[GNC] Customer Report versus Receivables Aging

[John Morris]

Hi All,

  Having recently upgraded from GnuCash 2.6.something to 3.7, we are
having trouble with the some of the customer features. Specifically,
two reports help us see the amounts we are owed and what we owe our
clients. Those reports are Reports -> Business -> Receiveable Aging
and Reports -> Business -> Customer Report. The first report gives us
a handy list of all the clients who have a balance (positive or
negative). The second report gives us details (invoices and payments)
about a particular customer and can be accessed from the first report.

  The problem we are having is that in version 2.6, Receivable Aging
included all invoices and all payments in its assessment of each
client's balance. Thus, if a client has overpaid by $100 but that
payment has not been applied to any invoices, it would show that the
client had a $100 negative balance. In version 3.7, no payments that
have not been applied to any invoices are included in the calculations
for this report. Thus, if a client completely pays all past invoices
and then sends another check for $100 to be applied to future work,
that client does not show up in the Receivable Aging report because it
thinks the client has a zero balance. As soon as I use even one penny
from that payment to pay an invoice, the entire $100 shows up in the
report.

  In contrast, the Customer Report shows all invoices and all payments
for a particular client, so we know if we owe the client or the client
owes us. Unfortunately, with over 1,700 customers, this is not a
practical way to track our receivables.

  Is there any way around this problem? We don't have many, but we do
have a few clients who regularly prepay their projects, so it is very
important for us to know who they are and where we stand with them. If
there is no way around this new functionality, how else do other
people keep track of prepaying clients?

Thanks,
John