Report customization nightmare

[Hubert Bahr]

With 2.2.9 I tried to create true custom reports.  Unfortunately I could 
not find an adequate description of the interface to get to all the data 
I needed.  With 2.3.12 I found that I could get closer to a working 
report, but it still required importing it into a spread sheet and cut 
and paste from several reports to make it useful.  With 2.3.14 and a 
MySql backend I can use the Sun Report generator extension to Open 
Office to create reports that do not required further manipulation.  One 
of the problems I ran into with the current reports, is that they are 
not consistent in what options are offered for customization.  I have 
seen some that do not offer a date range.  Although I think one of the 
main problems is the lack of documentation on how to use the features 
you do offer.  I just finally stumbled onto settings, that evaded me in 
previous searches, that satisfies one page of my monthly reports.  The 
reports are getting better, but the purpose of accounting is to keep 
track of data that you will need for reports.  The ease in generating 
the needed reports will make or break user acceptance.  Many new users 
don't even know what reports they will need.  Other users are satisfied 
with whatever they can get, but anybody who has to provide reports to 
others, will soon find out that GnuCash has some short-commings in this 
area.

Hubert