Income/Expense Report

[Mike or Penny Novack]

Munroe Sollog wrote:

>Isn't that motivation to make the gnucash report more robust by adding a
>notes field to it?  In addition to a notes field, some sort of
>superscript field on a per cell basis?  I understand your reasoning
>behind using something like a spreadsheet to prepare your final reports,
>but wouldn't it bet better to add that functionality to gnucash? 
>  
>
Not exactly what I was talking about ("spreadsheet" output)

>I added a day or so ago an item on the wiki's wishlist for an online
>repository for custom reports.  This would allow us to easily work
>together to implement this kind of report.  The idea of tackling an
>entire custom report is a little tiring for me.  I would have no problem
>taking an already existing report and tweaking it a bit, as I am sure
>many others wouldn't as well.  But we need a place we can share this
>work effectively.
>  
>
If you want me to get involved, having done this for a living, let me 
insist that first step we get together a "user committee" to come up 
with the "requirements". And yes, they can have an analyst with them to 
help by asking the right questions. But starting at the programmer's end 
will never satisfy requirements. Unless a program hangs or loops it is 
correct if there is no clear specification of what it is SUPPOSED to do 
(since whatever it does isn't other than a non-existent specification 
says it should have done).

First step would be for folks interested in this to all take a look at 
some financial reports produced according to GAAP standards (Generally 
Accepted Accounting Principles). Then will understand what I am talking 
about. There are serious issues involved. Since it's a matter of public 
record, I am attaching the year end 2008 for the MA Chapter of the 
American Chestnut Foundation so you can see how I interpret the 
requirements. And why I don't think we should be trying to put within 
GnuCash this sort of capability.

Michael
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