[GNC] Posting a bad debt

[Adrien Monteleone]

Roger,

Be certain to set that sub-account as *type* `asset` not as *type* `accounts receivable`. There can be only one account with the type `accounts receivable`, and that one already exists. (and has the same name) I made the same error myself when I set up my sub-accounts.

You can have regular asset accounts as sub-accounts of the special Accounts Receivable account. They don’t all need to be of *type* `accounts receivable`. That’s what you are trying to accomplish here and then you should see it in the list. I don’t think you have to re-start GnuCash, but go ahead if it still doesn’t show up.

Also, I think you meant version `2.6.18` not `1.6.18`. Even 2.6.18 is a bit dated (the last of the series is 2.6.21) but even back then, you should be able to accomplish this. If there even was a version 1.6.18 it is ancient and probably won’t do much of anything we currently cover here on the list. (I don’t think it had the business features anyway at that point, so that’s probably a typo)

Regards,
Adrien

> On Apr 10, 2019, at 10:15 AM, <rmomxtx at gmail.com> <rmomxtx at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Adrian,
>  
> This option makes the most sense to me in terms of accounting principles. Only one problem, I set that account up as a sub of accounts receivable (in Spanish for: Activo Diferido) but it does not show up in the list of accounts in the receive payment window. You have to have an accounts receivable asset account for the invoice module to work. That account does appear in the dropdown list in the top right corner of the receive payments window.  I think this list is called “post in” in English, contabilizar en in Spanish. In the post window, you can select that account as well from a similar dropdown list called “contabilizar en cuenta,” I think “Post in account” in English. I’m using version 1.6.18. Perhaps later versions allow you to receive a payment to accounts receivable asset accounts.
>  
> Thanks,
> Roger
>  
> Message: 5
> Date: Tue, 9 Apr 2019 14:18:55 -0500
> From: Adrien Monteleone <adrien.monteleone at lusfiber.net>
> To: GnuCash <gnucash-user at gnucash.org>
> Subject: Re: [GNC] Posting a bad debt
> Message-ID: <4283CC76-028C-45C3-94E9-BE028A21872D at lusfiber.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain;             charset=utf-8
>  
> Probably the more formal method would be to create,
>  
> Assets:Current Assets:Accounts Receivable:Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
>  
> then ?pay? the original invoice with that asset account, then move that amount (once determined you definitely won?t collect it) to Expenses:Bad Debt.
>  
> 'Allowance for Doubtful Accounts' is usually a calculated estimation that later gets written off to expenses at the end of the period, but I don?t see why you can?t use it in this fashion all at once.
>  
>  
> Regards,
> Adrien