Beginner Issues with GNUCash

[Liz]

On Sun, 17 Jan 2016 12:40:43 -0800 (PST)
soulrade <bosemajor at hotmail.com> wrote:
some answers in line
> Hi all,
> 
> This is my first time using an accounting package and have come
> across some User Interface issues or the issues that is making things
> very difficult.
> 
> 1. First issue is, since I am testing the accounting program for
> starters, I found it very difficult to reset the data. I had to go
> through line by line deleted each and every transaction. Not sure why
> a mass select all feature doesn't exist or even a reset button. Would
> have made life so much easier.
Not at difficult. Delete the account file from your computer.
If you called it test1, test2, they are easier to get rid of.

> 
> 2. Second issue, the auto detection import feature is so buggy, it
> kept on classifying several transactions with the wrong account. No
> matter how many times I imported them so in the end I had to check
> line by line anyway.
The system learns from your corrections.
It has no knowledge in advance.
So import small quantities and save after each one


> 
> 3. Matching transactions is proving to be a nightmare. Initially I
> thought I would import all accounts and then match them off. Like
> some online accounting packages. Of course this did not work as it
> created tonnes of duplicate transactions. After reading online I
> followed the next step.
I don't understand what you are trying to do here or further down
The dates from different financial institutions will not match. You
cannot win trying to match their dates.

> 
> 4. I receive my bank statement and paypal statement all with
> individual transactions and descriptions. It seems if I match a
> transaction from the Bank first. Then on Paypal import the Paypal
> description is lost, on subsequent imports these transactions are
> ignored. Ok that's fine but I've lost the Paypal description title
> data, instead the Bank Description remains. 
> 
> 5. When matching off transfers, you also lose the date the
> transaction took place in the second batch of Paypal import. Since
> it's the initial date that's used from the transfer and title that is
> recorded came from the Bank. So now reconciling Paypal statements
> have become out of line as dates don't match.
> 
> 6. Transactions such as card verification where amount is taken from
> the bank, this transaction appears on Paypal several days later, so
> now I have one entry for the bank matching process and another for
> when the amount appeared on the Paypal statement. 
> 
> So now my only option is I must delete the new Paypal transaction,
> since one is already recorded from the initial bank matching, but I
> lose all the detail of the Paypal transaction. 
> 
> Apologies for such a long thread, just some issues I encountered and
> find doing it in anyway I either lose data from one set of accounts.
> The Bank statements don't match to the original anymore nor does the
> Paypal statements.
> 
> Waveapps for example let you import all transactions as they are, all
> you do is create a link between them and all dates, titles,
> descriptions stay intact and match exactly as they are seen on your
> statements.
The statement is the Bank's record. Reproducing the statement is not
the objective of accounting, but keeping your own record.
> 
>

Liz