Fwd: One click export from spreadsheets to GnuCash

[One Click To Qif]

Hi Derek:

On Fri, Mar 11, 2016 at 5:17 PM, Derek Atkins <warlord at mit.edu> wrote:
> Hi, whoever you are,
>
> One Click To Qif <oneclicktoqif at gmail.com> writes:
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have used GnuCash for a long time now. It is great and useful
>> software with lots of features.
>>
>> However, my main complaint about it is regarding the GnuCash
>> interface: IMHO, it is not the best way to enter the details of
>> transactions for daily use.
>
> Could you please elaborate these complaints?  Why do you feel that "it
> is not the best way to enter the details of transactions for daily use"?

First at all I really like GnuCash, by no means I intend to offend any
developer or user, however as I said for daily entering data I find
easier and quicker Excel.
I do not think an "Excel vs Gnucash" interface comparison is very
useful, as everyone can choose how they insert data; I just made a
project to make it easier to transfer data from spreadsheet to the
people choosing Excel.
I also think it is an unfair comparison, because a spreadsheet is a
different tool than an accounting tool.
However, to respond you, I elaborate my point:
- To open the file: In my computer Excel can be open in 15 seconds,
where Gnucash takes around 40 (granted, it is an old computer)
- To begin inserting transactions: I just put the cursor at the last
row in Excel; for Gnucash I have to expand the tree for (e.g.) Asset
accounts, then (e.g.) Liquid asset tree, then Cash account
- To insert 6 new transactions: in Excel I can enter 6 dates
copy-pasting for all of them in one second (ctrl-c, select 6 rows,
ctrl-v), the target account 1 second each (ctrl-c ctrl-v), the amount
can be calculated from other cells if needed. In GnuCash I should have
to copy dates separately for every transaction, then for copying
target accounts (at least in auto-split ledger view) one click on
every transaction to expand it, then double click to copy, then paste;
for amount I cannot calculate it based on something else, has to
insert a value.
- GnuCash process takes around 80 MB in memory; Excel process
(granted, with just 3 accounts) takes around 20 MB
- Then the other points regarding bank downloading and split
transactions, see below.

These are only a few points, I guess I could elaborate it more, but I
do not find it would be useful, this is up to each user, and it is an
unfair comparison implying different types of tools: I am just
explaining why I prefer inserting my daily data via spreadsheet;

I am by no means attacking to the nice and useful GnuCash, no offence! :)

>> By contrast, spreadsheets provide a faster and simpler interface. It
>> is much easier to enter data via MS Excel or Calc than via GnuCash
>> interface or similar applications.
>
> This sounds like a stretch to me.  For data entry the GnuCash register
> is (to me) as fast and convenient as a spreadsheet.

OK!
It is not (to me), that is why I did the project, I think someone
could find faster spreadsheet, that is why I uploaded it as freeware
:)

>> In addition, most banks and credit card issuers provide account
>> statements in spreadsheet format. I usually download the transactions
>> of my bank accounts and credit cards from the web of banks and
>> financial institutions, in Excel format. I find it faster and more
>> manageable to view these transactions in the spreadsheet. However, I
>> want to have them synchronized in GnuCash.
>
> Really?  My banks supply QIF, OFX, and sometimes CSV.  I've never had
> one offer XLS as a download format.  Could you suggest some banks that
> actually supply XLS data?

Really.
All three of my banks, two of them the biggest here in Europe: ING
Direct and Banco Santander. Both provide XLS, no QIF.

>
>> Also for accounts with split transactions, I find it much easier to
>> enter data via spreadsheets, than via GnuCash interface.
>
> SERIOUSLY!?!?  Could you go into more details about this?

Seriously.
The difference for split transactions is bigger than for simple ones.
For a split transaction you only have to insert the values in the row
of that transaction, at each target account's column.
(let's say 5 accounts in the split transaction, insert 5 values in 5 cells)

https://github.com/OneClickToQif/OneClickToQif/blob/master/payrolls.xlsm

In Gnucash you have to create the transaction and then manually select
every target account (apart from entering the values), in Excel you
only have to specify the target account on the creation of the
spreadsheet.

> I can't even imagine how you would set up a spreadsheet to deal with
> split transactions!

You can check the example above.

> But if there are usability issues we would certainly like to know and,
> if possible, make it easier to enter.  But I honestly can't imagine that
> using a spreadsheet for split transaction entry is easier than entering
> it into GnuCash.

I do not think there is an usability issue in GnuCash.
GnuCash is a generic (and excellent) accounting tool, whereas a
spreadsheet is highly configurable and you can adapt it for your
specific (with simple or split transaction) accounts and (to me) for
entering data quicker.
And I guess interfaces and usability are a very subjective matter.

Thanks for replying and for making Gnucash such a great tool.

>> On the other hand, I do not want to give up all the benefits of
>> GnuCash, especially to manage on one site all accounts for assets,
>> liabilities, income and expenses, and generate reports from them.
>>
>> For these reasons I created OneClickToQIF: a freeware and open source
>> project: with OneClickToQIF is very quick and easy to move data from
>> spreadsheets to GnuCash or other bookkeeping application, using the
>> former for insertion and some calculations, and the latter for all the
>> functionality of a double-entry bookkeeping application.
>>
>> Github project:  https://github.com/OneClickToQif/OneClickToQif
>>
>> Email list / forum for the project is found here:
>> https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/oneclicktoqif
>>
>> I created this software for my own use, but then I uploaded it as an
>> open source project at GitHub because I hope it could be useful for
>> many GnuCash users.
>
> Good Luck,
>
>> Regards
>
>> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
>> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
>
> -derek
>
> --
>        Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
>        Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
>        URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
>        warlord at MIT.EDU                        PGP key available