[GNC] Suggestion: add "balance" variable for scheduled transactions

[David Carlson]

Have you reviewed
https://www.gnucash.org/viewdoc.phtml?rev=3&lang=C&doc=guide

On Wed, Apr 8, 2020 at 1:13 PM Stephen M. Butler <kg7je at arrl.net> wrote:

> I like it.
>
> Could you also add "days" as in the number of days from the last posting
> of this transaction until this posting (assume posting means "effective
> date of transaction".  This would then allow the user to craft the
> interest based on number of days and the daily interest rate (fixed
> value known at time creating the scheduled transaction).  Be sure the
> "interest" is rounded to the nearest penny and not left fraction of
> pennies.
>
> On 4/7/20 10:53 PM, jeanl wrote:
> > GC people!
> > The scheduled transaction editor has one special variable "i" which you
> can
> > use in your credit/debit formula, and counts how many times the
> transaction
> > has posted.
> > I'm suggesting to add a variable "balance" that would hold the value of
> the
> > account (see below for which) at the time the transaction posts. This
> > balance could then be used to compute interest, and other amounts that
> > depend on the current balance, within the scheduled transaction.
> >
> > The idea is to allow *simple* interest computations for basic fixed
> interest
> > mortgage loans that compound monthly (as is typically the case in the US,
> > but definitely not in the rest of the world).
> > Here's a typical example: You have a 4% interest rate on a mortgage with
> a
> > monthly payment of say $1000 (these have to be known in advance)
> > Each month the schedule transaction would transfer $1000 from your
> checking
> > account (for example) and split that into balance*0.04/12 toward an
> expense
> > account "mortgage interest" and 1000-balance*0.04/12 toward reducing the
> > mortgage account. "balance" would hold the current principal of the loan
> at
> > that date.
> >
> > This would easily handle mortgage extra payments: If you pay an extra
> $500
> > in the middle of the month, that goes toward reducing the principal
> > (assuming that's how your bank handles it, but that's typical in the US)
> and
> > at the end of the month, the interests computed by the scheduled
> > transactions would be computed accurately according to the new loan
> balance.
> >
> > Again, all this works only if your interests are compounded monthly and
> not
> > daily.
> > The account the "balance" refers to would be automatically detected
> based on
> > the nature of the accounts present in the splits (i.e., it would ignore
> all
> > accounts except for the liability account, assuming there's only one).
> >
> > I understand this is far from perfect, and only applies to a subset of
> the
> > users, but for these I believe it could be quite useful. It happens to be
> > fairly easy to implement, which is why I'm suggesting it.
> >
> > I'm welcoming any feedback on this idea.
> > Jean
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Sent from:
> http://gnucash.1415818.n4.nabble.com/GnuCash-User-f1415819.html
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>
> --
> Stephen M Butler, PMP, PSM
> Stephen.M.Butler51 at gmail.com
> kg7je at arrl.net
> 253-350-0166
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-- 
David Carlson