[GNC] Split transactions involving multiple currencies

[john]

> On Jan 30, 2022, at 11:34 PM, Koen Martens <in+gnucash at metro.cx> wrote:
> 
> 
> 
> On 30-01-2022 17:15, john wrote:
>> Looks like you entered the exchange rate backwards, i.e. 10.2 EUR = 1 SEK instead of the other way around.
> 
> *doh* yes, that's it of course. I guess I got confused, because for the basic ledger, the rate is EUR -> SEK, whereas for this particular split it apparently is SEK -> EUR (had I actually read the dialog more carefully it would have been obvious).
> 
>> N.B. It matters a lot in which account you create the transaction: The currency of that account is the "transaction currency". Each split has an amount in the split account's currency and a value in the transaction currency, and that sets the direction of the exchange rate.
> 
> Well, for split ledger indeed, for basic ledger it's the other way around it seems (sort of, still trying to wrap my head around all this ;) ).
> 
> Thanks for the help!

The basic and split ledgers are just different views on the same data, there's no difference in the underlying logic.

Note that "the account in which you create the transaction" means the account whose register you have open when creating the transaction. The accounts in the individual splits have no effect on the transaction currency. Supposing that you also have an account in GBP you could start in that register and create a transfer from an EUR to an SEK account with no GBP account split and the transaction currency would be GBP so you'd need exchange rates for EUR -> GBP and GBP -> SEK, but there would be no GBP splits, not even trading account ones.

Since that transaction wouldn't have any GBP splits it would disappear from the register as soon as you committed it, making it an excellent way to confuse the heck out of you when you later look at it from another register.

Regards,
John Ralls