[GNC] Global Replacement of Payee Name

[Jim DeLaHunt]

Ram:

On 2026-02-18 21:44, Ram Vilas Gupta wrote:
> Is there any method to change / update the name of a payee in the entire
> file of the register? Id yes, please send the link.

I do not know of any GnuCash UI for making a global search/replace of 
this kind directly.

It is possible to do a global search/replace on the GnuCash book file. 
GnuCash can store the book file in various formats, and there are tools 
for making global changes in those formats. However, using those tools 
can lead to unrecoverable data loss unless you a) know how to make 
backup copies to recover from mistakes, b) know how to use the data 
tools (e.g. SQL database queries or XSL expressions), c) know the 
GnuCash data structure, d) are very careful, e) etc. I have made such 
changes, and it worked well, but it was not easy.

The straightforward way to make a change/update of the description 
string is to use what the GnuCash UI does support, in a repetitive way 
but simple way.

 1. Open the account register containing the transactions whose payee
    names you want to change
 2. Search for transactions with the existing payee names. A search
    results register appears.
 3. Edit the first transaction in the search results. Delete the
    existing payee name, and in its place enter the new payee name.
 4. Select the text of the new payee name, and then from the Edit menu
    select Copy.
 5. Press Enter to commit the change. The transaction disappears from
    the search results register.
 6. Select another transaction in the search results. Select the
    existing payee name, and then from the Edit menu select Paste. The
    new payee name replaces the old payee name.
 7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until the search results register is empty.
 8. Close the search results register.
 9. Save the GnuCash book file.

Yes, it is tedious. If there are many transactions, it may take a long 
time. However, it is straightforward, and it uses the GnuCash UI in a 
way which the application fully supports.

Best regards,
      —Jim DeLaHunt