Can't delete Imbalance account

[Mike or Penny Novack]

On 12/16/2015 1:16 PM, Joseph Hesse wrote:
> I was editing a credit card account and I messed up a split 
> transaction so I got an imbalance. I deleted the entire transaction 
> and entered a new one for the date of the deleted transaction. It 
> worked, the splits were fine and there was no imbalance.
>
> I then noticed a top level account called "Imbalance-USD". It contains 
> transactions from the deleted transaction. Since it is no longer 
> relevant I tried to delete the "Imbalance-USD" account but it wouldn't 
> delete.
>
> Is there anything I should do?
>
> Thank you, Joe 

The purpose of the Imbalance (and Orphan) account(s) is so that gnucash 
can let you complete entering a transaction even if wrong. You then fix 
the transaction, and shouldn't end up with anything in either of those 
accounts. Do NOT try to delete these accounts.

In case you were wondering WHY gnucash has an Imbalance account instead 
of simply stopping you from completing the transaction, consider the 
possibility that while you were entering a transaction you realized that 
you didn't HAVE an account you needed or otherwise had to make changes 
to the chart of accounts. An amount ends up in Imbalance only if you 
failed to correctly specify an account for that amount << and here I am 
showing you why that MIGHT be intentional rather than accident >>

If something shows up in Imbalance after you deleted a transaction take 
another look << not as completely deleted as you think >>

Michael