Tips on data input

[Derek Atkins]

Kash <kash at warmplanetbikes.com> writes:

> If you're entering even a couple of transactions at a time, it's
> easier to work in a spreadsheet than directly in GnuCash, and most
> banks will export transactions in .csv format, which you can
> manipulate in a spreadsheet program then convert to qif format, which
> gnucash can import.

I dunno, I think entering data into gnucash is pretty quick, especially
if you're a repeat customer and many of your transactions look the same.
In general I tend to only use one or two credit cards and two bank
accounts, so pretty much I only need to open up those accounts to enter
my transactions.

Sometimes I'll collect receipts for a week and then sit down and enter
them.  It's pretty easy.  I collect all the receipts for each payment
method and put them into order.  Then I open the payment account (CC,
Checking, Cash) and set the earliest date, tab to description, start
typing, and let it auto-complete.  Generally it's correct, and then I
just adjust the amount.  Hit enter, and I'm done.  Lather, rinse, repeat
until I'm done with that account, and then move onto the next.

The key is that it's easiest if you enter your transactions from the
Asset or Liability side, not the Income or Expense side.  The reasons
for this are that:

1) It's easier for Humans to think about a transaction from the A/L side
   in terms of increase/decease.
2) You generally have many fewer A/L accounts than I/E accounts
3) It means fewer movements of the mouse, since most things can be done
   on the keyboard, so it's faster

I can get a stack of a dozen receipts across 2-3 payment methods entered
in a couple minutes.

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-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
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