[GNC] Expense Over Time report

Sun Feb 21 15:39:19 EST 2021

Thanks for the information, I didn't realize I could even do that and I was
wondering what that "Account Code" field was all about!!
The more I learn about this stuff the more I realize how much I don't know.
(and I didn't know a whole bunch to start with!) LOL

Thanks again,
Gord

On Sat, Feb 20, 2021 at 11:35 PM Richard Danielson <rdan217 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I moved from (originally) Bedford Accounting to Simply Accounting and
> can't remember when I was required to assign account numbers to all of
> my accounts, but I did.
>
> After getting started with Gnu Cash, I used the names of accounts to
> make transactions, but that got tiresome so I added my old account
> numbers to all of the accounts in Gnu Cash.  After doing that I just
> used the account numbers to identify which account was needed for a
> transaction and all of the text stuff just came with it.  When I make
> transactions, it's quite fast, but only for accounts for which I
> remember the numbers.  If I forget an account number and have to
> remember the account names for rarely used accounts I just click on the
> drop down list and get it that way.  It works and is quite fast.
>
> I still use placeholder accounts for category headings, but for
> transactions, use the numbers almost exclusively.
>
> Check to see the numbering scheme for something like Sage Simply
> Accounting and add the numbers to your account name and number fields,
> then you're away.
>
> Rick
>
>
> On 2021-02-20 6:32 p.m., gnu Gord wrote:
> > Thank you to everyone that replied.
> > I'm still a bit confused as to why I can select the accounts to
> > include/exclude plus I can/need to select the level. It seems redundant
> to
> > me but maybe in some situations it's required.
> >
> > In my example, it appears I have created my hierarchy incorrectly. The
> > suggestions I received seem to say I should have no transactions in
> branch
> > accounts and only in leaf accounts. (I didn't realize I needed to be a
> > gardener to do accounting!) LOL
> > I rearranged my example and it seems the report options work more the
> way I
> > would expect, but I'm still not clear on the level vs. account selection.
> >
> > To summarize the way I understand it, all but the lowest level accounts
> > should be marked as Placeholder accounts (or at least have no
> > transactions). Is this closer to 'standard' accounting practice?
> >
> > Here is the way I've redone the example. With "Expenses", "L2" and "L3"
> all
> > having the Placeholder option ticked:
> >
> > [image: image.png]
> >
> >
> > On Sat, Feb 20, 2021 at 11:36 AM Dale Alspach <alspachde at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> >> Some accounting software, e.g., Quickbooks, use a virtual leaf  "Other"
> in
> >> reports to remove any ambiguity when there are  transactions in a branch
> >> account which are not in a leaf.  Thus a report for the situation L3
> $100
> >> transaction and L4 $500 transaction would display
> >> L3
> >>        L4 500
> >>        L3 - Other 100
> >>
> >> Dale
> >>
> >> On Sat, Feb 20, 2021 at 8:04 AM D. via gnucash-user <
> >> gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Geoff,
> >>>
> >>> That was an excellent answer, and explains clearly a big reason why
> users
> >>> should strive to limit their transactions to leaf nodes in the account
> >>> hierarchy. (My own books include numerous violations of this premise,
> >> BTW)
> >>> Gnucash has always allowed users to put transactions in intermediate
> >> level
> >>> accounts, which some in the community have felt was Not Good, although
> >> I've
> >>> been a little more equivocal about it. I'm not sure, but there may be
> an
> >>> outstanding bug request on the behavior.
> >>>
> >>> I *do* think Gord's final question is an interesting one. It might be
> >>> useful to conduct some tests to see the interaction between account
> >>> selection and level setting in the various reports that use that method
> >> of
> >>> grouping, and then update the docs with information.
> >>>
> >>> Best,
> >>> David T.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> -------- Original Message --------
> >>> From: Geoff <cleanoutmyshed at gmail.com>
> >>> Sent: Fri Feb 19 18:37:21 EST 2021
> >>> To: gnu Gord <gnucashgord at gmail.com>, gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> >>> Subject: Re: [GNC] Expense Over Time report
> >>>
> >>> Hi Gord
> >>>
> >>> It appears that L3 is both a parent of L4 and has transactions worth
> >>> $100 itself.
> >>>
> >>> Thus reporting on L3 is ambiguous - do you want only its transactions
> >>> ($100), or its transactions plus the sum of its children ($100 + $500 =
> >>> $600)?
> >>>
> >>> I suggest that you only record transactions against the lowest level
> >>> children accounts in your hierarchy (the "leaves" and not the
> >> "branches").
> >>> Hope this helps.
> >>>
> >>> Regards
> >>>
> >>> Geoff
> >>> =====
> >>>
> >>> On 20/02/2021 10:07 am, gnu Gord wrote:
> >>>> I'm trying to understand this report and it just isn't working the way
> >> I
> >>>> expect.
> >>>> Below is a screenshot of my test chart of accounts, for reference.
> >>>> I have one expense of $100 in account L3 and one expense of $500 in
> >>> account
> >>>> L4
> >>>>
> >>>> If I ask for an Expense Over Time report and select L3 and* "Show
> >>> Accounts
> >>>> until Level" 3*, I get $600 in the report. If I select *"Show Accounts
> >>>> until level" 4*, I get $100
> >>>> If I select 2 or 1 in the "Show Account until level" I get nothing,
> >> which
> >>>> is OK.
> >>>> If I select 5 or 6 I get the same output as 4.
> >>>>
> >>>> This is not the way I expected it to work.
> >>>> I'm not really clear what the "Show Accounts until level" option is
> >> used
> >>>> for. If I can select the account I want to be included/excluded in the
> >>>> report why do I need to also specify the level?
> >>>>
> >>>> Version: 4.4
> >>>> Build ID: 4.4+(2020-12-28)
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> [image: image.png]
> >>>>
> >>>>
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