category structure for funds distributed across multiple bank accounts

[Matt Wilkie]

Hi David,

Thanks for the article. I've got something similar to that now, but it's
not working because instead of one parent "checking" account, as used in
the article, I have 3, each of which contain some portion of the funds in
any given budget category.

I've toyed with the idea of just amalgamating the 3 together before gnucash
sees them, which would allow me to use that structure, but then I would
lose the ability to simply download OFX transactions and also the knowledge
of the distribution portions.

I think I'm just going to have choose what pieces of information or
functions I can live without, or resign myself to running 2 programs and
duplicating some data entry.

thanks again,

-matt

On Fri, Jan 18, 2013 at 11:01 PM, David T. <sunfish62 at yahoo.com> wrote:

> Matt-
>
> Take a look at:
> http://allmybrain.com/2011/01/26/simplified-envelope-budgeting-for-gnucash/
>
> Perhaps that will give you some ideas.
>
> David
>
>   ------------------------------
> *From:* Matt Wilkie <maphew at gmail.com>
> *To:* gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> *Sent:* Friday, January 18, 2013 10:15 PM
> *Subject:* category structure for funds distributed across multiple bank
> accounts
>
> Hello,
>
> In Gnucash, what is the best way to structure category accounts which will
> hold funds distributed across several bank accounts?
>
> In Canada we have Tax Free Savings accounts which return more interest than
> regular savings accounts, but they have a quota on how much can be stored
> in them without a tax penalty.
>
> So for example say I have $15,000 saved for house renovations, which is
> actually stored in 3 bank accounts: my TSFA, my spouse's, and a regular
> savings. How do I represent that in the gnucash account structure? When
> part of the money is spent, how should that be recorded? At any given time
> we should be able to look at the *House Renos* "account" and answer the
> question *"can we afford to replace the roof yet?"*
>
>
> The standard Assets top level parent can't be used because then the virtual
> category account of *"New bike"*, *"Vacation"*, etc. which also store funds
>
> in those same accounts would be included in the roll up as well.
>
> So I need to get these virtual accounts:
>
> -Savings........................... $20000.00
>   -House Renovations............... $15000.00
>   -New bikes....................... $ 2000.00
>   -Vacation........................ $ 2000.00
>   -Other........................... $ 1000.00
>
> From these real accounts:
>
> -Some Bank......................... $20000.00
>   -Savings Account................. $10000.00
>   -TFSA Account 1.................. $ 5000.00
>   -TFSA Account 2.................. $ 5000.00
>
> I've found a program called Budgeter which can roll things up like this,
> but it's not meant for bookkeeping. I'd much rather have my cake and eat it
> too! Here's a picture of Budgeter showing what I'd like to be able to do in
> GnuCash: http://money.stackexchange.com/a/19125/7888
>
> I read the gnucash docs for budgeting and it doesn't sound like what I'm
> after. I don't care about the time period, it'll be done when we "have
> enough", which might be one year or five. I don't need to track cash flow
> or expenses either (for these categories). After reading about the net I
> now know I'm using the "envelope system", I didn't realise it had a name,
> however that can't be used (or I haven't figured out how) for money
> disbursed across
> accounts.<
> http://money.stackexchange.com/questions/19100/gnucash-category-structure-for-funds-distributed-across-multiple-bank-accounts#comment25642_19102
> >
>
>
> Many thanks in advance for your thoughts,
>
> -matt
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