mirror of
https://github.com/Gnucash/gnucash.git
synced 2025-02-25 18:55:30 -06:00
documentation updates, bugfixes.
git-svn-id: svn+ssh://svn.gnucash.org/repo/gnucash/trunk@4273 57a11ea4-9604-0410-9ed3-97b8803252fd
This commit is contained in:
parent
4f8d7f1d33
commit
096a3efbf0
16
ChangeLog
16
ChangeLog
@ -1,3 +1,19 @@
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2001-05-24 Robert Graham Merkel <rgmerk@mira.net>
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|
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* doc/sgml/C/gnucash.sgml: add references to new files.
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|
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* doc/sgml/C/xacc-quickstart.sgml: New file, new user
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|
documentation.
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|
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* doc/sgml/C/xacc-features.sgml: New file, describing
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|
the features of GnuCash.
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|
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* doc/sgml/C/Makefile.am: update for new files.
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|
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* lib/srfi/srfi-19.scm: revert to older version.
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|
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* src/scm/tip-list.scm: more tips.
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2001-05-23 Christian Stimming <stimming@tuhh.de>
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2001-05-23 Christian Stimming <stimming@tuhh.de>
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* po/pt_PT.po: Duarte Loreto's updated translation.
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* po/pt_PT.po: Duarte Loreto's updated translation.
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@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ GNUCASH_SGML_FILES = \
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xacc-dochack.sgml \
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xacc-dochack.sgml \
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xacc-doubleentry.sgml \
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xacc-doubleentry.sgml \
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xacc-euro.sgml \
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xacc-euro.sgml \
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xacc-features.sgml \
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xacc-gnome-mdi.sgml \
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xacc-gnome-mdi.sgml \
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xacc-gnucash-web-browser.sgml \
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xacc-gnucash-web-browser.sgml \
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xacc-gpl.sgml \
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xacc-gpl.sgml \
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@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ GNUCASH_SGML_FILES = \
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xacc-print.sgml \
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xacc-print.sgml \
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xacc-qif-import.sgml \
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xacc-qif-import.sgml \
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xacc-quicken.sgml \
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xacc-quicken.sgml \
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xacc-quickstart.sgml \
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xacc-recnwin.sgml \
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xacc-recnwin.sgml \
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xacc-regwin-kbd.sgml \
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xacc-regwin-kbd.sgml \
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xacc-regwin.sgml \
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xacc-regwin.sgml \
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@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
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<!entity xaccdoubleentry system "xacc-doubleentry.sgml">
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<!entity xaccdoubleentry system "xacc-doubleentry.sgml">
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<!entity xacceuro system "xacc-euro.sgml">
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<!entity xacceuro system "xacc-euro.sgml">
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<!entity xaccdateinput system "xacc-dateinput.sgml">
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<!entity xaccdateinput system "xacc-dateinput.sgml">
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<!entity xaccfeatures system "xacc-features.sgml">
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<!entity xaccgnomemdi system "xacc-gnome-mdi.sgml">
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<!entity xaccgnomemdi system "xacc-gnome-mdi.sgml">
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<!entity xaccgnucashwebbrowser system "xacc-gnucash-web-browser.sgml">
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<!entity xaccgnucashwebbrowser system "xacc-gnucash-web-browser.sgml">
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<!entity xaccincomeexpense system "xacc-incomeexpense.sgml">
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<!entity xaccincomeexpense system "xacc-incomeexpense.sgml">
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@ -34,6 +35,7 @@
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<!entity xaccprint system "xacc-print.sgml">
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<!entity xaccprint system "xacc-print.sgml">
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<!entity xaccqifimport system "xacc-qif-import.sgml">
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<!entity xaccqifimport system "xacc-qif-import.sgml">
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<!entity xaccquicken system "xacc-quicken.sgml">
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<!entity xaccquicken system "xacc-quicken.sgml">
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<!entity xaccquickstart system "xacc-quickstart.sgml">
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<!entity xaccrecnwin system "xacc-recnwin.sgml">
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<!entity xaccrecnwin system "xacc-recnwin.sgml">
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<!entity xaccregwin system "xacc-regwin.sgml">
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<!entity xaccregwin system "xacc-regwin.sgml">
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<!entity xaccregwinkbd system "xacc-regwin-kbd.sgml">
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<!entity xaccregwinkbd system "xacc-regwin-kbd.sgml">
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@ -73,6 +75,7 @@
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&xaccdoubleentry;
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&xaccdoubleentry;
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&xacceuro;
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&xacceuro;
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&xaccdateinput;
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&xaccdateinput;
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&xaccfeatures;
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&xaccgnomemdi;
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&xaccgnomemdi;
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&xaccgnucashwebbrowser;
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&xaccgnucashwebbrowser;
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&xaccincomeexpense;
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&xaccincomeexpense;
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@ -91,6 +94,7 @@
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&xaccprint;
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&xaccprint;
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&xaccqifimport;
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&xaccqifimport;
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&xaccquicken;
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&xaccquicken;
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&xaccquickstart;
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&xaccrecnwin;
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&xaccrecnwin;
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&xaccregwin;
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&xaccregwin;
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&xaccregwinkbd;
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&xaccregwinkbd;
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@ -7,161 +7,13 @@
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<sect1>
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<sect1>
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<title>Introduction</title>
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<title>Introduction</title>
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<para>GnuCash is a program to keep track of your finances. Its features
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<para>GnuCash is a program to keep track of your finances.
