[GNC] I just don't understand reconciliation

[Maf. King]

On Tuesday, 18 June 2019 08:11:45 BST ToddAndMargo via gnucash-user wrote:
> On 6/17/19 11:47 PM, Michael Hendry wrote:
> > When you have checked the relevant entries in the reconciliation window
> > (as in your third screenshot), you’ll get a difference of $0.00.
> > 
> > Now click on the “Finish” button, and the process will be complete, with
> > the transactions you have checked now marked “r”.
> Finish is grayed out.
> 
> Tears  :'(
> 

Finish will be greyed out until you get the "difference" to 0

I will note that reconcile is used to compare 2 peoples' (or bank or whatever) 
versions of the state of an account.  it is an accounting term - read it in 
the sense of "check my bank and I agree about what has happened to this 
account"

 I understand that you are using bogus data to learn from, but your comment 
about not having to work out the ending balance by hand is an artifact of not 
having a real statement sent to you...

If this was a real CCard account, they would have sent you a statement saying 
"OK, we think you've made these transactions [list] and on [6-11] the account 
balance is [-135]"

You put into the GC reconcile box 
1. the date of statement  (GC will try and guess this based on previous 
reconcile dates - it is usually pretty close.)
2. check the opening balance (you can't change this, but if GC and your 
statement don't agree here, you'll need to check the previous reconciles - 
perhaps you missed a statement or something)
3.  based on the date entered at (1.)  GC will attempt to guess the statement 
end balance.  It is usually wrong on a busy account.  Correct this to the 
actual number on the statement.

so for your tests, your imaginary statement will have arrived, with an ending 
balance of £135, not £128....so you need to enter that into GC as you start 
the reconcile. 

The rest should flow, and you will hopefully find the finish box enabled when you 
have selected the txns that your "bozo card" knows about.

HTH,
Maf.