Auto-total in split transaction

[Mike or Penny Novack]

On 12/28/2016 3:47 PM, Dean Gibson wrote:
> When entering a transaction in single-line mode, you only have to 
> enter the amount once.  However, in split mode, there is no way that 
> know of, to enter several lines (referring to other accounts), and 
> then have the difference summed to the account associated with the 
> current open register.
>
> Of course, one can just press enter and then change the "unbalanced" 
> line entry to refer to the current account, but that's a nuisance.
>
> Is there a way to enter a "*" or "T" (or similar) for the amount for 
> the current account, which then becomes the balancing value? 

John has described how to do this.

But I will jump in to suggest that you not. I never would. By asking 
gnucash to "sum up what you have entered" you are throwing away the 
chance to catch an error in data entry. Yes, the transaction will be in 
balance as you entered it, but suppose when typing in the various 
amounts you transposed digits in one of them or had some other typo.

I always know in advance of entering the amounts that I think should be 
entered for each element of the split. I know what the total SHOULD be 
(assuming a one way split) and enter that first, then change the amount 
on the other side to be the amount going to the first account of the 
split, and keep changing the amount of the resulting Imbalance till I 
reach the last. Which SHOULD be the amount I expected to be entering for 
the last element of the split.

If it isn't, then I made a data entry mistake or an error in my original 
math -- go back and find it.

Michael D Novack