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include:
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To get straight to work recording your finances, try the
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<link linkend="xacc-quickstart">Quick Start Guide</link>.
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|
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<itemizedlist>
|
For more information about the many features that GnuCash
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<listitem> <para><emphasis>Multiple Accounts.</emphasis>
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offers, have a look at the <link linkend="xacc-features">Features
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Create a GnuCash account for each of your bank
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</link> page.
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accounts. Each account maintains both a running balance and a
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reconciled balance, so you can keep track of the checks that
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have cleared your account.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem> <para> <emphasis>Simple User Interface.</emphasis> </para>
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<para>If you can use the register in the back of your checkbook, you
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can use <application>GnuCash.</application>
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Type directly into the register, tab between fields, and use
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quick-fill to automatically complete transactions.
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</para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem> <para> <emphasis><link linkend="xacc-recnwin">Automated Tools
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for Reconciling Accounts.</link></emphasis> </para>
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<para>At the end of the month, open up the <emphasis>reconcile</emphasis>
|
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window, enter the ending balance from your bank statement, and check
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off the transactions that appear in the bank statement. This agrees
|
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what you have recorded in GnuCash with what your bank has reported,
|
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and makes it easier to track down any discrepancies. </para>
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</listitem>
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<listitem> <para> <emphasis>QuickFill.</emphasis> </para>
|
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<para>If you begin typing in the description field, and the text matches
|
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a previous transaction, hitting <keycap>TAB</keycap> will copy in that
|
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||||||
previous transaction. This is a handy time saver if you regularly create
|
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similar transactions.
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</para>
|
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</listitem>
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
<listitem> <para> <emphasis>Stock/Mutual Fund Portfolios.</emphasis> </para>
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
<para>Track stocks individually (one per account) or in
|
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portfolio of accounts (a group of accounts that can be
|
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displayed together).
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||||||
There are tools to
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<link linkend="xacc-ticker">automatically collect stock quotes.</link>
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||||||
</para>
|
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||||||
</listitem>
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
<listitem>
|
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||||||
<para>Support for <emphasis><link linkend="xacc-currencyhandling">multiple
|
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||||||
currencies</link></emphasis> and <emphasis>currency trading accounts.
|
|
||||||
</emphasis>
|
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||||||
(partial, still broken).
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||||||
Bank accounts may be established in different
|
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currencies, and trades at varying exchange rates may be
|
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||||||
made, in much the same way stocks trade at varying
|
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||||||
prices.
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||||||
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
</para>
|
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||||||
</listitem>
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
<listitem>
|
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||||||
<para><emphasis><link linkend="qif">Quicken File Import</link>.</emphasis>
|
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||||||
</para>
|
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||||||
<para>Imports Quicken-style QIF files. The import wizard automatically
|
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merges duplicate transactions.
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</para>
|
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||||||
</listitem>
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
<listitem>
|
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||||||
<para><emphasis>Gnome MDI Interface</emphasis></para>
|
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||||||
<para>Have multiple views of your financial data, arranged how you want
|
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||||||
them, in one or more windows that stay around through GnuCash sessions.
|
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||||||
</para>
|
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||||||
</listitem>
|
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||||||
|
|
||||||
<listitem>
|
|
||||||
<para><emphasis><link linkend="xacc-reports">Reports</link>.</emphasis> Display,
|
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||||||
export as HTML, or print a variety of reports, including Balance Sheet, Account
|
|
||||||
Summary, Profit and Loss, Stock Portfolios, and Transaction Reports. Reports
|
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||||||
are saved from session to session, and rolling reports are possible with
|
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||||||
relative dates. GnuCash also supports a variety of customizable, printable,
|
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||||||
bar and pie charts.
|
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||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
</listitem>
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
<listitem>
|
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||||||
<para><emphasis>Gnome MDI Interface</emphasis></para>
|
|
||||||
<para>Have multiple views of your financial data, arranged how you want
|
|
||||||
them, in one or more windows that stay around through GnuCash sessions.
