
<ARTICLE ID="XACC-CHARTOFACCTS">
<ARTHEADER>
<TITLE>Chart of Accounts and Account Numbering</TITLE>
</ARTHEADER>
<SECT1>
<TITLE> Chart of Accounts</TITLE>
<PARA>
    The Chart of Accounts is like a table of contents for your 
    financial organization.  The best way to conceptualize a
    chart of accounts is as a tree.
    The main branches represent entire categories or groups,
    while the leaves of the tree denote individual bank accounts or
    expense categories.
    When a summary report is requested, typically only the main
    branches are shown in the report, rather than the individual
    accounts. For example, a chart of accounts might look like the
    following:
<LITERAL REMAP="TT"><MSGTEXT>
<LITERALLAYOUT>        300             Expenses
         |
         +--310         Living Expenses
         |   |
         |   +--311     Beer
         |   |
         |   +--312     Cable
         |
         +--320         Business Expenses
         |   |
         |   +--321     8-inch Floppies
         |   |
         :   :</LITERALLAYOUT>
</MSGTEXT></LITERAL>

    </PARA>
<PARA>Note that accounts not only have names; they have 
    <EMPHASIS>codes,</EMPHASIS> in order to provide 
    <EMPHASIS>order.</EMPHASIS> When a report is
    generated, the <ANCHOR ID="SORTORDER">sort order is determined by
    the numbering.
    It's customary to have the "leaf" accounts
    end in non-zero digits, while parent nodes have increasing
    numbers of zeros. For instance, "cash" accounts might logically
    be arranged thus:

    <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>        Overall Assets: <SCREEN>100</SCREEN> 

        <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>            Overall Cash: <SCREEN>110</SCREEN> 

            <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Cash in Wallet: <SCREEN>111</SCREEN>

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Cash in Sock in Closet: <SCREEN>112</SCREEN>

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Cash in Mattress: <SCREEN>113</SCREEN>

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Petty Cash Box: <SCREEN>114</SCREEN>
            </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
          

          </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>            Overall Banking Assets <SCREEN>120</SCREEN> 

            <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Checking Account <SCREEN>121</SCREEN>

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Savings Account <SCREEN>122</SCREEN>
            </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
          
        </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
        </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>

        </PARA>
<PARA>When you <LINK LINKEND="XACC-NEWACCTWIN">create a new
        account</LINK>, GnuCash suggests an appropriate
        account code; you are free to change this. GnuCash
        does not prevent duplicate numbering, although we would
        encourage you to avoid this. Account codes are treated as
        numbers in base-36, thus, if you run out of numbers, you
        can use the letters, <KEYSYM>a</KEYSYM> through 
        <KEYSYM>z</KEYSYM>.
</PARA>
</SECT1>
<SECT1 ID="XACC-SAMPLECHART">
<TITLE> A Sample Chart of Accounts</TITLE>
<PARA>A "typical" chart of accounts is shown below. Each
        account is of a given <LINK LINKEND="XACC-ACCTYPES">account
        type</LINK>. This example is a combination of some typical
        business and personal accounts.

        <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>            Assets 

            <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Cash On Hand 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Checking account

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Money Market Account

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Certificate of Deposit
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Fixed Assets 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Furniture

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Computers

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Jewelry, Collectibles

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Tools, Machinery
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Investments 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Stocks

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Bonds

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Mutual Funds

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Real Estate
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              
            </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
          

          </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>            Liabilities 

            <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Taxes 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Federal Income Tax

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Social Security

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Medicare

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>FUTA

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>State Income Tax
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Accounts Payable 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>MasterCard

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Visa

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>American Express

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Diner's Club
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Loans 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Debentures

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>School Loan

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Uncle Harry's Tide-me-over
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              
            </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
          

          </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>            Equity 

            <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Retained Earnings

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Current Year Earnings

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Historical Adjustments
            </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
          

          </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>            Income 

            <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Interest Income 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Bank Account Interest

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Certificate of Deposit

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Bond Interest
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Dividends 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Stock

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Mutual Fund
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Consulting 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>ABC Design

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>PQR Infomatics
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Salary 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>My Day Job
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Commissions 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Royalties
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              
            </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
          

          </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>            Expenses 

            <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Rent and Utilities 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Rent

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Rent Late Fees

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Electricity

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Gas

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Phone

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Internet

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Cable TV
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Office Expenses 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Accounting

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Legal

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Software

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Postage

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Bank Charges

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Credit Card Charges

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Toner, Paper, Paper Clips
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Auto Expenses 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Gas

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Insurance

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Repair

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Rental
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Taxes 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Social Security

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Unemployment

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>IRS penalties
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Wages and Salaries 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Consulting

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Wages

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Health Insurance
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Travel 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Air

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Hotel

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Meals

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Auto
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              

              </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>                Marketing 

                <ITEMIZEDLIST>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Advertising

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Trade Shows

                  </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
<LISTITEM>
<PARA>Give Aways
                </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
              
            </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
          
        </PARA>
</LISTITEM>
</ITEMIZEDLIST>
      


</PARA>
</SECT1>
</ARTICLE>

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