>>>
>>> 4)   finalize the importation
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Securing and Verifying a Data Source
>>>
>>> Many financial institutions offer their clients the option of
>>> downloading or direct loading their transactions from the
>>> institution’s online services. In the United States, many
>>> institutions offer QIF or OFX/QFX downloads. Please note that each
>>> institution has its own procedures and guidelines regarding the
>>> access of this information, and the user must determine this from the
>>> institution directly.
>>>
>>> For
>>>
>>> Initiating the Import Process
>>>
>>> Once you have the data available for import, select
>>> File->Import->{target format} to initiate the import process. Gnucash
>>> will prompt you for necessary information at each step of the import
>>> (for example, selecting the file to import and the account into which
>>> the transactions will go).
>>>
>>> Verifying the Import
>>>
>>> After Gnucash has prepared the incoming data for import, you will have
>>> an opportunity to verify that the import is accurate, before the
>>> transactions are actually inserted into your data file.
>>>
>>> It is strongly advised that you check the transactions closely and
>>> make sure that they reflect your accounting needs, especially with
>>> regard to assigning accounts.
>>>
>>> There are a number of reasons to do this. First, and most obviously,
>>> it is easier to take the time to assign accounts to the transactions
>>> while they are still isolated in the import; once they are added to
>>> the main books, it will be more difficult to track the transactions
>>> down.
>>>
>>> Another reason to assign accounts during the import process is that
>>> Gnucash uses a matching program that learns from your prior choices.
>>> Each time you assign accounts in the import window, Gnucash gets a
>>> little more accurate in its import mapping.
>>>
>>> Finalizing the Import
>>>
>>> Once you are satisfied with the results in the import window, you
>>> accept the import, and Gnucash places the transactions in the data
>>> file.
>>>
>>> Format Specific Descriptions
>>>
>>> QIF
>>>
>>> OFX
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> gnucash-devel mailing list
>> gnucash-devel at gnucash.org
>> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-devel
> I thought that a couple of years ago I started creating a framework for
> a flow chart to describe the OFX import process that would have been
> general enough to either describe the way the generic importer works now
> for the various file types or to serve to map a way to streamline the
> import process.
>
> Unfortunately, I am not finding it now, but I will keep looking.  I do
> use the OFX importer often and at a minimum I can proofread whatever
> comes from this project.
>
> David C

I did find something that I started a long time ago.  Pages one and two
are a start on an OFX description and the rest is a copy of the old QIF
import description.  I am submitting it as I left it nearly 2 years ago,
but I might be able to fix it up some more in a few days.

David C
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