[GNC] Tracking designated balances in the total checking account balance?

Adrien Monteleone adrien.monteleone at lusfiber.net
Thu Jan 9 13:21:50 EST 2020


Michael’s answer is what you are looking for with regard to the individual funds.

As for the QDF issue there are a few options:

A) Find someone who has Intuit software that would do a backup-restore and QIF export for you.
B) Use a VM with trial software

On that option-B:

You can get trial versions of Quicken/Quickbooks online and you might even find an older disc somewhere. (Someone you know might even have one) Just be sure the version you are using is at least as new as the version the backup was made with.

You then only need a Windows version that will run that Intuit version, it doesn’t necessarily have to be Windows10. But if that is the case, you can still download Win10 ISOs for free from Microsoft. (a simple web search will turn up the direct link) Family, friends or associates also might have the needed Win-whatever install disc laying around.

Then follow these steps:

1) Install VirtualBox (also free)

2) Install the relevant version of Windows in VirtualBox, but don’t worry about activation as you won’t need it that long. (be sure to do this once you have the Intuit software in hand, Windows will complain if you don’t activate within 30 days)

3) Install Quicken/Quickbooks trial version or full version as a trial, according to what you were able to find.

4) Restore the backup

5) Read this wiki page: https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Quicken_Migration

5) Export to QIF according to the recommendations in the wiki

6) Import to GnuCash and make sure all is well

7) Nuke the VM unless you find another use for it, accepting you’ll have to deal with the Windows license issue later.

Regards,
Adrien

> On Jan 9, 2020 w2d9, at 7:04 AM, Nate Bargmann <n0nb at n0nb.us> wrote:
> 
> The issue I am wrestling with is how to deal with what I will call
> designated funds that our organization tracks internally but are just
> part of the one checking account.
> 
> To explain further.
> 
> Say there is a total checking balance of $1000.00.  Then say there are
> two standing funds one with $200.00 and the other with $400.00.
> Conceptually I have:
> 
> Fund A		$200.00
> Fund B		$400.00
> Undesignated	$400.00
> 
> Total (as the bank statement shows) $1000.00
> 
> As deposits and withdrawals are made, in order to keep sync with the
> bank statement I should just work with the running account total at all
> times.
> 
> Initially, I thought I should create and transfer funds to additional
> Assets accounts, but this doesn't work, as I see it, especially for
> reconciliations as the checking balance gets reduced accordingly.  If I
> don't track the bank account closely, I'll go insane!
> 
> I guess the standing funds will need to be tracked outside of GNU Cash,
> perhaps in a spreadsheet.  Their balances will change throughout the
> year but not so often as to make this method unmanageable.
> 
> The outgoing Treasurer used Quicken/Quick Books (whichever, I don't
> know) and he gave me several .qdf-backup files which are naturally not
> usable by GNU Cash.  I'm not sure if he understood my request for an
> export to .qif.  I'm loathe to buy a Windows 10 computer just for this
> so I'm starting from scratch to get going as quickly as possible and
> then may try to help him generate a .qif file sometime down the road.
> I'm not sure how he tracked the standing/designated balances.
> 
> - Nate



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