New User to GnuCash

[Derek Atkins]

Hi Jack,

Jack Slater <theilliniguy at gmail.com> writes:

> I think I'm getting that understanding a little bit. Thanks!
>
> Debit Checking Account - Credit Rent - paying a bill and knowing why (even
> though in my Quicken mind the Rent account is just a category)
>
> I found a Transfer transaction on the tool bar that accommodates the type
> of transfer I am used to, i.e.:
>
> Debit Checking Account - Credit Visa Account - paying a bill
>
> In a perfect world, I'd sure like to use GC the same way.  Maybe with all
> the help and usage I'll get there.

You can easily restructure your account hierarchy by editing your
accounts and reassigning them to new parent accounts.  For example, if
you look at the default account structure that you could create via File
-> New File and creating a set of empty accounts, it will look something
like:

Assets/
   Current Assets/
      Bank/
         Checking
         Savings
      Cash
   Fixed Assets/
      Car
      House
Liabilities/
   Credit Card
   Mortgage
Equity/
   Opening Balances
Income/
   Salary
Expenses/
   Groceries
   Rent
   Utilities/
      Electricity
      Gas
      Internet
      Phone

Most likely all your Income/Expense accounts got flattened because
Quicken generally doesn't create a hierarchy like this.  But GnuCash
can.

All you need to do is select an account in the CoA, click on Edit, and
then you can reassign to a new parent.  Note that the parent must
already exist.  So if you create a top-level Expenses account, then you
can assign Groceries and Rent to that.  Similarly, if you create
Expenses:Utilities then you can put the other accounts under that.

This will help clean up your accounts.

There is another option: You can start over.  Run the File -> New File,
create an empty set of accounts, and then, during the QIF Import from
Quicken, assign each of the QIF Accounts and Categories to the correct
GnuCash Account.  This will properly populate the hierarchy as you
desire.

Hope this helps!

-derek

> On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 2:38 PM, Mike or Penny Novack <
> stepbystepfarm at dialup4less.com> wrote:
>
>> On 12/14/2017 2:10 PM, Jack Slater wrote:
>>
>>> I think I get what your saying and at this point (a) I have no clue how to
>>> manage/edit/adjust what I have to that type of structure nor (b) do I know
>>> enough yet to feel confident in making any changes! LOL..
>>>
>>> I'm reconciling my November statement as we "speak" and had to add a few
>>> account transfer entries - that in Quicken would credit 1 account and
>>> automatically debit the transfer account. I have non idea how/if I can do
>>> that in GC!?
>>>
>>> Any pointers/help is gladly and thankfully accepted!
>>>
>>> On Thu, Dec 14, 2017 at 12:53 PM, Fross, Michael <michael at fross.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>
>> When you are entering transactions (of any sort) in gnucash or any other
>> double entry package you are always debiting one account (or accounts) and
>> crediting one account (or accounts). Whether the second account is being
>> debited or credited will depend on what you are doing in the first account
>> (the one you are entering the transactions from). THAT is automatic using
>> gnucash.
>>
>> << the plurals above refer to split transactions which you will learn
>> about later >>
>>
>> Michael
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-- 
       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