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
</listitem>
|
|
||||||
</itemizedlist>
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
</para>
|
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||||||
</sect1>
|
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||||||
|
|
||||||
<sect1 id="xacc-features">
|
|
||||||
<title>Advanced Features</title>
|
|
||||||
<para> </para>
|
|
||||||
<para>GnuCash offers some features not found in simpler accounting
|
|
||||||
programs.
|
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||||||
|
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||||||
<itemizedlist>
|
|
||||||
<listitem>
|
|
||||||
<para> <emphasis><link linkend="xacc-chartofaccts">Chart of Accounts</link></emphasis>
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
<para>A master account can have a hierarchy of more detailed
|
|
||||||
accounts arranged underneath it. This allows related
|
|
||||||
account types (<emphasis>e.g.</emphasis> - Cash, Bank, Stock) to be
|
|
||||||
grouped under one master account ( <emphasis>e.g.</emphasis> -
|
|
||||||
Assets).
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
</listitem>
|
|
||||||
<listitem>
|
|
||||||
<para><emphasis><link linkend="xacc-doubleentry">Double
|
|
||||||
Entry</link></emphasis>
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
<para>Every transaction must debit one account and credit others
|
|
||||||
by an equal amount. This ensures that the 'books balance':
|
|
||||||
that the difference between income and outflow exactly equals
|
|
||||||
the sum of all assets, be they bank, cash, stock or other.
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
</listitem>
|
|
||||||
<listitem>
|
|
||||||
<para><emphasis><link linkend="xacc-incomeexpense">Income/Expense Account
|
|
||||||
Types (Categories)</link></emphasis>
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
<para>These serve not only to categorize your cash flow, but when used
|
|
||||||
properly with the double-entry feature and equity accounts, these can
|
|
||||||
provide an accurate Profit & Loss statement.
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
</listitem>
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
<listitem>
|
|
||||||
<para><emphasis>General Ledger</emphasis> </para>
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
<para>Multiple accounts may be displayed in one register
|
|
||||||
window at the same time. This can make it easier to track
|
|
||||||
down data errors. It also provides a convenient way of
|
|
||||||
viewing a portfolio of many stocks, by showing all
|
|
||||||
transactions in that portfolio.
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
</listitem>
|
|
||||||
</itemizedlist>
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
</para>
|
|
||||||
</sect1>
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
<sect1 id="xacc-versioning">
|
<sect1 id="xacc-versioning">
|
||||||
<title>Versioning</title>
|
<title>Versioning</title>
|
||||||
@ -176,7 +28,10 @@ provide an accurate Profit & Loss statement.
|
|||||||
or an older stable version. These versions are fairly stable,
|
or an older stable version. These versions are fairly stable,
|
||||||
with all currently known bugs fixed.
|
with all currently known bugs fixed.
|
||||||
The present "experimental" stream is gnucash-1.5.x, which is
|
The present "experimental" stream is gnucash-1.5.x, which is
|
||||||
somewhat unstable.
|
now almost at beta-test stage. This is the version you are
|
||||||
|
using right now, obviously! If you are using this version
|
||||||
|
with real data, PLEASE MAKE BACKUPS REGULARLY!
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
Once the 1.5.x series stabilizes, the next stable series
|
Once the 1.5.x series stabilizes, the next stable series
|
||||||
will be 1.6.x.
|
will be 1.6.x.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
169
doc/sgml/C/xacc-features.sgml
Normal file
169
doc/sgml/C/xacc-features.sgml
Normal file
@ -0,0 +1,169 @@
|
|||||||
|
<article id="xacc-features">
|
||||||
|
<artheader>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Features
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
</artheader>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<sect1>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Basic features
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
GnuCash is powerful, versatile, and easy to use. If you want
|
||||||
|
to get an idea of everything GnuCash offers, read on!
