GnuCash presentation

[Charles Day]

On Wed, Dec 24, 2008 at 12:10 PM, John R. Carter, Sr. <john at jrcarter.com>wrote:

> On Dec 23, 2008, at 2:00 PM, Charles Day wrote:
>
>  On Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 5:37 PM, John R. Carter, Sr. <john at jrcarter.com>
>> wrote:
>> I am preparing a presentation (using OpenOffice) on GnuCash including
>> importing files from Quicken.
>>
>> The three files associated with this are located in
>> http://www.jrcarter.com/gnucash
>>       gnuCash_Presentation.odp
>>       Quicken2GnuCash_Handout.pdf
>>       Quicken2gnucash.pdf
>>
>> If anyone wants to take the time to review my notes and give me some
>> feedback, I would appreciate it.
>>
>> About the Quicken2gnucash.pdf file:
>>
>> -On page 6 there is a reference to the "template" namespace for
>> securities. The "template" entry shouldn't display at all. This is a known
>> bug. If you want to create a new security type (a "mnemonic" in
>> developer-speak) then click the New button (to create a new security) and
>> from there I think you should be able to make a new security type.
>>
>
> By clicking on "template" and writing over the name, you create a new
> security type. The same could be done by simply writing over any of the
> existing security types. Selecting "New" at the point indicated in the
> document only brings up the Edit Security druid and you're right back to
> this point needing to create a new security type.
>
>  -On page 7 it says that Quicken account names are not automatically
>> matched to subaccounts that exist in the GnuCash account tree. That's not
>> correct as I recall. If the names match exactly, and the existing GnuCash
>> account has an appropriate type, the druid should suggest them as a match.
>> If not, it could be because you've already imported the same QIF account
>> name in the past at the root level and the druid has memorized that mapping.
>> Try deleting or renaming your saved QIF preferences file
>> (.gnucash/qif-map-prefs or similar).
>>
>
> I can't find any wording in the document to the effect that Quicken account
> names are _not_ automatically matched to an existing GnuCash account. On
> page 10 I have the following text (slightly altered from what you originally
> read):
>
> Anything marked as New (right hand box) will probably have to be changed or
> created.  Everything should be confirmed at this stage or you will be doing
> a lot of fixing up later.  The general rule is NEVER create a new top-level
> account – at least not permanently.  Eventually, everything should go into
> one of the existing GnuCash top level accounts. For example,
> Household:Miscellaneous matches to Expenses:Household:Miscellaneous, and
> Bills:Telephone matches to Expenses:Telephone.  Some things can be figured
> out by GnuCash, such as Auto:Maintenance will match to
> Expenses:Auto:Maintenance (if the GnuCash account already exists).  But if
> Maintenance exists under more than one account you may have to select the
> proper account to match to.
>

I guess I was referring to this statement, especially the first sentence:

"Notice also that all Quicken(R) accounts are imported as top level accounts
in GnuCash even though you

may have already created the appropriate subaccount in GnuCash.  You have
two options. One is to go

ahead and do the import as shown and then after the import you can simply
edit the new top level

account and place it where it needs to be in the Chart of Accounts.  Names
may also change.  This is

obviously the simplest way to do the import.  The other way is to edit each
of the entries in the list to
move them to the appropriate top level account.  This is obviously the more
complex way."


>
>
>  -On page 8 it says that the importer creates all securities as a fund.
>> Again, I don't think that's true unless you specifically tell it that the
>> security type is "FUND" or you have previously imported it that way in
>> error. (Or, possibly, because the security was defined as a fund in
>> Quicken.) If you can reproduce this after removing the saved QIF preferences
>> file, please file a bug in Bugzilla.
>>
>
> Right again. This is what I had in ~/.gnucash/qif-accounts-map:
>
> ;;; Map QIF security names to GnuCash commodities
> (("ABIOMED Inc" "FUND" "ABIOMED Inc") ...
>
> All FUND should have read STOCK. This was due to my incorrectly importing
> once and then starting over again.
>
> The document now reads:
>
> If the import creates a security as a Fund instead of a Stock, you'll have
> to edit those securities manually to turn them into a Stock.  This might
> only happen if you had previously created the security incorrectly as a Fund
> and started over again with your import (as I did).  If you have to start
> your import over again, delete or edit the file ~/.gnucash/qif-accounts-map
> (or similar).
>
>  -On page 13, it describes a warning about importing shorts and covers.
>> Could you file a bug in Bugzilla with a small QIF file demonstrating the
>> problem?
>>
>
> I'll attempt to recreate this.  Thanks.
>
>  -You may want to mention that importing a transaction that represents a
>> sale of securities will NOT cause appropriate capital gain/loss entries to
>> be created in GnuCash. These must be added by hand after import.
>>
>
> Where will those gain/loss entries be created if done right? Looking at any
> stock account
>
> John Carter


-Charles