[GNC-dev] Further feedback

[Stephen M. Butler]

On 2/3/19 3:35 AM, Christopher Lam wrote:
>
> Hi Stephen
>
> If possible I'd be grateful if you would check my branch
> maint-scheme-progress
>
>   * cd gnucash
>   * git fetch --all
>   * git checkout chris/maint-scheme-progress
>   * dpkg etc (note there will be gnc-date error - ignore)
>
> Main issues for feedback:
>
>   * Reconciliation report modified header hopefully is satisfactory
>
> Thank you, your (and house accountant) feedback *very* much appreciated!
>
git describe
3.4-104-gacbcc6a1a

Reconciliation report.  Looks like I can no longer select the date for
the reconciliation.  I had done one a few days ago.  At this point it
showed only the un-reconciled transactions. 

This summary at the top was interesting (I selected a parent with 3
children):

Account          Starting     Reconciled   Ending
BECU              $0.00        $0.00            $0.00
Checking        $1,591.23  $1,591.23     $4,039.74
Money Market $1,004.44  $1,004.44    $17,004.61
Savings           $454.09    $454.09       $486.21

With apologies to wm, and warning therefore that TMI is forthcoming (wm,
skip to next email to avoid being offended).

At first I was expecting the Reconciled column to show what had been
reconciled in the last pass.  However, it shows everything that had been
reconciled up to that point.  My question now is, when would those first
two columns be different after the first reconciliation?

The Ending column appears to go into the future.  My checking register
has upcoming entries that I know will happen so I an forecast if the
account will be overdrawn at any point.  I'm wondering if it shouldn't
end at today.

I then reconciled the bottom two accounts and noted:

1.  Unable to locate the option to see the reconciled transactions.  I
should be able to see the transactions just reconciled (most recent date
reconciled).

2.  The bottom two accounts had all three columns the same as the ending
figures above.  In this case I would expect:

    A.  Starting column would have the account balance prior to the
transactions reconciled in this just finished action (most recent date
reconciled).

    B.  The reconciled column would have the total reconciled.  In this
case I think you need two numbers.  Total credits and total debits
reconciled.

    C.  Ending column should be the account balance just after the
reconciliation.

At this point I sat down with the accountant and had an enlightening
conversation.  Let me translate into coding speak.

1.  She said to get rid of Reconciled column -- as presented it doesn't
make sense.  [I suggest the net balance of Funds In and Funds Out for
items just reconciled.]

2.  Need to show the most recent reconciled date (so I know the checking
was last reconciled last month) and the other two were just reconciled.

3.  Starting balance needs to be what the bank statement showed at the
end of last month.  [You can get this by summing all reconciled
transactions up through the last month's reconciliation -- ie, not
including the most recent reconciliation date.]

4.  Ending balance should show the bank statement at the end of this
month.  [Ending = Starting + Reconciled]  sum all reconciled
transactions including the current cycle.

5.  Must see the just reconciled transactions with the CR/DR sub-totals 
just like you show for the unreconciled.

6.  Good to see the transactions still not reconciled.

Summary:

Locate the most recent reconciliation date for the account.

Get the starting balance by summing all reconciled transactions up to
but not including that date.

Get the reconciled amount by summing all reconciled transactions on the
most recent reconciliation date.

Ending balance = the sum of all reconciled transactions (inclusive).

You might want to add an Outstanding column showing the sum of the
transactions not reconciled.

Then show the reconciled transactions for that last date followed by the
unreconciled transactions.


The implication for my situation is that the checking account would show
last month's values since I hadn't reconciled it yet this month.


Hope this gives you some idea of how to accomplish the accountant speak
to get the bank starting and ending balances without peeking at the
actual statement!

--Steve