[GNC] Scheduling Monthly Transactions for Full Credit Card Balances?

[Sherlock]

Hi Tom,

I have made a few contributions to the actual release.  This specific 
patch would not be considered complete and could impact users that have 
implemented scheme functions of the same name.

I suggest you attempt to build GnuCash: 
https://wiki.gnucash.org/wiki/Building

When you're able to "roll your own", let me know.  I've found the 
ability to build my own GnuCash to be one of the significant advantages 
GnuCash has over Quicken.  Before switching over three years ago, there 
were a number of WAF issues I needed to address.  Eight of these 
"features" required patching GnuCash code.

Regards,

Sherlock


On 9/10/25 2:06 AM, Tom Route-36 wrote:
> Hi Sherlock,
> 
> I have to say I'm intrigued by what you're describing here.  This could 
> well be a solution for me.  On the other hand, I also have to say I'm 
> more than a bit intimidated about "building and maintaining my own 
> GnuCash program".  I'm still quite a newbie to GnuCash.  If you're 
> willing to provide those two patch files -- and maybe a little bit of 
> advice on how to use them -- I might want to try building a test program 
> to see how things could work.  I do have a question though.  Have you 
> ever requested via Bugzilla adding your patched features to an actual 
> released version of GnuCash?  It would seem like it would be quite 
> useful to have some of that functionality built into the official 
> released version.  Just wondering.
> 
> Tom
> 
> 
> 
> On 9/9/2025 8:43 PM, Sherlock wrote:
>> Hi Tom,
>>
>> My approach was to implement a few variable estimate functions for use 
>> in the schedule transaction template and support in the forecast 
>> reports which I've been carrying forward since 4.12.  If you're up for 
>> building and maintaining your own GnuCash program, I can provide the 
>> two patch files used to provide the functionality.
>>
>> balance(variable)
>>     forecast balance of the account the day before the next instance.
>>
>> credit(variable)
>>     forecast the credit statement's closing balance for the next instance
>>     using the earliest notification to indicate the closing date.
>>
>> last(variable amounts)
>>     use the average of the previous amounts provided
>>    (up to 6 amounts).
>>
>> time(variable amounts)
>>     use month of the instance to determine an index for the amounts
>>     provided (up to 6 amounts).
>>
>> estimate(variable amount)
>>      use the amount provide.
>>
>>
>> For example, the template for a credit card payment is form:
>>
>>    credit card account      credit(balance)
>>    checking account                              balance
>>
>>
>> When an instance of the scheduled transaction appears on the "Since 
>> Last Run..." window, it includes the variable name with the editable 
>> estimated amount.
>>
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Sherlock
>>
>>
>> On 9/9/25 6:07 PM, Tom Route-36 wrote:
>>> Hi all,
>>>
>>> This is a follow-up to my earlier email question here.  I really 
>>> would like some way of creating ongoing monthly Scheduled 
>>> Transactions for each of my credit card accounts that will always 
>>> default to the full credit card balance each month.  What I'm trying 
>>> to do is to be able to look at a list of Scheduled Transactions for 
>>> my checking account; and from that list know each month how high a 
>>> balance my checking account needs to be in order to pay off all those 
>>> credit cards in full.  It seems like no one has been able to come up 
>>> with an answer though.  So let me ask a more specific question.
>>>
>>> When creating a Scheduled Transaction, the splits for each 
>>> transaction include two columns labeled Debit Formula and Credit 
>>> Formula. Typically (for say an Internet provider or a Phone carrier) 
>>> I'd enter whatever fixed amount I get charged each month as a FIXED 
>>> dollar value.  But since these columns are labeled "Formula" that 
>>> also implies that I can enter a mathematical expression (i.e., a 
>>> formula) that results in a CALCULATED dollar value.  There is some 
>>> bare bones documentation about formulas at this link: https:// 
>>> wiki.gnucash.org/ wiki/ Scheduled_Transactions.  But I don't see any 
>>> info there on how to query an account to get its current balance, 
>>> which is what I need. Does anyone know how to grab an account balance 
>>> so that it can be included as a variable in a formula?  If anyone has 
>>> an idea about how to do that please let me know.
>>>
>>> Tom
>>>
>>>
>>> On 9/8/2025 4:04 PM, Tom Route-36 wrote:
>>>> Hi all,
>>>>
>>>> Does anyone know if there's a way in GnuCash to create monthly 
>>>> Scheduled Transactions for a checking account to pay a credit card 
>>>> account where the formula for the monthly transaction amount is 
>>>> always equal to the current monthly balance of the credit card 
>>>> account?  What I'm hoping to do is to have something functionally 
>>>> similar to "Bill and Income Reminders" in Quicken.  Please let me 
>>>> know if there's some way of doing that.
>>>>
>>>> Tom