[GNC] Terminology for Non-profits

[Paul Kroitor]

New idea: create a new localization for English-language Non-profits.

This would allow us to change (where necessary) the fixed strings throughout GnuCash to correspond with the appropriate Non-profit terminology. After all, the reporting is basically the same, it's just the terms that are different, and some elements of the chart of accounts are more (or less) detailed.

Having a specialized localization would let one select which mode all the reporting was generated in.

That said, it's a kludge, and doesn't conform with the goal of keeping things as clear and simple as possible. Thus I'm against it, personally.  I just thought I'd throw it out there in case it led to further thoughts / suggestions.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: gnucash-user <gnucash-user-bounces+paul=kroitor.ca at gnucash.org> On Behalf Of Paul Kroitor
Sent: July 06, 2022 11:26 AM
To: stepbystepfarm at comcast.net; gnucash-user at gnucash.org
Subject: Re: [GNC] Terminology for Non-profits

Well, yes, this is admittedly true. Almost everything would wind up having to be edited anyway.

But still it would be good to reduce the list of mandatory replacements one had to make for every formal report.

Is there any general interest for a Non-profit attribute (flag) in the book indicating that Non-profit terminology should be used everywhere? I know it's a lot of work -- especially for the language translation people -- so I'm expecting not!

Or maybe it can be done by creating a submenu in Reports specifically for non-profit reporting?

Is there any data on what percentage of global GnuCash books are non-profit?

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: gnucash-user <gnucash-user-bounces+paul=kroitor.ca at gnucash.org> On Behalf Of Michael or Penny Novack
Sent: July 05, 2022 12:32 PM
To: gnucash-user at gnucash.org
Subject: Re: [GNC] Terminology for Non-profits

As somebody who has done the books for several non-profits, I don't think Paul was talking about the report title,. but instead the "column titles" for the Balance Sheet of a non-profit.

But Paul, I have seen other things used for that header title (besides "net assets"). You need to keep in mind that non-profits often have two kinds of liabilities, the ordinary sort, and "donor restricted funds" 
(and other sorts of restricted funds)

I don't really understand your problem with "exporting and then editing" 
because in my experience going to want to do that anyway. The SAME report (in the logical sense) will often be wanted for presentation in different formats, different levels of detail, etc. That's easiest to do by exporting the "raw" report from gnucash and then from that producing the final product(s).

Thus take the "Statement of Revenues and Expenses (title for what you for profit folks call  "profit and loss"). As treasurer I would need to know levels of detail down to things like how much paid each person as "compensation" << they might also have received mileage reimbursement >> so knowing if over $600 and I'll need to do a 1099-MISC for that person. 
The Board might just want to see how much each intern paid in total, and the annual report for members just the total paid to all of them. So doing the annual, I would run in gnucash with all the gory detail (for
me) and then edit one version for the Board and one to give out to membership at annual meeting.Events are similar, since as treasurer you want the "printing and postage" component of the expense separate (line item on 990/990EZ) but the board wants to see all expenses of an event as a total.

When you use a full feature editor to put the reports into final form you can do all sorts of things (annotate, pretty print, add organization logo and fixed text, etc.)

Michael D Novack