[GNC] new to gnucash

[Michael Hendry]

> On 5 Jan 2019, at 16:41, Mike Kerstetter <mkerstetter62 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hello all. I'm brand new to gnucash. I want it to do just the basics of keeping a register and reconciliation of a couple bank and credit card accounts. I had Money Sunset Deluxe and currently have Quicken (which is now charging a yearly subscription). I'm muddling through setting up my accounts and I am baffled at the seemingly backward credit and debit columns in the register. A deposit to my Checking (or payment to my credit card account) shows up under "DEBIT" and a charge to my accounts shows up under "CREDIT".  The balance is correct. Am I doing something wrong in my set-up?
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Mike Kerstetter

Hi, Mike.

Welcome to gnucash, and to the mysterious world of double-entry bookkeeping!

No, you haven’t made a mistake, cash received by an account is regarded as a debit and cash paid as a credit.

I’m not an accountant and I frequently have to chant “Debit the Receiver” to remind myself how it goes.

No doubt one of the experts in the forum can point you in the direction of an explanation of this counter-intuitive situation, or you could try Googling.

Michael