Help with GnuCash! Why is there a "Rebate" column in the Expense account on GnuCash?

[Derrick Hudson]

For what it's worth, the classic labels of "Debit" and "Credit" are available.  Simply check the option "Use formal accounting labels" in the Preferences in the Accounts tab if you so desire.

-Derrick


David Carlson <carlson.dl at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

>On 10/16/2012 6:26 PM, Dustin Henning wrote:
>> Perhaps the word "Rebate" is the problem here.  In a simple scenario
>one
>> would go to a store and pay cash for, say some groceries and some
>other
>> items.  The "Rebate" would actually be the cash payment from your
>"Wallet"
>> asset account. 
>> It is customary for most of us to work in the "Wallet" or asset
>register and
>> enter expenditures from there.  If we later want to see all of our
>> expenditures on "Groceries" we can open the Expense:Groceries account
>and
>> find it all right there, albeit with that irritating word "Rebate" 
>> If we choose the basic ledger or single line view the "Rebates" are
>pretty
>> much hidden from view.
>>
>> David C
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> Maybe I'm in a different view, but I don't see a problem with the
>word
>> "Rebate" in my register.  The "Rebate" column is blank.  If I take
>the
>> groceries back and get a refund, then the money goes back into my
>account
>> out of the expense account and I did receive a rebate.  Perhaps
>refund would
>> be a better word in that case, but if one got a rebate on something,
>the
>> same would apply, because a rebate isn't income, at least not so far
>as I
>> know in the US.
>>
>>
>Dustin,
>
>You do not see numbers in the "Rebate" column only because you are not
>using the Auto-Split Ledger or transaction Journal views.
>You are actually agreeing with Robby in your objection to the use of
>the
>word "Rebate" as a description for the cash that is offsetting the
>expense in the expense register. 
>Perhaps someone knows why that word was first selected.  Originally the
>columns were called "Debit" and "Credit" as they are in orthodox
>accounting practice,  but that becomes confusing to most of us who are
>not accountants. 
>
>I was speaking with my tongue in cheek as I was calling the word
>irritating.  I agree with you about the common usage for that word. 
>Perhaps we should request as Robby originally did that the word
>"Rebate"
>be replaced with some other word. 
>
>In the meantime, we can pretty much avoid seeing "Rebate" by minimizing
>the amount of time that we spend in expense registers.
>
>David C
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>_______________________________________________
>gnucash-user mailing list
>gnucash-user at gnucash.org
>https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
>-----
>Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
>You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.