investment data entering

[Derek Atkins]

Hi,

CC'd back to the list so others can see it (please be careful to
CC responses to the list in the future).

A few responses inline...

Bill Suit <bsuit at bellsouth.net> writes:

> On Sun, 2003-07-06 at 11:17, Derek Atkins wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > Bill Suit <bsuit at bellsouth.net> writes:
> > 
> > > Using v.1.8.4. I'm using the online manual to set up my investment
> > > accounts.
> > > 
> > > Assets-investments-brokerage accounts-vanguard-mutual funds-522 is the
> > > example I'll use.522 is the fund identifier used by vanguard and is what
> > > I have named my account after.
> > 
> > Let me use more GnuCash speak here, just to make sure.  You setup the
> > account hierarchy:
> > 
> >         Assets:Investments:Brokerage Accounts:Vanguard:Mutual Funds:522
> > 
> > In other words, you've got 6 levels of accounts here..   Not that this
> > is a problem, but I'm just making sure.
> Correct

Ok.  I'm not 100% convinced you need that level of accounts (does
vanguard DO anything other than mutual funds?).  But hey, whatever
makes you happy :)

> > First, make sure that the "522" account is of of type "mutual fund"
> > and ALSO make sure that the account commodity is configured to be the
> > proper VX___ symbol for your vanguard account.
> I've just "seen the light" on this commodity entry - I think.On account
> 522 I did an "edit >  commodity select > type = FUND > Currency/security
> = VBLTX (Long Term Bond Index Fund) > OK > OK" (I'm being a little anal
> here for others who may follow). 

This is correct.

> > > I've noted Fredrik Persson's July 1st post on the topic and don't fully
> > > understand exactly what he did.
> > 
> > Well, what about it confused you?
> What to do with the commodity stuff (above)

Ahh..  Yea.  This should be fixed in 1.8.5 -- it wont let you set up
a stock or mutual fund without setting the commodity.

> > > To keep this simple. On 09/16/02 I gave vanguard $5,000.00. In return
> > > they gave me: 432.90 shares, priced at $11.55 per share of fund #522.
> > 
> > Well, that's simple.  You enter a transaction dated 9/16/02 where you
> > buy 432.90 "shares" at a "price" of 11.55 -- it should auto-compute
> > the "buy" as "4999.99".  That extra penny is down in the 4th decimal
> > place of shares if the price is really $11.55 (5000/11.55 = 432.9004329...)
> > 
> > > How and where should I enter this information. All of the permutations I
> > > could think of have (appeared to) failed.I say appeared to fail, as
> > > maybe what it's done is correct and I just don't recognise it TIA, Bill
> > 
> > Open up your "522" account and enter it.  How did the permutations
> > fail?  If they fail by recomputing the price at $1, then you failed to
> > set the account commodity.  If it complains about the $5000 and tells you
> > you're out of balance, that's because of the math issue I just showed
> > above (how many significant digits does vanguard keep?).
> I think 3 digits. Anyway, after entering the correct (I think) commodity
> info I was able to make a correct data entry for the 522 account.
> However, my Accounts overview shows under the Total column "432.90
> VBLTX". Is this as it should be?

Yes.  This is correct.  The account is keeping track of the number of
shares you have.  If you edit the Account-Tree Options (click the
options button on the account-tree window) then you can turn on the
"total in report currency" column, which will convert the balance to
whatever your report currency is, using the most recent "Price DB"
entries.

> > I hope this helps.
> 'Couldn't a dun it wit out yuh'. Thanks derek. More posts to follow on
> other aspects.

You're welcome :)

> > -derek
> 
> Bill

-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available