[GNC] extra column?

[Larry Evans]

On 6/19/19 10:28 AM, Michael Hendry wrote:
>> On 19 Jun 2019, at 13:02, Larry Evans <cppljevans at suddenlink.net> wrote:
>>
>> You're not the first to request that feature:
>>
>>  https://lists.gnucash.org/pipermail/gnucash-user/2015-August/061582.html
>>
>> I'd also like such a feature.  As things are now, I create 2 subaccounts
>> for a bank account, one subaccount called pending, the other called
>> done.  The pending is for checks written, the done is for checks
>> cleared.  When a check clears, I transfer from pending to done; hence,
>> when all checks clear, the pending has 0.0 balance.
>>
>> This requires double entries, but it's easier for me to follow.
> 
> Hi, Larry.
> 
> Can you explain why working this way is useful to you?
> 
> The way I see it, when I write a cheque (rare these days) or make a payment using a credit card, I am committed to that expenditure, and the balance in my bank or credit card account as shown in Gnucash takes that into consideration.
> 
> Even if several weeks have gone by and the cheque hasn’t been cleared, I can’t write a further cheque that would take me into the red because the cheque could be cleared tomorrow and make my account overdrawn.
> 
> I assume you’re using the reconciliation feature to ensure that Gnucash and your bank are in step with one another, so the pending transaction will stand out.
> 
> Michael
> 

The done account will more directly reflects what appears on my bank
statement.  That makes it easier for me to see what's been cleared and
what has not.  Since the total on the parent account (the parent to both
the done and pending subaccounts) will tell me if I'd be overdrawn,
I've all the information I need at the cost of entering the essentially
the same information twice for the same check (1 for pending, the 2nd for
done).  I find that worthwhile, but of course YMMV

-regards,
Larry