Reconciling w/o statement???

[James Leone]

jackmc-gnucash at lorentz.com wrote:

<snipped>

>For the last couple of years I have been using my own web-based
>accounting system to manage my books.  I recently decided to try GnuCash
>again, and am finding myself about to give up and go back to my web
>system.
>
You can modify Gnucash to your liking. Quoted from gnu.org:

> Free software is a matter of the users' freedom to run, copy, 
> distribute, study, change and improve the software. More precisely, it 
> refers to four kinds of freedom, for the users of the software:
>
>     * The freedom to run the program, for any purpose (freedom 0).
>     * The freedom to study how the program works, and adapt it to your
>       needs (freedom 1). Access to the source code is a precondition
>       for this.
>     * The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor
>       (freedom 2).
>     * The freedom to improve the program, and release your
>       improvements to the public, so that the whole community benefits
>       (freedom 3). Access to the source code is a precondition for this.
>
> A program is free software if users have all of these freedoms. Thus, 
> you should be free to redistribute copies, either with or without 
> modifications, either gratis or charging a fee for distribution, to 
> anyone anywhere 
> <http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html#exportcontrol>. Being free 
> to do these things means (among other things) that you do not have to 
> ask or pay for permission.
>

>In my system, I show two balances for my bank accounts: the cleared
>balance and the current balance.  
>
>The cleared balance only includes entries which have been marked as cleared.
>
>Everyday, I go to my bank's web site to check what has cleared and mark them off.
>
Yes, that's where you would find the "cleared balance" as you define it.

>   I cannot seem to find this balance anywhere in Gnucash.  
>
That's because its not necessary, and not a standard practice to do so.

>If I open an account, and choose "reconcile", it offers me a chance to guess what the
>balance is supposed to be, 
>
Again, you can check your web page.

>after which it will presumably tell me if I am correct.  Since it also asks for a "statement date", 
>
Yes, the date that you check your web page.

>I have a feeling it is going to do a lot more when I click "Go" than I want it to do on
>a daily basis.
>   Further frustrating this is the fact that I keep no money in my
>"Cash in Checking" account in Gnucash.  Instead, all of the money is in
>subaccount of that account. 
>
That's an uncommon practice for an individual, thus my previous advice.

>The sum of these subaccounts is the total
>balance in my bank account.  I use this indirection to manage budgeting.
>
Yes, we saw that in your prior message.

>My subaccounts are "Car", "House", "Utilities", etc.  There is a "all
>subaccounts" checkbox in the reconcilation window, but again, I don't
>trust the black box.
>   Actually, that is probably not what I mean to say.  I think it would
>be more accurate to say that I want a read-only way to reconcile my
>balance against the bank, and can only find a read-write way to do this
>in Gnucash.
>
>   Is there a way to get Gnucash to tell me how much it thinks is in my
>bank account?
>  
>
No, but you can check your web page.

James Leone