A PDF report Generator, Fund Accounting

[Wm...]

Fri, 4 Sep 2015 07:43:27 <9FE7F0E4-DC91-4F6C-931F-5B22418BB1A1 at mac.com>
Steve Alex <salex at mac.com> wrote...

>I started using GnuCash a couple years ago when I became the 
>Quartermaster (aka accounting clerk!) at a VFW Post. The VFW uses a 
>form of Fund Based Accounting and I found GC through some search.

There is nothing magical about fund based accounting, at least in the 
VFW application.

Some applications can be more complex.

Basically your checkbook account just has sub accounts that define 
“Funds”. Some funds are “restricted”, for instance, money put 
into a “Relief” fund should only be used to help Veterans in Need. 
With some help from posts in the mailing list I set up my accounts and 
all is fine. It is up to me to be the “restricter”, GC can’t do 
that, and the piece of paper (GL Book) couldn’t do it before I took 
over the task.

Are you using any particular model for your Restricted funds ?

My only problem was that the build-in reports didn’t look like the VFW 
reporting requirements/examples.  All the information was in the 
reports, but trying to explain that to an “inspector/auditor” was 
futile.

Interesting, you had it, they couldn't see it :)

[snip]


While my approach is somewhat customized to a VFW, taking data out of 
GnuCash and creating a report is not, it’s just code you have to write.

I’ve posted my approach on github at  https://github.com/salex/vfwcash 
<https://github.com/salex/vfwcash>

If you write code (it is in Ruby, but it’s just code) and are looking 
for an approach to writing custom reports, you make be able to build 
onto my approach.

I’ve be writing code since the  Apple II days, but consider myself 
just a hacker, more of a hobby to me, so don’t expect perfection, just 
that it works.

Your tale is good (I don't need the code), what I am interested in is 
how you deal with your Restricted funds.  You suggest above that 
Restricted funds are sub-funds of your checking account.  That isn't 
quite right, Restricted funds should be shown under Equity or Net Assets 
or similar depending on your reporting rules.

For small organisations careful hand management is appropriate but if 
you're putting it under Assets rather than Equity none of the basic 
accounting reports (balance sheet and equity statement type mainly as 
known in gnc) are going to work.

I have a long standing interest in this so feel free to comment.






-- 
Wm...