Reports: Include second column for previous period

[Liz]

On Sat, 7 Mar 2015 09:43:06 -0800 (PST)
YeOldHinnerk <HRamthun at gmx.de> wrote:

> Let me put it another way: If GnuCash was only about storing data,
> why is it not simply a database? It isn't, because it is not only
> about storing data. It is about evaluating data. And reports are the
> most natural way of doing this. Reports should be a strength of
> GnuCash, not something that is being neglected, because you could do
> it elsewhere.

You make some interesting points there.
Gnucash is not a database. Agreed.
Gnucash evaluates data. Good point.
Reports - there are reports, and some are difficult to work out exactly
what they do. 
Accounting terminology changes as the new international
standards spread and themselves change, so reports on Gnucash have got
different names over the years.
There is a competing philosophy in Unix in which you get use a number
of different tools, using the best for each job you have, and not
reinventing the wheel. Various means are used to bring those tools into
use - an overarching program or a scripting system.
Michael Novack is very clear on using the best tool for the job, but it
is possible that your needs are actually met within Gnucash.

Liz