Average users *need* custom reports

[cognitive.libertarian+ml at gmail.com]

* Derek Atkins <warlord at MIT.EDU> [2010-07-01 00:24]:
> 
> Really?  I'd like to see a list of necessary reports that GnuCash
> doesn't already have.  As a non-programmer you should be able to
> help by coming up with the set of requirements for included-reports.
> 
> the average user shouldn't have to write a report.  GnuCash should
> supply the reports that the average user needs.  It certainly
> provides 100% of the reporting that *I* need (and also 100% of the
> reporting that my company needs to send to the accountant at the end
> of the year).
> 
> You seem to be implying that absolutely anyone needs to be able to
> create a report, and I HIGHLY disagree with that!

The average user absolutely needs custom reports.  Average users who
have only experienced gnucash just don't know it yet, because the
limitations placed on them doesn't invite them to use the tool to the
extent that's called for.

Those who have used commercial proprietary off-the-shelf tools know
what I'm talking about.  The ability to simply get a report on fuel
expenses between Jan 1, 2008 and Dec, 31, 2008, for example, is very
useful.  But it would be naive to expect gnucash to have a pull-down
menu item for "2008 fuel expenses".

It would be absurd to expect some canned report to be in place for
this.  You cannot possibly predict even 50% of the reports that might
be useful to a particular user, and have them available.  And even if
you could, it would be foolish to make such reports part of the tool.

If someone needs to know the sum of expenses from 5 different (but
similar) expense accounts, from March 17th, 2006 to May 3rd, 2009,
where the funds are drawn from only one particular credit card, and
perhaps only counting transactions with a particular substring in the
subject -- how can you possibly expect the report to be "supplied" by
gnucash?  Obviously a custom report is the only option.  In MS Money,
creating a report that specific is *trivial*.  Just a few check boxes.

Does the average user need custom reports?

Of course average user needs custom reports.  Most reports are custom.
Canned reports are (necessarily) too broad and generic to be of
significant interest.

Although MS Money is generally lousy overall, the custom report
generation is brilliant, and indispensible.

GNUcash is *crippling* when it comes to custom reports.  

It's a massive deficit in features, and it's substantial enough to
compel users to abandon gc altogether, just because of the gross
oversight of an essential capability.  

GC native users may not know what they're missing, but the one factor
that will drive experienced users of proprietary tools from GC back to
their original proprietary tool is the custom reporting inability.
No other factor would cause users to seriously consider going back to
something proprietary.

This is the single most substantial shortcoming of GnuCash today.