[GNC] $0 splits in QIF imported incorrectly, flipping + and - values

[Jim DeLaHunt]

Hello, BWooster:

I think I may see a terminology difference, which might be interfering 
with you making your question clear in this forum.

On 2020-09-27 11:41, B Wooster wrote:
> $0 split transactions are not getting imported from QIF correctly.
> Non-zero transactions get imported fine.

In GnuCash terminology, a "split" typically means a "split line" in a 
transaction. Each transaction consists of two or more split lines, with 
credits and debits which sum to zero. See the Tutorial and Concepts 
Guide, 2.9.3. "Simple vs. Split Transactions", 
<https://www.gnucash.org/viewdoc.phtml?rev=4&lang=C&doc=guide>. A 
"simple transaction" is a transactions with two splits, e.g. one split 
to a chequing account and another split to an account for insurance 
expense, presented in the ledger of the chequing account, so that only 
the split to the insurance expense account is displayed and the split to 
the chequing account is implicit.  A "split transaction" is a 
transaction with three or more splits. It cannot be fully displayed with 
the split to the chequing account implicit.

When I look at the QIF file example you give, it seems that the S, E, 
and $ lines together describe one of what GnuCash would call a "split". 
None of these sets of QIF lines have a value of zero. So your file does 
not have what GnuCash would call a "$0 split".

In the transaction "PPay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from Savings", the 
S, E, and $ lines add up to $0. This corresponds to the $0.00 in the U 
and T lines. It appears that you are calling this a "$0 split" or "$0 
split transaction". In GnuCash terms, I would call it a correct, 
balanced transaction.  Note that none of the S lines mention the 
"L[Checking]" account.

In the transaction "PPay Check Correct Deposit to Savings", the S, E, 
and $ lines add up to $1,200. This corresponds to the $1,200.00 in the U 
and T lines. It appears you are calling this a "non-zero transaction". 
In GnuCash terms, I would call it in incorrect, unbalanced transaction — 
unless you assume an implicit entry of $1,200.00 to the "L[Checking]" 
account. That would make it a balanced transaction.

So, it appears that GnuCash is not importing transactions correctly from 
the "L[Checking]" account QIF file if the S, E, and $ lines add up to 
$0, so that the implicit entry for the host "L[Checking]" account is zero.

What do you expect to see in the GnuCash register for the Checking 
account after importing the  "PPay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from 
Savings" transaction? It seems to me that none of the money movements in 
this transaction affect the Checking account, so there is no reason for 
the transaction to appear in the Checking register.

It seems to me that such transactions should be put into a QIF file for 
one of its related accounts. Perhaps it belong in a QIF file for the 
"[Savings]" account, where it describes $1,400.00 coming in from 
"Paycheck", -$100 going to "MetLife Auto", and -$100 going "Tax:Soc 
Sec", with the remaining $1,200 implicitly being added to the 
"[Savings]" account balance.

Is it required that these two transactions be in the same QIF file of 
the Checking account?  I am guessing that GnuCash's QIF import works 
better if they are in separate files, for their corresponding accounts.

Now, I do not use QIF files with GnuCash (for what it's worth, I use OFX 
files instead). I am not an expert in GnuCash's handling of QIF files. 
But maybe getting everyone clear about the terminology will help. And 
maybe my reasoning based on what I see in your examples might shed some 
light on what is really going on.

