parsing QIF investment accounts?

[Dave Peticolas]

Michael Leary writes:
> Dave Peticolas wrote:
> 
>     I've got a big problem with the investment account ledger layout (an impo
> glich I hope), which shows the *number of shares* as the debit in a stock
> purchase, when there are columns (filled) for total shares, price and value.
> Debits and credits should be real numbers, calculated from the raw data of th
> transaction; i.e. the debit in a stock purchase should equal the "Value" colu
> I'm also doubting the wisdom of a one line mirror debit to the parent account
> just confuses things IMO.

The stock register definitely needs some improvement. This is on our todo
list for the next version.

 
> So, I guess what I'm getting at (finally!) is why not have the top level of t
> chart of accounts be three trees: A, L, and OE, as illustrated above?

You can almost do that now. You can create generic 'Asset',
'Liabilities', 'Income/Expense', and 'Equity' accounts and make all
other accounts sub-accounts as appropriate.

Right now, 'Equity' accounts in GnuCash really mean 'permanent' equity,
i.e., as distinguished from Income and Expense accounts, and you cannot
make income/expense accounts sub-accounts of equity accounts. We should
probably relax that restriction so you can do what you propose.

thanks,
dave