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<itemizedlist>
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para><emphasis>Multiple Accounts.</emphasis> Create a GnuCash
|
||||||
|
account for each of your bank accounts. Each account
|
||||||
|
maintains both a running balance and a reconciled balance,
|
||||||
|
so you can keep track of the checks that have cleared your
|
||||||
|
account.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para> <emphasis>Simple User Interface.</emphasis> </para>
|
||||||
|
<para>If you can use the register in the back of your checkbook, you
|
||||||
|
can use <application>GnuCash.</application> Type directly into the
|
||||||
|
register, tab between fields, and use quick-fill to automatically
|
||||||
|
complete transactions.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem> <para> <emphasis><link linkend="xacc-recnwin">Automated Tools
|
||||||
|
for Reconciling Accounts.</link></emphasis> </para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>At the end of the month, open up the <emphasis>reconcile</emphasis>
|
||||||
|
window, enter the ending balance from your bank statement, and check
|
||||||
|
off the transactions that appear in the bank statement. This agrees
|
||||||
|
what you have recorded in GnuCash with what your bank has reported,
|
||||||
|
and makes it easier to track down any discrepancies. </para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem> <para> <emphasis>QuickFill.</emphasis> </para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>If you begin typing in the description field, and the text matches
|
||||||
|
a previous transaction, hitting <keycap>TAB</keycap> will copy in that
|
||||||
|
previous transaction. This is a handy time saver if you regularly create
|
||||||
|
similar transactions.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem> <para> <emphasis>Stock/Mutual Fund Portfolios.</emphasis> </para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>Track stocks individually (one per account) or in
|
||||||
|
portfolio of accounts (a group of accounts that can be
|
||||||
|
displayed together).
|
||||||
|
There are tools to
|
||||||
|
<link linkend="xacc-ticker">automatically collect stock quotes.</link>
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para>Support for <emphasis><link linkend="xacc-currencyhandling">multiple
|
||||||
|
currencies</link></emphasis> and <emphasis>currency trading accounts.
|
||||||
|
</emphasis>
|
||||||
|
(partial, still broken).
|
||||||
|
Bank accounts may be established in different
|
||||||
|
currencies, and trades at varying exchange rates may be
|
||||||
|
made, in much the same way stocks trade at varying
|
||||||
|
prices.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para><emphasis><link linkend="qif">Quicken File Import</link>.</emphasis>
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
<para>Imports Quicken-style QIF files. The import wizard automatically
|
||||||
|
merges duplicate transactions.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para><emphasis>Gnome MDI Interface</emphasis></para>
|
||||||
|
<para>Have multiple views of your financial data, arranged how you want
|
||||||
|
them, in one or more windows that stay around through GnuCash sessions.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para><emphasis><link
|
||||||
|
linkend="xacc-reports">Reports</link>.</emphasis> Display,
|
||||||
|
export as HTML, or print a variety of reports, including
|
||||||
|
Balance Sheet, Account Summary, Profit and Loss, Stock
|
||||||
|
Portfolios, and Transaction Reports. Reports are saved from
|
||||||
|
session to session, and rolling reports are possible with
|
||||||
|
relative dates. GnuCash also supports a variety of
|
||||||
|
customizable, printable, bar and pie charts.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</itemizedlist>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</sect1>
|
||||||
|
<sect1 id="xacc-advanced-features">
|
||||||
|
<title>Advanced Features</title>
|
||||||
|
<para>GnuCash offers some features not found in simpler accounting
|
||||||
|
programs.</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<itemizedlist>
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para> <emphasis><link linkend="xacc-chartofaccts">Chart of Accounts</link></emphasis>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
<para>A master account can have a hierarchy of more detailed
|
||||||
|
accounts arranged underneath it. This allows related
|
||||||
|
account types (<emphasis>e.g.</emphasis> - Cash, Bank, Stock) to be
|
||||||
|
grouped under one master account ( <emphasis>e.g.</emphasis> -
|
||||||
|
Assets).
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para><emphasis><link linkend="xacc-doubleentry">Double
|
||||||
|
Entry</link></emphasis>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
<para>Every transaction must debit one account and credit others
|
||||||
|
by an equal amount. This ensures that the 'books balance':
|
||||||
|
that the difference between income and outflow exactly equals
|
||||||
|
the sum of all assets, be they bank, cash, stock or other.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para><emphasis><link linkend="xacc-incomeexpense">Income/Expense Account
|
||||||
|
Types (Categories)</link></emphasis>
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
<para>These serve not only to categorize your cash flow, but when used
|
||||||
|
properly with the double-entry feature and equity accounts, these can
|
||||||
|
provide an accurate Profit & Loss statement.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<listitem>
|
||||||
|
<para><emphasis>General Ledger</emphasis> </para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>Multiple accounts may be displayed in one register
|
||||||
|
window at the same time. This can make it easier to track
|
||||||
|
down data errors. It also provides a convenient way of
|
||||||
|
viewing a portfolio of many stocks, by showing all
|
||||||
|
transactions in that portfolio.
