[GNC] gnucash-user Digest, Vol 263, Issue 17

[Mike Brady]

On Thu, Feb 6, 2025 at 11:53 AM Fred Tydeman<tydeman.fred at gmail.com> wrote:

> Message: 1
> Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2025 11:53:25 -0300
> From: Fred Tydeman<tydeman.fred at gmail.com>
> To: Brad Morrison<bradmorrison at sonic.net>
> Cc:gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> Subject: Re: [GNC] Strange Imbalance transactions
> Message-ID:
> 	<CAK1r+o1K95+pmaJKoJ4ZZjyWcHHdrRRZ9P-RgfAAM8NEZUYa9w at mail.gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
>
> On Thu, Feb 6, 2025 at 11:01?AM Brad Morrison<bradmorrison at sonic.net>
> wrote:
>
>> What operating system are you using?
>>
>> What version of GNUCash are you using?
>> https://gnucash.org/download.phtml shows that the current version is
>> 5.10
>>
> I forgot to add those details:  Fedora Linux 41, Gnucash 5.10
>
>
>> https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/FAQ#Importing.2FExporting_Data has some
>> info on importing data, as you mentioned a regular QIF import
>>
>> Regarding the stock purchase with 2 start & end transactions, 1 being
>> balanced and the other being imbalanced - are both entries for the same
>> transaction? Possibly meaning an importing error?
>>
> My guess (based upon looking at the log file) is both are for the same
> transaction.
>
>
>> Also, why is the account titled "Imbalance-USD" - ?
>>
> In the past, I have seen
>    Imbalance-COP
>    Imbalance-GBP
>    Imbalance-USD
> I have transactions in multiple currencies.
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Message: 2
> Date: Thu, 6 Feb 2025 10:01:49 -0500
> From: "Derek Atkins"<derek at ihtfp.com>
> To:tydeman.fred at gmail.com
> Cc: "Brad Morrison"<bradmorrison at sonic.net>,gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> Subject: Re: [GNC] Strange Imbalance transactions
> Message-ID:<b8864c7dde6fd9f5f63d8be733fcd58a.squirrel at mail.ihtfp.org>
> Content-Type: text/plain;charset=utf-8
>
> Interesting..  These are all 0-value splits, so... nothing to balance
> against.
> I have no idea how these were created, or why.
>
> -derek
>
> On Thu, February 6, 2025 9:48 am, Fred Tydeman wrote:
>> Attached
>>
>> Fedora Linux 41
>> Gnucash 5.10
>>
>> On Thu, Feb 6, 2025 at 11:19?AM Derek Atkins<derek at ihtfp.com> wrote:
>>
>>> HOWEVER -- the transactions in Imbalance SHOULD be connected to
>>> transactions with other accounts.  There cannot be a lone-split
>>> Imbalance
>>> transaction.  So, Fred, any chance you could show a screen shot of your
>>> Imbalance account?
>>>
>>
I can easily create no-account imbalance entries. When doing splits (for 
instance, groceries with cash back, or a paycheck with a gaggle of 
deductions), as I'm entering, if there's an imbalance at any time an 
imbalance entry is created. When I'm finished, it stays there with no 
balance, and is reflected as such in the Imbalance-USD (because I'm in 
the US) account. I usually make it a point to delete that blank 
Imbalance entry before closing out the transaction, just to tidy up.

It might be helpful for GnuCash to do that automagically when a split is 
closed with a zero Imbalance entry. Another workaround would be to add 
something in the description for the Imbalance entry to show that it was 
a temporary working value that can be deleted (manually).

Not sure if that's where the Imbalance transactions are coming from in 
this case, but it's a possibility if you're doing splits. I have a note 
to self in the Description field for the Imbalance account that says 
"Something's wrong - need to fix it" so if there's an actual balance 
showing I know to look at it and figure out what I fat-fingered. 
Likewise, the Orphan-USD account has a description note that says 
"Usually offsets Imbalance" so I know to check it if non-zero. 
Otherwise, for either, the zero-balance entries are mainly a nuisance 
and usually come from not tidying up splits.

Mike Brady Plain Olde User Wife is a recovering bookkeeper