[GNC] Kind of a Philosophical Question about Transaction Dates

[Tom Route36]

Hi Liz,

I hear you. Electronic payments are getting faster and faster. But I 
just wanted to clarify something for you regarding my example.  This 
example of mine didn't involve writing any check (or "cheque" for you 
Aussies).  This *was* an electronic payment.  The payment was made to 
the credit card company on the card company's website on Feb. 27th.  And 
the payment was posted by the following morning on the 28th (on the card 
company's website) showing a payment date of the 27th.  But my bank 
(hosting my checking account) didn't post the transaction until today, 
March 2nd.

Realistically, that few days difference doesn't make any real difference 
to me.  The only reason I had for bringing the question up here was 
curiosity in regard to how folks handled discrepancies in EOM 
(end-of-month) statements.  I personally record credit card transactions 
with the date I actually incur the charge or make the payment.  So 
reconciling my EOM credit card statements are always exact.  But since 
there are usually delays (like this example) until the bank posts the 
transaction, often times there will be transactions missing from the EOM 
bank statements.  It's really just an annoyance, not a big deal.  But I 
was curious how other folks here dealt with that.

Tom


On 3/2/2026 7:27 PM, Liz wrote:
> On Mon, 2 Mar 2026 18:00:16 -0700
> Tom Route36<tom.route36 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> This isn't a problem or help request.  It's more a philosophical or
>> usage question.  Any transaction in GnuCash always involves at least
>> two accounts.  For example, when you make a payment to a credit card
>> account you're debiting funds from your checking account, and
>> crediting those funds to your  credit card account.  My question here
>> is about how folks choose to enter the transaction dates in GnuCash.
>>
>> For a timely example here: Let's say I made an online payment to my
>> credit card account on Feb. 27th.  The credit card company records
>> the payment as posted on Feb. 27th.  But my bank doesn't record the
>> transaction until today, March 2nd.  When recording this payment in
>> GnuCash, which date would you use as the transaction date: Feb. 27th
>> or March 2nd?
>>
> This is a problem which is not universal. In Australia electronic
> payments are faster and faster, so I can send money through one system
> and it takes about a minute to arrive in an account at another bank.
>
> Cheques are part of the past now, with very few banks handling them.
>
> The only delays are when using "tap and pay" (no PIN) with a debit or
> credit card, as these are routinely held for a few days before payment
> in case of card theft or fraud being reported. However when the item
> goes on my statement it will be the original date. I think that is my
> bank's choice.
>
> The question has been asked before, and at some time it will be totally
> irrelevant. Until then, for those in the USA, it remains an occasional
> question.
>
>
> Liz
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