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
</itemizedlist>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</sect1>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</article>
|
||||||
|
<!-- Local variables: -->
|
||||||
|
<!-- sgml-parent-document: "gnucash.sgml" -->
|
||||||
|
<!-- End: -->
|
189
doc/sgml/C/xacc-quickstart.sgml
Normal file
189
doc/sgml/C/xacc-quickstart.sgml
Normal file
@ -0,0 +1,189 @@
|
|||||||
|
<article id="xacc-quickstart">
|
||||||
|
<artheader>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Getting Started
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
</artheader>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<sect1>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Getting Started
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<sect2>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Welcome
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>Hi there! Welcome to GnuCash 1.6, an easy-to-use,
|
||||||
|
powerful, and reliable personal finance program. This virtually
|
||||||
|
all-new version has an extensive list of features, and if you
|
||||||
|
want to know everything GnuCash can do, check the
|
||||||
|
<link linkend="xacc-features">features section</link of this manual.
|
||||||
|
However, if you're like us and impatient to get some work done,
|
||||||
|
that can wait until later.</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
As much as is possible, GnuCash is designed to be intuitive to
|
||||||
|
use. Despite that, getting the most out of GnuCash requires
|
||||||
|
understanding a couple of simple ideas used throughout the
|
||||||
|
program, and used throughout the rest of this manual.
|
||||||
|
Therefore, we highly recommend that you spend a few minutes
|
||||||
|
reading this manual page.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</sect2>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<sect2>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Remedial Accounting 101
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
At its core, GnuCash is a tool for tracking <emph>transactions</emph>.
|
||||||
|
A transaction is a record of money being removed from one "account"
|
||||||
|
and placed in another. To take a simple example, say you have
|
||||||
|
two bank accounts - a cheque account (that's checking, for the Americans
|
||||||
|
in the audience . . .), and an investment account, and you transfer
|
||||||
|
$500 from the cheque account to the investment account. GnuCash
|
||||||
|
records that transfer.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
"But what about when I buy things, or get paid?" I hear you ask.
|
||||||
|
Well, "accounts" in GnuCash aren't just bank accounts. You can
|
||||||
|
set up Income accounts, expense accounts, asset, liability, share
|
||||||
|
accounts, mutual fund accounts - in fact, there are a total of
|
||||||
|
11 different account types GnuCash supports. You can (and should)
|
||||||
|
set up a number of different expense accounts for different
|
||||||
|
types of expenditure. So, your paycheck would be a transfer
|
||||||
|
from, say "salary", an income account, to your checking account.
|
||||||
|
Buying fuel with your credit card might be a transfer from
|
||||||
|
"ABC Visa", a credit card account, to "Fuel", an expense account.
|
||||||
|
If you've grasped all that, you're 90% of the way to making best
|
||||||
|
use of GnuCash!
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
Now, if you're going to keep proper track of your finances, you'll
|
||||||
|
obviously want to create a variety of expense and income
|
||||||
|
accounts for keeping track of various transactions you'll make -
|
||||||
|
in fact, setting up the right set of accounts is the key to
|
||||||
|
making GnuCash work for you.
|
||||||
|
However, if you create many different accounts, it can be a pain
|
||||||
|
to keep track of them all. GnuCash has a way of dealing with
|
||||||
|
this, though. It lets you create a <emph>tree</emph>of accounts.
|
||||||
|
For instance, you can create a "Utilities" expense account, and
|
||||||
|
then create "Utilities:Power", "Utilities:Gas", and "Utilities:Phone".
|
||||||
|
We term "Utilities" to be the "parent" account, and the three others
|
||||||
|
to be "subaccounts". When you produce <link linkend="xacc-reports">
|
||||||
|
reports</link> of your financial data, you can choose whether
|
||||||
|
to display a summary of all "utilities" accounts, or data for
|
||||||
|
each individual account.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
Now let's go create some accounts!
