Entering transactions directly into A/P or A/R: P, I, ?

[Derek Atkins]

Hi,

On Fri, October 25, 2013 5:11 pm, vitaeterna wrote:
> I was reading in some other posts that it is not a good idea to enter
> transactions directly into the A/P or A/R registers, why is that?
> Specifically I was using that for split transactions involving Payroll
> where
> several accounts were being affected and I wanted to see everything at a
> glance.  Also it gives me a choice of the Type:  P, I or ?  What
> difference
> does each of those choices make?

So you read that you shouldn't do something but decided to do it anyways?
Let me reiterate:  do not use AR or AP for manual transaction entry.  It's
designed solely for use with the Business Features.  If I could have made
it non-usable by humans I would have, but GnuCash doesn't have that
functionality and adding it wouldn't been way too much effort that just
repetatively telling people not to do it.

Don't try to change the P,I,?.  If you do you'll lock yourself out of the
transaction.  For the record, P == Payment and I == Invoice.  But it's
irrelevant; you shouldn't be using AR and AP.

You say the reason you're doing it is for split transactions..  Well, you
do realize you can make ANY register show the splits, right?  There are
multiple ways you can do it:

1) You can click on the "Split" button to expand the current transaction.
2) You can turn on Auto-Split register mode to have it auto-expand the
currently selected transaction.
3) You can turn on Journal Mode to have it expand all transactions.

Check the View menu for #2 and #3.  #1 is in the toolbar

If you want to make #2 or #3 permanent you can set it in Edit ->
Preferences -> Register Defaults and set the Default Style.

> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.

-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins                 617-623-3745
       derek at ihtfp.com             www.ihtfp.com
       Computer and Internet Security Consultant