[GNC] How to automate $ value on the contra account when editing a transaction

[DIW]

On Mon, 03 Dec 2018 19:20:08 -0500
Derek Atkins <warlord at MIT.EDU> wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> David wasserman <wasserland44 at gmail.com> writes:
> 
> > Okay John, I will try to be clearer.
> >
> > I am talking about  inputting a new entry into an account.  Say, my
> > bank account.  So, in the register I could enter Date; Notes:
> > Account to Debit; Account to credit and their respective $
> > amounts.  However, if this is an entry I make frequently I will
> > scroll up to the last time I made a similar  
> > transaction> right click>select  "Duplicate Transaction">enter the
> > date>press OK and I am provided with a new transaction, accounts
> > date>allocated  
> > and all.  But, the $ amount may be different to what I want.  So I
> > edit the Debit and that forces an "Imbalance" entry on the Credit
> > side.
> >
> > I would like it to mirror my edit on the Credit contra account -
> > assuming the whole transaction consists of a single Debit line and
> > Credit line, respectively.
> >
> > As I say, this is not a major issue in any sense.  I was just
> > wondering, hoping, that there is a switch somewhere to accomplish
> > that rule.  
> 
> You do realize that you could just use Autofill, right?
> 
> GnuCash will assume that if you enter in the same Description then it
> will auto-fill the rest of transaction.  I.e., you can go to an
> account, enter in the "current" date, type in a description you've
> used before, then hit "tab" and GnuCash will fill in the rest of the
> transaction as before, including transfer account(s), and amounts.
> Then will will jump to and let you edit the amount.
> 
> This works in the contra-account as well, although we really recommend
> you enter transactions only from Asset and Liability accounts and not
> Income or Expense accounts.
> 
> If the transaction is a basic, 2-split transaction then if you edit
> the amount it will properly edit the other-account amount, too.
> 
> I think this will work better than your "duplicate" method.  Try it.
> 
> > Regards
> > Dave W  
> 
> > Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> > You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.  
> 
> -derek
> 

Hi Derek,

I tried the Autofill method you describe.  

It was indeed a revelation.
Thank you. For years I have been using the Duplicate Transaction
method.  Though it didn't jump to to edit the amount nor did it edit
the contra account - if I understood you correctly?

That said, using autofill, tab, is a much better method, just as you
say.

I see that I have started an interesting discussion on the subject :-)

Regards
Dave W