[GNC] Can one handle electricity?

[Frank H. Ellenberger]

Am 30.11.21 um 11:17 schrieb Dr. David Kirkby:
> I wonder if there's a sensible way of handling electricity costs in
> GnuCash. Currently I read the meter each month, and take the price of the
> electricity that month. Obviously the difference between two readings of
> the electric meter tells me how much energy I have used. At the end of the
> year, my accountant just adds this to the director loan. So ultimately from
> an accounting perspective, it is just a director loan. I'm wondering if
> there's any way to automate the calculations, which to be honest is not
> that hard - it would take me 10 minutes in a spreadsheet.

At least in theory it should be possible. The question is:
Isn't the spreadsheet the faster way?

1. create a commodity kWh

2. create a account group "helper accounts" with accounts
"Powermeter 1" and "Counteraccount Powermeters" to neutralize it, booth
in commodity kWh.

3. Enter the Opening Balance (Powermeter at the beginning) against the
counteraccount.

4. Create a terminated transaction (per 1.1. or ultimo each year)
–they can use formulas:

Informal description:
Consumption= (Input of new number from powermeter) - (old saldo)
Prize_in_Period= (Input of $/kWh)
The transaction should then add to "Powermeter 1" Consumption
against Expense:…:Power with exchange rate Prize_in_Period

For details see
https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Scheduled_Transactions
and ask the list about how to get the saldo.

Regards
Frank