Wrong balance for period (gnucash 2.2.9.4 on OS X)

[David T.]

--- On Mon, 3/8/10, Brendan Simon <Brendan at BrendanSimon.com> wrote:

> From: Brendan Simon <Brendan at BrendanSimon.com>
> Subject: Re: Wrong balance for period (gnucash 2.2.9.4 on OS X)
> To: "gnucash-user" <gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
> Date: Monday, March 8, 2010, 2:53 PM
> 
> 
> On 8/03/10 11:32 PM, Mike or Penny Novack wrote:
> > Brendan Simon wrote:
> >
> >> I am using GnuCash 2.2.9 on OS X (2.2.9.4).
> >>
> >> I think this is bug would like confirmation
> please.  It looks like the
> >> Balance Period is displaying the wrong result.
> >>
> >> In the main accounts window/tab I have enabled the
> Balance and Balance
> >> (Period) columns.  I also have Total and
> Total (Period) enabled.
> >>
> >> My accounting period is 1-July-2005 to
> 30-June-2006 (Australian
> >> Financial/Fiscal Period).
> >>
> >> Account XYZ has a final entry on 12-May-2006 with
> a final balance of
> >> $6,718.06 (this is correct).
> >>
> >> In the Accounts Summary view, the account XYZ
> shows :-
> >>    $6,718.06    Balance
> >>    $1,931.07    Balance
> Period
> >>    $6,718.06    Total
> >>    $1,931.07    Total Period
> >>
> >> This would appear incorrect (at least to me).
> >> The Balance and Balance Period should show the
> same amount of $6,718.06
> >> as the last entry is within the Accounting
> Period.
> >>
> >> Is this a bug ??  or have I misunderstood
> something, or have I not
> >> configured something properly ??
> >>
> >> Thanks,
> >> Brendan.
> >>
> >>  
> >>
> >
> > I think a misunderstanding. I don't use the "balance
> period" column
> > myself because I do an annual "close the books"
> operation and so for
> > my organization the "balance period" and "balance"
> have the same START
> > date. This account, it's an "income" or "expense" type
> account, yes?
> > You should not expect the balances of those accounts
> for "just the
> > current period" and "from the beginning, all periods"
> to be the same.
> > Not unless you do a periodic "close the books".
> 
> The account is an 'asset' account.  The 'balance' is
> correct if I drill
> down into the account and find the date (e.g. 30-June-2006)
> and look at
> the balance.  However it is incorrect if I look at the
> 'Balance
> (Period)' field in the main account summary view.
> 
> If my understanding is correct, then the Balance at the end
> of the
> accounting period, should match the balance on my statement
> for that
> financial period.
> 
> Cheers, Brendan.

Brendan--

The Balance for the period (I believe) calculates the delta (change) for the time period in question (by default the current calendar year). In other words, if your expense account started the year at $1000 and is currently at $2500, the period balance would be $1500. 

I could be wrong, but that's *my* understanding.

David

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