Best regards,
       —Jim DeLaHunt

On 2020-09-27 11:41, B Wooster wrote:

> $0 split transactions are not getting imported from QIF correctly.
> Non-zero transactions get imported fine.
>
> The problem is gnucash is flipping what is a withdrawal vs a deposit for $0
> splits.
> The following QIF file shows the incorrect import.
>
> The signs on the Savings transfer are the same on both transactions below,
> but only the non-zero split gets imported correctly.
> If I manually edit the QIF to flip the signs on the "Incorrect Withdrawal"
> transaction, it imports correctly.
> Correct import is that both transactions should deposit to the Savings
> account, both are negative amounts in the input .qif.
>
> Does anyone know if that is a known issue? Or is this a bug?
> Or is there a workaround to avoid editing this type of QIF export (from old
> Quicken, only .QIF export available).
>
> Using GnuCash 3.10 Build ID: 3.10+(2020-04-11)
>
> [Am a new user, periodically I try to see if I can get 15+ years of Quicken
> data into gnucash, have found a lot of info about problems with QIF import
> issues, but still trying to see if I can get this to work every year or so!
> Fails a lot currently, this report is one of the problems.
> Even importing both Checking and Savings QIF file at same time, instead of
> one by one, causes this same problem.]
>
> test-chk.qif:
> !Type:Bank
> D6/ 8' 0
> U0.00
> T0.00
> CX
> POpening Balance
> L[Checking]
> ^
> D9/15' 2
> U0.00
> T0.00
> CX
> PPay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from Savings
> LSalary
> SSalary
> EPaycheck (before tax)
> $1,400.00
> S[Savings]
> ETransfer to Savings
> $-1,200.00
> SAuto:Insurance
> EMetLife Auto
> $-100.00
> STax:Soc Sec
> $-100.00
> ^
> D9/16' 2
> U1,200.00
> T1,200.00
> CX
> PPay Check Correct Deposit to Savings
> LSalary
> SSalary
> EPaycheck (before tax)
> $3,200.00
> S[Savings]
> ETransfer to Savings
> $-1,500.00
> SAuto:Insurance
> EMetLife Auto
> $-100.00
> STax:Soc Sec
> $-400.00
> ^
>
> =================================================
> After import:
>
> Account Summary 12/31/2020
>
> Code Account title Balance
> Auto $0.00
>        Insurance $0.00     *** should be 200
> Salary $1,800.00          *** should be 4600
> Tax $0.00
>        Soc Sec $300.00    *** should be 500
> Equity $0.00
>        Retained Earnings $0.00
> Checking $1,200.00  *** Correct
> Savings $300.00     *** Should be 2700
>
> ===================================================
> Transaction Report
>
> >From 01/01/2000 to 12/31/2020
>
> Date Num Description Memo/Notes Account Amount
> Insurance
> 09/15/2002 Pay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from Savings MetLife Auto
> Auto:Insurance $100.00
> 09/16/2002 Pay Check Correct Deposit to Savings MetLife Auto Auto:Insurance
> -$100.00
> Total For Insurance $0.00
> Checking
> 06/08/2000 Opening Balance Checking $0.00
> 09/15/2002 Pay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from Savings Checking $0.00
> 09/16/2002 Pay Check Correct Deposit to Savings Checking $1,200.00
> Total For Checking $1,200.00
> Retained Earnings
> 06/08/2000 Opening Balance Equity:Retained Earnings $0.00
> Total For Retained Earnings $0.00
> Salary
> 09/15/2002 Pay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from Savings Paycheck (before
> tax) Salary -$1,400.00
> 09/16/2002 Pay Check Correct Deposit to Savings Paycheck (before tax)
> Salary $3,200.00
> Total For Salary -$1,800.00
>
> Savings
> 09/15/2002 Pay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from Savings Transfer to Savings
> Savings -$1,200.00    *** should be + not -
> 09/16/2002 Pay Check Correct Deposit to Savings Transfer to Savings Savings
> $1,500.00
> Total For Savings $300.00
>
> Soc Sec
> 09/15/2002 Pay Check Incorrect Withdrawal from Savings Tax:Soc Sec -$100.00
> 09/16/2002 Pay Check Correct Deposit to Savings Tax:Soc Sec $400.00
> Total For Soc Sec $300.00
> Grand Total $0.00
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-- 
.   --Jim DeLaHunt, jdlh at jdlh.com     http://blog.jdlh.com/ (http://jdlh.com/)
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