Confused about importing bank transactions in OFX

[David Reiser]

On Jun 11, 2009, at 4:40 PM, Michael Leone wrote:

> On Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 3:39 PM, David Reiser  
> <dbreiser at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> On Jun 11, 2009, at 2:15 PM, Michael Leone wrote:
>>
>>> I've just started using GNUCash for personal use, and I am  
>>> confused about
>>> importing transactions in OFX format from my bank. I have created  
>>> all my
>>> accounts, and now want to import all the transactions of my  
>>> checking account
>>> for the last 5 days, rather than enter them by hand. But when I go  
>>> to import
>>> the OFX file, GNUCash seems to put all the transactions into an  
>>> account
>>> called "Imbalance".
>>
>> Imbalance is the other side of the transaction already. The first  
>> time you imported an ofx file from a particular bank, gnucash asked  
>> you what account you wanted to associated with that ofx source.
>
> Actually, no, it didn't ask me what account to associate. That's why I
> was confused ...

Hmm. That's not a good sign. Can you open the ofx file in a text  
editor and see if there is an <ACCTID> entry? Perhaps the bank isn't  
emitting a conforming ofx file.
>
>> You should have pointed the dialog to your checking account.  
>> Thereafter, gnucash assumes any ofx file with the internal <ACCTID>  
>> ofx tag that matches the one from the first import is also going to  
>> your checking account.
>>
>> If you made a mistake assigning the account, you'll have to search  
>> the mailing list archives for the method for resetting it (involves  
>> either editing xml (not recommended generally, but possible), or  
>> double-changing imports to force gnucash to think it needs to reset  
>> -- not exactly straightforward, and I don't remember details at the  
>> moment.)
>
> In my cash, I just deleted my GNUCash file, and restored from last
> night's backup. So I will try again later, now being armed with better
> insights ....
>
> Thanks

--
David Reiser
dbreiser at earthlink.net