[GNC] Report Options - Closing Entries Pattern

[Derek Atkins]

HI,

On Sat, January 22, 2022 1:34 pm, Louise wrote:
> I'm trying to set up a sort of classes in Gnucash like Quickbooks.  I like
> to keep one file with multiple bank accounts and businesses together.  So,
> I wanted to use @bookkeeping, @rental and @personal etc in the description
> field to be able to pull a P&L and filter only to show transactions
> with @bookkeeping or @rental in the description.  Then I would be able to
> separate a P&L for each rental or business.
>
> My issue is that I'm trying to use Options > Entries > Closing Entries
> Pattern to filter a P&L.  When I put @bookeeping in the field it is
> showing
> me exactly the opposite.  I get totals of everything that does NOT
> have @bookeeping in the description field.  I'm having a hard time finding
> any documentation on how to use the closing entries pattern to help filter
> a report.  Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way?  Any help is
> appreciated!

Yes, I think you are going about this the wrong way.

The "Closing Pattern" option is how you tell GnuCash what to look for in
the Close Book transactions.  When you run Tools -> Close Books, it
creates a closing transaction to move all your value from Income/Expense
to Equity.  However, when you run a report, you need to "ignore" those
transactions.  Hense, you use the option to tell GnuCash how to find those
transactions to ignore...

And this is why you're seeing the "opposite" of what you want.

GnuCash does not have Classes, and really there is no good way to
replicate that behavior.

However, I question why you are including Business and Personal
transactions in one set of books?

Note that there are SOME filtering options you can use within, e.g., the
transaction report..  But the MAIN reports (P&L, BS, etc) do not have
those same features.

Good Luck,

> Thanks,
>
> Louise

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-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins                 617-623-3745
       derek at ihtfp.com             www.ihtfp.com
       Computer and Internet Security Consultant