Credit split transactions

[Jim & Grace Flowers]

I know how gnucash is supposed to work, but it doesn't seem to want to work
as described in the text.  I have followed the instructions in chapter 4,
Transactions.
I start with a new transaction line, click on Split.  I enter a description,
and then try to enter to total amount of the split.  It won't let me.  The
figure shows an amount on that line.  I go ahead and enter all the splits
and hit Enter.  The entry disappears from the Assets:checking account
register.  However, when I check the accounts affected by the split, the
amounts are posted properly (I had to change the amounts on a couple of
them). There is an "outofbalance" account with the amount that should have
been posted on the first line of the transaction.  When I changed the
"posted to" name, it appeared in the checking account register.

I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but I am a retired government
accountant.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: Mike or Penny Novack [mailto:stepbystepfarm at mtdata.com] 
Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2011 8:10 AM
To: dondiegoflores at verizon.net
Cc: gnucash-user at gnucash.org
Subject: Re: Credit split transactions


>I'm new to this program and am having extreme problems with split
>transactions that decrease the checking account. (and with transactions
between checking accounts)
>
There are two sorts of questions you can have. One is how do I use 
gnucash to do my bookkeeping meaning that you have some idea how you 
would do bookkeeping by other methods (say the old fashioned pen and ink 
on paper) but don't know the gnucash way to do this. The other is that 
you are new to bookkeeping in all its aspects, don't know anything.

The examples given are mostly trying to help folks with the first sort 
of problem. It isn't really fair to expect the gnucash guides to be more 
than a review of the fundamental concepts involved with keeping a set of 
double entry books. If you are really starting from scratch and never 
kept books before (by any method) you probably need to read an 
"introduction to bookkeeping" text.

Michael