[GNC] Understanding Transaction Report options

[Christopher Lam]

Hello

On Sat, 12 Oct 2019 at 15:38, <ornd25 at tutanota.com> wrote:

> 1. Account tab:  What does the “Include transactions to/from Filter
> Accounts” (and “Exclude”) mean? The documentation uses those same words to
> describe their function.
>

> 2. Account tab:  I understand the Account tree selection under “Accounts”
> (top block), but what is the account tree under “Filter By” used for? How
> can you “filter by” something you’ve already chosen?
>

You'll notice "Filter By..." is only enabled when "Filter Type" is not
None. Consider an account structure Asset:Bank:Current,
Expenses:School:Fees:

Select Account/Account - Asset:Bank:Current, Filter-Type: None --> will
show all bank transactions

Select Account/Account - Asset:Bank:Current, Filter-Type: Include to/from,
Filter-By: Expenses:School:Fees --> will show only school fees


> 3. Filter tab: How is the “Account Name Filter” used? Am I to change it
> each time for a selection or is this invoking a previously-named “Account
> Name Filter?”
>

Consider a rental business book with dozens of accounts;
Expenses:Property1:Maintenance, Asset:Property1, Asset:Property2,
Income:Property1:Rental, etc... If you wish to analyse Property1 amounts,
you could select *only* property1 accounts in the account tab... or
alternatively select *all* accounts in the account tab, and filter
account-name by ":Property1".

>
> 5. Filter tab: When would I select “Use regular expressions for
> transaction filter?”
> 6. Filter tab: What is POSIX and how and why should I invoke it?
> 7. Filter tab: How can I invoke a boolean “OR” to report either of two or
> more transaction filters? (in this case I want to report a transaction that
> has either one person’s name or another in the Description.)
>

Transaction Filter searches transaction's description/notes/memo. It either
searches conventionally e.g. "Party", or searches using POSIX regex
matching: "Party|Flights" is the boolean OR. Regex is powerful, e.g.
"Party201[7-8]" will search Party2017 and Party2018.

HTH.