[GNC] Enable Online Stock Price Updating in GnuCash

[Christopher Lam]

Hi Geoff

On Wed, 9 Jun 2021, 9:27 am Geoff, <cleanoutmyshed at gmail.com> wrote:

>
> Gnucash will permit you to run a negative balance on a stock, see
> attached screenshot.
>

The UI will allow you to record transactions when short-selling, but bear
in mind:
- the current portfolio and advanced portfolio reports cannot handle
negative stock balances; the reports will bail out.
- it's likely very wrong to record a single transaction that sells more
stock than your current holding; you'll need to sell current balance (and
record cap gains/losses) *then* record a separate short-sell transaction to
achieve a negative balance.
- recent releases (4.5? or current daily builds) have an experimental IFRS
cost basis report which aims to calculate the average cost base, according
to some jurisdictions eg Canadian. It's not guaranteed correct yet.


> Note that I am not an accountant, but I think you should also book a
> future liability for when the short falls due.
>

Why?