Beginner Issues with GNUCash

[Maf. King]

On Sun 17 January 16 17:00:46 soulrade wrote:
> Thanks for that,
> 
> Just tried the U/R, and it didn't work. Now the Paypal descriptions stay and
> the bank descriptions disappear on the transactions and now the dates
> appear as the Paypal ones.
> 
> To give you an example of the transaction as they appear on the statement:
> Format: Date/Type/Account/Description/Amount
> 
> Paypal:
> 01/01/2016 /DB /PAYPAL /Bank Account/ 10
> 
> Bank:
> 05/01/2016 /CR /Bank /PAYPAL1323156/ -10
> 
> The only options I seem to have is
> 1. Keep the bank data and therefore:
> 
> In Paypal Account:
> 05/01/2016 /DB /Bank /PAYPAL1323156/ 10
> 
> In Bank Account:
> 05/01/2016 /CR /Bank /PAYPAL1323156/ -10
> 
> OR
> 
> 2. Keep the Paypal data :
> In Paypal Account:
> 01/01/2016 /DB /Bank /Bank Account/ 10
> 
> In Bank Account:
> 01/01/2016 /CR /Bank /Bank Account/ -10
> 
> 
> As you can see from above I have no way for the
> 1. Bank to stay
> 05/01/2016 /CR /Bank /PAYPAL1323156/ -10
> 
> 2. Paypal to stay
> 01/01/2016 /DB /PAYPAL /Bank Account/ 10
> 
> So that I can track the transactions as according to their respective
> details as presented in their own accounts.
> 
> GNUCash only seems to allow you to keep one or the other. Mixing up the
> dates and descriptions.
> 
> 
> 

Hi,

As Liz said earlier on in the thread, gnucash keeps YOUR records.  So, my 
advice is don't get too hung up on when the bank (or paypal or whoever) 
actually process the transaction.  Worry about when YOU spent the money!  
There will often be date mismatches - think for example about writing a cheque 
and posting it to pay for your supply of widgets.  You spend the money when 
you write the cheque.  No matter if the post office add a delay in delivering 
it, or the widget seller holds it for a couple of days before getting to her 
bank etc. Every one else will eventually catch up with what you already know 
(ie. you've spent some money)!   Too easy to spend money twice if you are just 
cloning what other people say is happening, IMHO.

Maf.