Giving up on Gnucash

[Benoit Grégoire]

> 1. When I import downloaded transactions from my bank, the matcher does
> a terrible job. I always have to go back through and delete dups from
> stuff I put in by hand. It insists that I assign balancing accounts to
> checks, but doesn't tell you the check number, so I have to flip through
> the checkbook looking at amounts to match them up. And it doesn't allow
> you to split those transactions on import either, requiring yet more
> manual processing. All-in-all, it takes at least twice as long as it
> used to with MSMoney.

There IS an known bug introduced I believe in 1.8.10 and fixed in CVS that 
probably explains your problem.

> Comment: I asked about having a column for check numbers included in
> that dialog and was told that there wasn't room for another column and
> it would end up cluttered or something. As it is I'm looking at a big,
> wide, column with the word "Check" in it that tells me absolutely
> nothing. I got the impression that my suggestion wasn't taken seriously
> and would not be implemented even though others concurred.

Please, you asked if it was possible, I answered you (it isn't), with a little 
explanation bit on info on why it was initially done that way:

---------------------------------------------------
> Does anyone know how to display (or if it's possible) the check number
> in the interface for importing OFX and/or QIF files?  The checknum is in
> the file, but not displayed in the interface - just date, memo, amount.

There is no way to display it when matching OFX.  I felt the interface was 
already very crowded.  I don't know about QIF (doesn't use the same code)
--------------------------------------------------

I doubt it would have been better had I just told you no...  I'm not against 
that feature, it will probably be added once the importer is re-visited.

> Also, the Preferences settings for "Threshold" are meaningless since I
> have no clue how the algorithm works. Will raising one or more of those
> numbers improve things?... lowering one?... which one(s)?

I felt the hover help for those values were clera enough, but I just 
re-checked and they aren't.  The numbers refer to the number of bars of each 
color you see in the match window.  Depending if you see too many false 
positives or negatives, adjusting the numbers will help. 

> 2. The arrangements of the checks and deposits columns is exactly
> opposite of other programs, as well as the paper checkbook register
> supplied by banks. After thirty years of seeing it one way, why should I
> force myself to see it the other? Small thing? Maybe, but it's caused me
> to make mistakes, particularly when entering split transactions.
>
> Comment: Would you take seriously a suggestion for a View setting that
> would allow those columns to be swapped? GC is billed as a personal
> finance program. I would think users trying to migrate from Quicken or
> Money would appreciate a more familiar interface. I would.

That's because the columns on your statement are probably from the bank's 
point of view, not yours.  Regardless, making the column order configurable 
is a very good idea.
-- 
Benoit Grégoire, http://benoitg.coeus.ca/
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