[GNC] extra column?

[Larry Evans]

On 6/19/19 11:05 AM, Larry Evans wrote:
> 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
> 
> 

I should also say that this is more intuitive, at least to
me.  The pending account is sort of like a pipeline where
the check written goes in at the source of the pending
pipeline and, after a delay (the float) travelling thru the
pipeline, exits the pipeline into the the destination
"storage tank" (the done account).

-Larry