[GNC] Coming from Quicken

[Kalpesh Patel]

Hmmm... not so sure about that!

Quicken readily permitted creation of transactions that allowed transfer between any type of account (including n-way splits) if account for it existed. To use such transfer after an account was setup, you needed to specify the "destination" account enclosed in opening and closing square bracket when it came to referring it as a category (see 4.jpg). In Quicken 2017, I just created a transaction between Bank-A's (see 1.jpg) checking account to Bank-B's (see 2.jpg) checking account when both were created or even more complex ones (see 5.jpg). Quicken definitely had clear concept of all fundamental account types (see 3.jpg).

More compelling, Quicken -- geared to layman -- was developed by the same publishers as the QuickBooks -- geared to businesses -- so IMHO it was definitely double entry system, albeit improvising greatly to fill in for lack of formal accounting knowledge.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael or Penny Novack <stepbystepfarm at comcast.net> 
Sent: Sunday, November 23, 2025 12:31 PM
To: gnucash-user at gnucash.org
Subject: Re: [GNC] Coming from Quicken

On 11/23/2025 2:52 AM, sunfish62--- via gnucash-user wrote:
> I think you and Paul are mischaracterizing Quicken.
>
> While it has been 20 years since I left Quicken behind for GnuCash, when I used Quicken, it was possible to create a transaction without categorizing it at all. In effect, a single entry.
>
> That violates the basic concept of "double entry" in Double Entry accounting.
>
It is MORE than just that. Quicken" categories" are limited in terms of what sort of accounts they can represent.. In double entry bookkeeping the other account (there are always at least two accounts) is not necessarily of type equity (types income and expense are temporary accounts of fundamental type equity). For example, if you take $1000 from your savings account and deposit that in your checking account that is a transfer between two accounts both of type asset.

Do note, however, that Intuit's  QuickBooks IS proper double entry bookkeeping, minimal issues (and learning curve) going from QuickBooks to gnucash.

Michael D Novack



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