[GNC] "Help"

[David Cousens]

Chris 
I usually find it easier to use the links to the docs on the GnuCash
website and view them in a browser.

The CSV importer can also work with tab separated data. There is a
setup screen in which you can set the separator so there is no need to
change it.

The confusion may be that there are two import processes The "File ==>
Import ==> Accounts" process imports an account tree structure that has
been exported from either GnuCash or another program or just built up
in a spreadshett.

"File==>Import==>Transactions from CSV" imports the transactions into a
given account, usually the currently open register, from a CSV file.
The CSV file can have each split (entry to one of the accounts the
transaction affects) of a transaction on successive lines but the
successive lines will have some fields blank.

One of the easiest ways to get a handle on the CSV file structure is to
create a dummy transaction with the features you want to import in
GnuCash, then export it and examine the file in Excel, Libre Office
Calc or a text editor.

The importer has a process whereby it can assign each column in the
data file to a specific component of the internal structure for a
transaction within GnuCash. See secion 615.5 in the manual for more
information
https://lists.gnucash.org/docs/C/gnucash-manual/trans-import.html#:~:text=Navigate%20to%20the%20file%20you,name%20in%20the%20import%20file
.

I am not familiar with the IIF format
If the input file does not specify all of the account entries for a
transaction, common with data files supplied by banks for credit
cards/check accountsfor example, GnuCash has a Bayesian matching
procedure, which once it is trained will suggest the appropraite second
account (usually an expense or income account) based on manual
assignments made in previous imports. The recommended procedure is to
train this by importing data in small batches initially and manually
select the second or transfer account in the import matching page.  It
is advisable to initially assign all accounts manually as this builds
up the probability tables the Bayesian matcher uses to suggest the
appropriate account. You will notice if you are using this (It is a
default user preference) that as they matcher is trained it will
suggest accounts for more of the imported data.

A good practice when initially setting up to import is to create a file
with 1 or 2 records with the same structure as the main file(s_ you
wish to import and practice importing that before doing a full import
of all your data Much easier if it doesn't work, you only have to
delete 1-2 transactions, not several hundred. Once you have the import
process working to your satisfaction, increase the batch size.

Hope this helps a bit.

David Cousens



On Sat, 2024-09-21 at 18:14 -0700, Chris Miller via gnucash-user wrote:
> Hi Folks, 
> 
> I have installed "gnucash-docs", but there seems to be no benefit.
> Before I installed "gnucash-doc", "man gnucash" gave me a short, one
> page set of instructions and this did not change. I find I have
> /usr/share/doc/gnucash-docs/ but there are four files there and no
> manual pages. When I invoke "Help" from the application, I get
> generic Linux "Help" topics, but -- importantly -- no gnucash "Help".
> 
> Can anybody give me "Help"? (Ha! Geeze! Sometimes I just crack myself
> up!) 
> 
> Thanks for the help,