Grouping Transactions

[allanoz]

Hi, I'm an iCash newbie...a convert from Quicken.

I frequently used 'split tranactions' in Quicken. I can understand the concept of 'grouping' in iCash, however even though I've carefully read the iCash manual and spent time playing, I don't understand how it works in practice.

Could someone please give me an oversimplified explanation of this feature...

Thanks.

 

[stanbusk]

You select 2 or more transactions on the list, select the 'Transaction -> Group' menu and you get the group which is a split equivalent. Now, you say you have problem to understand the concept. Could you tell me what confuses you? There is always possibilities to make it better.

 

[allanoz]

...no, I understand the concept...it's the use of it that I'm struggling with.

When filling out a regular split transaction, the total transaction amount is entered in the main window and then the appropriate amounts are put against allocation accounts in the split window.

In iCash, do you start by allocating the individual amounts to their respective allocation accounts as individual transactions; then select each line to create a group...at which point iCash creates a new entry reflecting the combined total??

If so, this appears to be a complicated/reversed way of doing a commonly accepted process. All other accounting packages I've used start with the total amount and you then assign individual amounts as required...all within one transaction entry.

What is the reason behind doing it this way in iCash?

 

[stanbusk]

In iCash, do you start by allocating the individual amounts to their respective allocation accounts as individual transactions; then select each line to create a group...at which point iCash creates a new entry reflecting the combined total??

The group is created as soon as you select the group menu. A group is like a folder. It is like if you were moving the transactions into a folder. Then you can expand that folder to see the transactions it contains and you collapse it to see only the folder. That folder shows the data of the very first transaction, lets you edit a comment and show the total as the sum of all the transactions it contains.

If so, this appears to be a complicated/reversed way of doing a commonly accepted process. All other accounting packages I've used start with the total amount and you then assign individual amounts as required...all within one transaction entry.

Complicated way, I don't think so. Reversed way, absolutely. The good news for you is that in a future version we will add a dialog just to do the group the way you ask, it is scheduled and I wrote a project to do it.

 

[allanoz]

Thank you. I look forward to that release.

 

[keiffer]

Thank you. Hope it's soon.

 

[stanbusk]

I anybody have screenshots or whatever of how he would like this feature to be implemented, please share. I already have my idea but feedbacks are always useful.

 

[saxonx]

Hi - no screenshots but...

If you could press a button in the data entry frame, called 'split transaction' say, which opens up a new line of data entry boxes - the same as the top line of data entry boxes in the transaction window - and in addition a total window, which would reflect the amount you will see against the single transaction listed in the main window. If you could then press the split transaction button to add another split, until you'd finished...that would sort it for me. It would be better if you could only enter the amounts for each split and the total figure calculated from that - to avoid confusion and having to add them up

regards

 

[stanbusk]

I take note.

 

[mccritchen]

You can go here and see a video on how one of your competition does it. I think you will get a very good idea of what everyone on this board has been asking for.

http://nothirst.com/tutorials/MoneyWell ... nsactions/

 

[stanbusk]

Thanks for the info. The only pending problem I am working on is the right integration into iCash.

 

[pbb]

I would prefer the split be kept in the ledger window and not in a separate pane somewhere.

In fact, I really want to be able to do all my editing/entry in the ledger itself and not in a pane (like gnuCash) and have a keyboard switch to make the next entry an element of a group for quick keyboard entry.

 

[stanbusk]

I guess you mean what is labelled the 'Transaction' panel, right? If so, yes. The idea is to add an entry to both the main 'Transaction' menu and the transaction contextual menu so you can highlight a transaction and select the 'Split...' menu. You will then add the information to the split in a small foreground window.

 

[pbb]

I would prefer to be able to enter/edit the transaction directly in the line where it is displayed and not have to switch to or open a pane somewhere. gnuCash does this and so did Quicken. The current method is too cumbersome and I do not see a benefit for basic transaction entry.

 

[stanbusk]

You will not have to switch panels. You will just get a little dialog displayed.