[GNC] Split transaction problem

[sunfish62 at yahoo.com]

My strategy for complex transactions is to let GnuCash autofill the transaction, change the net amount, and fix the details afterward. 

⁣David T. ​

On Dec 9, 2025, 5:09 AM, at 5:09 AM, Patrick James via gnucash-user <gnucash-user at gnucash.org> wrote:
>This message is a comment regarding Greenberg's request: "What I'd
>really like is a transaction template, but the closest we get are
>scheduled transactions."
>
>My personal strategy is to use a spreadsheet with a multi-split CSV
>template. With sufficient complexity, one could duplicate the entire
>scheduled transaction editor. I also realize that my template strategy
>is using another tool outside of and in addition to GnuCash.
>
>I have a few monthly transactions that are essentially the same, some
>with some variance, but others are exactly the same with a different
>date. Those are all ready, so all I have to do is make a few updates,
>and export to a CSV file.
>
>After saving the CSV, it's a few clicks to import into GnuCash.
>
>Using the multi-split CSV import, just about any journal entry is
>possible.
>
>My spreadsheet looks very similar to the multi-split example in the
>GnuCash documentation.
>
>See Example 6.1 here:
>
>https://gnucash.org/docs/v5/C/gnucash-manual/trans-import.html
>
>
>
>
>> On 12/08/2025 8:05 AM PST Ed Greenberg <edg at greenberg.org> wrote:
>> 
>>  
>> On the subject of splits.  Most of my split transactions start out as
>> downloaded transactions into the checking account.  Mine, in
>particular,
>> are mortgage payments and payroll check deposits.
>> 
>> I generally accept the transaction into the checking account with a
>> corresponding account of "mortgage payment net" or "salary net".
>> 
>> I then come back to the transaction and edit the offsetting items
>properly
>> (think loan, interest, principal).
>> 
>> So, in the case of the mortgage payment, the largest amount is indeed
>the
>> actual checking account deduction, but in the case of payroll, the
>largest
>> amount is one of the offsetting amounts, specifically the gross pay.
>> 
>> If I try to edit the transaction later, GC requires that I use one
>> particular account.  I'm not sure how it decides where I should edit
>the
>> transaction.
>> 
>> If I try to do it in the "salary net" account, as soon as "salary
>net"
>> disappears from the split, the transaction seems to save and vanish,
>so I
>> edit it in the checking account side, deleting salary net, replacing
>it
>> with "gross pay" and a set of deductions.  Am I doing this right?"
>> 
>> What I'd really like is a transaction template, but the closest we
>get are
>> scheduled transactions.
>> 
>> Ed
>>
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