[GNC] Data load from CSV files - duplicates

[David Carlson]

There are a number of things that may be impacting your results.

First, check Edit > Preferences > Online Banking to be sure that options
under Generic Importer are still checked and the values listed are
reasonable.

Second, the entire chapter 16 of the Help manual has details that come into
play.  Reread <
https://www.gnucash.org/docs/v4/C/gnucash-help/trans-import.html#trans-import-matcher
>

Third, there have been some issues with some parts of the CSV and Generic
importers that have been discussed here in the last several weeks.  The
exact release of your GnuCAsh program could make a difference.  Please tell
us which version and which OS you are using.

Fourth,  while the OFX/QFX and QIF importers have some issues as well, they
have the advantage of being more mature and their limitations are better
understood by users.  If your bank offers either of these types of exports,
try them.  The QIF seems to work well for initial imports, taken in fairly
small chunks, say a month's data at a time.

When you have distilled your results to more specific issues, users here
can give better advice to address your problems.

On Mon, Nov 22, 2021 at 3:20 AM Leo Vaccaneo <leovplex at outlook.com> wrote:

> Greetings from Cairns Qld Australia,
>
> I have my new accounts hierarchy data saved in a new file in the SQLite
> format.
>
> I have read the concepts guide & help docs.
>
> I have searched with our favourite search engine around the issue of
> imports from CSV etc files, and matching, and how to sort out duplicates
>
> I am somewhat aghast at the outcomes mentioned - deleting duplicates
> and/or doing reversals.
>
> I am therefore going to be more verbose than the mail list items
> questioners I found, to set out my frustration.
> ---
>
> I created a new file to do this test. I completely deleted all
> transactions from a previous file, the account balances all read zero, and
> saved this as my new test file.
>
> In my accounts, I have an assets, savings acct.   I have a csv file of
> savings account transactions export from my bank.
>
> In my accounts, I have a liabilities, credit card acct.   I have a csv
> file of credit card transactions export from my bank.
>
> These are my first 2 imports.
>
> I imported the credit card transactions first, from CSV.
>
> In the matching stage, for payments into the credit card from the savings,
> GnuCash did not offer any matches
> I set the match to be the savings account.
> Loaded, no errors, -
>
> And it created transactions in the savings account (presumably the second
> split of the credit card account transactions)
> ---
>
> I then imported the savings account transactions from CSV.
>
> In the matching stage, for payments from the savings into the credit card,
> GnuCash did not offer any matches
> I set the match to be the credit card account.
> Loaded, no errors, -
>
> And it created transactions in the credit card account (presumably the
> second split of the savings account transactions)
>
> NOW, - I have 2 versions of each of these transactions, - which are in
> fact the same transaction, - in each of the savings, and, the credit card
> accounts!! completely fouling up balances.
> ---
>
> Have I done something wrong?
>
> I don't want to be manually trying to delete some transaction splits, or
> trying to delete or reverse some transactions -
>   .  it would be just another manual tedious process
>   .  I would likely do it wrong and break the transaction(s) completely.
> ---
>
> If I don't provide manual matching, the transactions all end up listed in
> the Imbalance acct.
> ---
>
> If I were to import the credit card transactions - without providing
> manual matching -
>
>  When I then import the savings account transactions -
>
> How to I tell it that -
> This transaction - x - being loaded into this savings account should be
> matched to that existing transaction - y - in that credit card account
>     AND - remove that transaction - y - from the Imbalance acct
>
> I find it quite frustrating that it appears that I have to match during
> both imports, and then do more manual jiggery pokery to sort out the
> duplicates!
>
> There has to be a better way.
> ---
>
> I have not tried it - BUT -
> Could I import the credit card transactions, with no matching - second
> splits will be in Imbalance -
> THEN, when I do savings import, - is it possible to do the matching to the
> credit card second split in the imbalance account - and end up without
> duplicates, and the transaction cleared from Imbalance??
>
> Hoping for enlightenment
>
> Leo Vaccaneo
>
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-- 
David Carlson