Re: [SQL-Ledger-users] OT: Web-based Checking Software

[<li...@li...>]

On Sun, May 06, 2001 at 08:33:34PM -0400, Ron Pero was heard to remark:
> I could be wrong about this -- I'm not an accountant and do not use
> accounting software much -- but is it not an important principle that once
> you make an entry in a computerized accounting system, you do not allow it
> to be changed. If you want to cancel a previous entry, that cancellation is
> a new entry that just reverses the previous entry. And if you made a
> mistake in a previous entry, you do not go back and change that entry, but
> instead you create new entries that make the correction. If this is true,
> then there is no consideration of changing an old entry and then
> recalculating the balance. The balance will always be up-to-date.

Gnucash is designed for the home user.  Thus, this proceedure is a bit
too compilcated; instead or paradigm is edit, and at some later date,
(after reconciliation/book close) freeze.  Certainly, after the books
are closed, one *must* do as you describe.

(Its easy to log such changes.  The hard part is to figure out how to
handle it elegantly in the user interface.  Even pro's want to
distinguish between a 'real' transaction, and a train of typos.
Visual and mental clutter leads to even more mistakes ...)

We've talked about having this kind of journalling, but this seems to be
a low priority for our user base.

--linas