Double-entry explanation

Jon Lapham lapham at extracta.com.br
Mon Sep 1 10:52:50 CDT 2003


I was reading through Chapter 2 of the GnuCash Concepts Guide, 
specifically section "2.2.2 Double Entry", in which we define and give 
an example of double entry accounting.

see:
http://www.gnucash.org/docs/v1.8/C/gnucash-guide/basics_entry1.html#basics_dbentry2

I think the inclusion of the split transaction example (the paycheck) is 
a little too much to chew for a new user this early in the Concepts 
Guide.  I like the other examples that involve 2 accounts (buying 
groceries and the simple income example)... but I think that a split 
transaction is something most new users need some time to understand. 
And, in this section, I think we are really just trying to get people to 
grasp the concept of double entry.

So, I propose to remove the split transaction example.  Comments? 
Objections?

I think we should still *reference* the fact that you can do multiple 
account transactions, and give a link to a later part of the 
documentation that explains split transactions in more detail (chapter 4).

Nice side effect of this is to make this section shorter.  It is pretty 
long as it is.

-- 
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  Jon Lapham  <lapham at extracta.com.br>          Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
  Work: Extracta Moléculas Naturais SA     http://www.extracta.com.br/
  Web: http://www.jandr.org/
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