Is the description of "Common Accounts" in Account wizard accurate or confusing?

[John Ralls]

> On Dec 3, 2016, at 12:29 AM, Dr. David Kirkby (Kirkby Microwave Ltd) <drkirkby at kirkbymicrowave.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> On 1 December 2016 at 15:24, Tommy Trussell <tommy.trussell at gmail.com <mailto:tommy.trussell at gmail.com>> wrote:
>> On Wed, Nov 30, 2016 at 12:18 PM, Dr. David Kirkby - Kirkby Microwave Ltd
>> <drkirkby at kirkbymicrowave.co.uk> wrote:
>>> 
>>> I was trying to set up some accounts using the wizard, or to give it the
>>> name in the software "New Account Hierarchy Setup", and see "Common
>>> Accounts", where it says
>>> 
>>> "Most users will want to select this set of accounts. It includes most
>>> commonly used accounts (checking, savings, cash, debit card, income, common
>>> expenses).
>>> 
>>> The fact it is already ticked, and ones told most users will want them,
>>> sort of suggests they should be left. Yet, from reading the book "Gnucash
>>> 2.4 Small Business Accounting", it says you don't need these for a business.
>>> IMHO, it should be better if the description stated this.
> 
>> 
>> While it's fresh on your mind, maybe you can help by suggesting a more
>> exclusive (yet welcoming and informative) wording for the selection on that
>> wizard so one of us might create a bug report? Something like:
>> 
>> "Most users managing their own personal finances will want to select this
>> set of accounts. It includes commonly used accounts (cash, debit card,
>> income, and common expenses)."
> 
> Hi,
> I'll do that. There's also another problem I found, on a similar thing.
> 
> If you are a business, one is tempted to tick "business". If one is in
> the UK and VAT registered, I think its pretty tempting to put "UK VAT
> accounts"  too. These seem to me at least to be reasonable
> assumptions. If one does that, there are then two bank accounts
> 
> * Checking account - American term I believe
> * Current account - UK term.
> 
> I don't think there's any need to have both, but one gets both. It is
> also a bit odd, in that they appear in different places.
> 
> * Assets -> Current Assets -> Checking account
> * Bank accounts -> Current account.
> 
> Personally I don't know what's the most logical, as I have a
> science/engineering background, and not accountancy. But it seems odd
> that one is under "Bank accounts" and the other under "Assets".
> 
> If I can get it clear in my own mind what seems most logical, I'll
> open a bug report and suggest it is changed.

This arises from the fact that the en_GB accounts are mostly copies of the C (aka en_US) ones. The account currencies are even USD.

This presents a contribution opportunity for one of our more advanced UK users to make the account structures and names reflect UK practise.

Regards,
John Ralls