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</sect2>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<sect2>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Setting up accounts from scratch
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
This section is intended for people who are
|
||||||
|
using a personal finance program for the first time,
|
||||||
|
or can't import their data into GnuCash using the
|
||||||
|
<link linkend="xacc-data-from-existing">QIF
|
||||||
|
importer</link>.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
If you want, GnuCash can help set up a default set
|
||||||
|
of accounts for you, using the "New Account Setup"
|
||||||
|
druid. What's a druid? Well, it's kind of like a
|
||||||
|
wizard, but it's called a druid. Why? Because it's
|
||||||
|
not a wizard, it's a druid . . .
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
Anyway, the druid will take you through the process
|
||||||
|
of creating a set of accounts to get you going.
|
||||||
|
Simply follow the prompts to select a default currency,
|
||||||
|
then select the types of accounts you wish to create.
|
||||||
|
You will then be given the opportunity to enter opening
|
||||||
|
balances for these accounts. Now, here's where things
|
||||||
|
get a little tricky. The opening balances are just
|
||||||
|
a transaction, but where is it transferred from?
|
||||||
|
A special account of type "equity" is created, called
|
||||||
|
"Opening Balances", and all opening balances consist
|
||||||
|
of a transfer to (or from) this account.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</sect2>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<sect2 id="xacc-data-from-existing">
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Importing data from other personal finance programs
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
If you have used another personal finance program that
|
||||||
|
can export QIF files, such as Quicken or Microsoft Money,
|
||||||
|
you can import the data into GnuCash. See the instructions
|
||||||
|
for the <link linkend="xacc-quicken">QIF importer.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<para>Once you've done that, you're ready to go - but first,
|
||||||
|
couple of quick hints about two things GnuCash
|
||||||
|
does a little differently from those programs:
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
<itemizedlist>
|
||||||
|
<listitem><para>Where some programs uses "categories"
|
||||||
|
to categorize expenses and income types, GnuCash
|
||||||
|
uses income and expense accounts. They work
|
||||||
|
in a similar way, but it's a considerably cleaner
|
||||||
|
and more flexible way of handling things once
|
||||||
|
you get used to the idea.
|
||||||
|
</para></listitem>
|
||||||
|
<listitem><para>Some programs use a list of accounts.
|
||||||
|
GnuCash uses a "tree" of accounts, allowing you
|
||||||
|
to group similar sorts of accounts - very useful
|
||||||
|
when reporting your financial data. You can
|
||||||
|
rearrange your accounts to use a more tree-like
|
||||||
|
structure by using the <link linkend=xacc-edit-accounts">
|
||||||
|
Account Edit Dialog.</link>
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</listitem>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
</sect2>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<sect2>
|
||||||
|
<title>
|
||||||
|
Starting to use GnuCash
|
||||||
|
</title>
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
Once the druid has done it's thing, you'll end up
|
||||||
|
at the GnuCash <link linkend="xacc-main-window">main
|
||||||
|
window.</link> To start entering transactions, select
|
||||||
|
the appropriate account and click on the "open" button
|
||||||
|
on the the toolbar. This brings up the account's
|
||||||
|
<link linkend="xacc-regwin">register</link>, so you
|
||||||
|
can enter transactions.
|
||||||
|
You might also want to <link linkend="xacc-new-account">
|
||||||
|
add more accounts</link> or <link linkend="xacc-edit-accounts">
|
||||||
|
change something</link> about
|
||||||
|
existing accounts.
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
<para>
|
||||||
|
Please take the time to read some more about GnuCash
|
||||||
|
in this online manual. You'll get much more out of
|
||||||
|
it!
|
||||||
|
</para>
|
||||||
|
</sect2>
|
||||||
|
</sect1>
|
||||||
|
</article>
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
<!-- Local variables: -->
|
||||||
|
<!-- sgml-parent-document: "gnucash.sgml" -->
|
||||||
|
<!-- End: -->
|
||||||
|
|
@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ It probably has lots of bugs and unstable features!
|
|||||||
If you are looking for a stable personal finance application,
|
If you are looking for a stable personal finance application,
|
||||||
you should use the latest release of GnuCash 1.4.")
|
you should use the latest release of GnuCash 1.4.")
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
(N_ "Users upgrading from GnuCash 1.4 should read the
|
||||||
|
\"What's new in GnuCash 1.6\" page in the online manual.")
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
(N_ "The GnuCash online manual has lots of helpful information.
|
(N_ "The GnuCash online manual has lots of helpful information.
|
||||||
You can access the manual under the Help menu.")
|
You can access the manual under the Help menu.")
|
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue
Block a user