Trial Balance Report with Investment Transactions

John Ralls jralls at ceridwen.us
Sun Feb 12 23:28:43 EST 2017


> On Feb 11, 2017, at 1:10 AM, David T. via gnucash-user <gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
> 
> Chris,
> 
> I took a look at what you had to say on the bug, and I have to say, I strongly disagree with your assessment of the problem.
> 
> The trial balance report is wrong when using a standard method of documenting commodity sales. When I receive a statement from my brokerage house, it lists these fees and commissions separately. It is perfectly normal to expect that entering a stock sale with commissions and fees documented would result in an accurate gain record on the GnuCash reports.
> 
> It is absurd to say that the TB report works perfectly well when using the GnuCash-approved method of accounting (which eliminates user ability to document how their money is spent, BTW). 
> 
> The only place I have heard "Gross pricing" used for calculating commodity sales information is in the GnuCash lists themselves. Everywhere else I look indicates accounting that includes documenting these transactions. The GnuCash way requires the GnuCash user to enter into a GnuCash fantasyland where the stock they are selling has a GnuCash value that incorporates fees and commissions. Explain to me how that is right.
> 
> If a GnuCash user chooses to enter their fees and commissions into their data file accurately, and to enter their gains transactions manually accurately, then the GnuCash Trial Balance report DAMN WELL needs to report that information correctly—or the report shouldn’t be included in the application. 

David,

If you think that it's perfectly normal to count the same money twice by both expensing it and deducting it from the capital gain then you need to go have a think. It can't possibly balance:
   sale price - expenses = basis + capital gain

Regards,
John Ralls



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