One transaction from two accounts to one

[Michael Hendry]

On 8 May 2013, at 20:09, Buddha Buck <blaisepascal at gmail.com> wrote:

> A "split" is exactly the way to go, although I don't know how split
> transactions with security accounts work along those lines (securities are
> a feature I don't use).
> 
> When creating a split it's important to not hit "enter", or that will
> finalize the transaction, usually leaving the unbalanced portion stuck in a
> "orphan CZK" or "imbalanced CZK" account and you'll have to edit the
> transaction to fix it.  Use tab, cursor keys, or mouse to manouver around
> the split.
> 
> When I use a split, I do see an extra split with the unbalanced amount and
> no affiliated account until I either (a) balance the transaction, or (b)
> edit the account on that extra split, thus assigning that extra amount
> where I want it to go.
> 
> In your case, I would start in the cash account, open a new split
> transaction, put in the 20CZK as a decrease in the cash account (which will
> create an unbalanced split for 20CZK, then add another split as a 1VOUCHER
> decrease from the meal voucher account (which I hope would change the
> unbalanced split to 100CZK), and then change the account on the unbalanced
> split to Expenses:Food.
> 
> But like I said, I don't use securities, so I could be wrong about the
> behavior.


I think Al is making things difficult for himself by treating the vouchers as securities.

Why not treat the vouchers as current assets, adding the face value of newly received vouchers to the asset account as they come in, and spending them (at face value) as their exchanged for food? The only reason I can think of for treating them as securities would be if they change their value after they've been received.

For the following example, I've created two current asset accounts, "Cash" and "Meal Vouchers", and one expense account - "Food".

Let's say I bought my lunch today for £100, and used vouchers to pay £80 and cash for £20. I could record this as two separate transactions, like this…



…but it's easier to see that this was payment for a single meal by making this a split transaction, like this:




Looked at from the Meal Vouchers register…



…the first £20 contribution to the meal isn't visible, but the Cash account's contribution can be seen, making up the total £100.

Although it's usual to enter a transaction through the register for the source of the cash, in this instance it's easier to see what's going on if you use the expense account ("Food") as the primary account, and collect the cash from the other two.

Hope this may help.

Michael


> 
> On Wed, May 8, 2013 at 2:29 PM, Alois Mahdal <Alois.Mahdal.1-ndmail at zxcvb.cz
>> wrote:
> 
>> Hello!
>> 
>> 
>> What is the best way to record transaction that involves two
>> "cash" accounts and one "expenses" account?
>> 
>> I have two cash accounts: one for CZK (real cash in my wallet)
>> and other one for meal vouchers (I have created a VOUCHER
>> security type and a custom security that I keep at price 80CZK).
>> 
>>    I'm newbie in this Double-entry bookkeeping thing, so please
>>    be patient and expect my misunderstandings of the subject.
>>    (Pointers to) general explanations welcome ;-)
>> 
>> Now I want to record the fact that I have spent one voucher and
>> 20 CZK for lunch.  That is, total value of 100 CZK that should
>> later appear as expense for food. Of course, I could record
>> that as two transactions, but I don't feel it's correct in the
>> long term...
>> 
>> Paying partly with vouchers and partly with money is very
>> common.  Similar, less common but somehow simpler example could
>> be paying at, say a book store, partly by card and partly by
>> cash (say, because I don't have enough on either of accounts).
>> 
>> How should I record these cases?  I'm trying to use "split" for
>> that but balance plays jokes on me I'm probably misunderstanding
>> the feature completely.
>> 
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> aL.
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