Beginner: Set up one account at a time, or all at once?

FireFly fireflys_98 at yahoo.com
Sun Oct 9 10:35:07 EDT 2011


On Fri, Oct 07, 2011 at 05:14:53PM -0700, memilanuk wrote:


> Hello,
> 
> Just getting started w/ GnuCash on Ubuntu 11.04... I've tried using
> Quicken on Windows several times in the past, but always stalled out
> for one reason or another.  This time I'd like to stick with it,
> using GnuCash!
> 
> For someone just starting out and *not* an accounting guru or even
> enthusiast, would it be better to just start slow with one basic
> checking account and simple inputs (net paycheck) and outputs
> (mortgage payment, vehicle loan) and then later as I'm comfortable
> start defining those more fully i.e. flesh out the paycheck by
> breaking out taxes, retirement, union dues, etc. and later still
> fleshing out the mortgage payment, vehicle loans, etc.?
> 
> I realize I may not get a 100% accurate snapshot of my equity right
> off the bat this way, but from past experience it seems like I get
> kind of lost, not able to see the forest for the trees as the saying
> goes, when things get too complicated all at once.
> 
> Will it cause any problems in GnuCash if I do things in stages like this?
> 

Personally, I'd flesh out anything to accounts you own, i.e. 401k's, retirement accounts, other checking/savings accounts. Things that are "expenses" (i.e. taxes, mortgage payments, vehicle loan payments) I think you can start with as just expenses and later migrate them to GNUCash if you find you want to.
 
This is all assuming it's your personal accounting. People on this list are very helpful if you run into issues, and others have said the tutorials are pretty good.


- James Duerr

E-mail: FireFlys_98 at yahoo.com
---------------------
Discover a lost art - play Marbles. May 2004
www.marillion.com


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