[GNC] How to correct GnuCash's incorrect claim of imbalanced imported multi-split transaction

[Jim DeLaHunt]

Erik:

Welcome to GnuCash-user! Thank you for your question.

You are asking a question about GnuCash. This list is a good place to do 
that.

On 2024-03-23 18:31, Erik Ellis wrote:
>   <https://stackoverflow.com/posts/78212893/timeline>

It looks like you asked that same question on 
StackOverflow: <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/78212893/how-to-correct-gnucashs-incorrect-claim-of-imbalanced-imported-multi-split-tran>. 
Unfortunately, StackOverflow is not a very good place to for questions 
about using GnuCash.The StackExchange site on Personal Finance and Money 
<https://money.stackexchange.com> is a better place to ask questions 
about GnuCash.

But on to your question:

> I'm in the process of importing an 886 line CSV file of multi-split
> transactions in GnuCash. I.e., each transaction includes the debit and
> credit line item. The problem I'm seeing is with every paycheck entry which
> is a split transaction composed of a gross salary (a credit to an income
> account) and ten debit items.

Three pieces of advice about data imports, especially for CSV:

1. Start with small bites, not a feast.  Cut just one transaction out of 
the big CSV file, and get that single transaction to import correctly. 
Then use what you learned from that to fix up the other transactions in 
the big file. Then cut another single transaction from the big file, and 
test if it now imports correctly.

2. To figure out what CSV format GnuCash accepts, try entering a 
transaction via the GnuCash UI, then export it to a CSV file. Look at 
the exported CSV file to get an idea of what structure GnuCash wants in 
its input.

3. Save your bookkeeping data as a separate GnuCash book file, and use 
this as a test file.  Do you imports here, adjusting the input file 
until it works correctly. The data changes in the test file won't 
disrupt your actual bookkeeping. Once the import works in the test file, 
then open your actual bookkeeping file, and do the import for real.

>   When I import the CSV, every paycheck split
> entry shows up in red during the "Match Transactions" step. If I then
> continue with the import, an "Imbalance-USD" account is created with all
> eleven of these items. The resulting net balance is zero.
>
> Here is an example of the CSV:
>
> 10/9/2014^Gross Salary^-2931.92^Income:Salary:Paycheck^
FYI, the use of "^" in this email caused my mail client to hide the "^" 
before numbers, and display the numbers as superscripts. Below, I am 
inserting a space between "^" and numbers. This will hopefully let my 
email client display the data better.
> 10/9/2014^Gross Salary^ -2931.92^Income:Salary:Paycheck^
> ^Total Health - BCBS^ 32.90^Expenses:Medical:Health Insurance^
> ^Vision - Pre Tax^ 0.53^Expenses:Medical:Optical Insurance^
> ^Federal Payroll Taxes^ 682.21^Expenses:Taxes:Federal^
> ^FSA Total Health - BCBSNM^ 64.81^Liabilities:Loans:FSA 2014^
> ^State Payroll Taxes^ 107.85^Expenses:Taxes:State^
> ^Bought Vacation Buy^ 60.42^Liabilities:Loans:Vacation Buy^
> ^Dental Plan - Pre Tax^ 3.15^Expenses:Medical:Dental Insurance^
> ^Savings and Income Plan^ 175.92^Assets:Traditional IRA
> Investments:Fidelity SNL 401(k)^
> ^Deposit In X Account^ 700.00^Assets:Taxable Investments:TD Ameritrade X^
> ^Direct Deposit Sandia^ 1104.13^Assets:Cash:SLFCU Checking^
I have no suggestions on the questions below:
> Each of these accounts have been created and are correctly matched during
> the "Match Import and GnuCash Accounts" step of the CSV import. Also, as
> you can see the amounts do balance.
>
> I don't understand why the transaction shows up in red during "Match
> Transactions" step. The fact that it's red would suggest that the matching
> GnuCash accounts are not found. If I double-click on the red lines and
> select the proper account (exactly as it already appears in red), it turns
> to green. Why it doesn't see that already is what I don't understand and
> what I would like to fix.
>
> Thank you.
Best regards,
     —Jim DeLaHunt