On Sat, Jul 15, 2023 at 10:58:27AM +0100, Michael Hendry wrote: > On 14 Jul 2023, at 13:24, Chris Green <c...@isbd.net> wrote: > > > > > On Fri, Jul 14, 2023 at 01:06:36PM +0100, Maf. King wrote: > >> On Friday, 14 July 2023 12:34:28 BST Fross, Michael wrote: > >>> I run multiple instances at the same time, but you have to open different > >>> data files. I’d keep them in different directories to be tidy. > >>> > >> > >> I don't do it often, but have had occasion to have GC side-by-side on 2 > >> data > >> files at the same time. > >> > >> What I have done is start a 2nd instance of GC, let it warn me that the > >> data > >> file is in use already, select open read-only then file-> open to the > >> second > >> data file. (I have 6 in regular use). But I'm on Linux, don't know it > >> that > >> would work the same on any WinOs flavour. > >> > >> Agree 100% about keeping each data file in its own sub-directory, and > >> about not > >> changing prefs while 2 instances are running! > >> > > I have quite a lot of separate GnuCash 'instances' where 'instance' > > means a GnuCash data file (Sqlite database in my case). > > Ah, I was thinking that by “instance” you meant a running copy of GNC with > its own GNC file. Unless you are running each instance as a different user, > my understanding is that you’re risking cross-contamination of configuration > settings, as GNC is a one-file-at-a time product. > I occasionally run two copies of GnuCash and there don't appear to be any significant issues when I do this. It's quite a rare occurrence though as, with small (one year only) database files a GnuCash instance starts very quickly so I just start and stop them as required.
> > > > I am a PCC (Parochial Church Council) treasurer, this requires me to > > submit audited accounts to the Diocese each year. It also requires > > separate accounts for 'restricted' and 'unrestricted' funds. > > Restricted funds are those donations which have been specifically > > given for the upkeep of our church building as opposed to being used > > for general expenses. > > > > I thus keep separate GnuCash data files for 'restricted' and > > 'unrestricted' in each financial year. With a little bit of simple > > scripting (this is Linux) I can go to any year's dirctory and simply > > enter 'gnc' to see that year's current/unrestricted accounts and 'gnb' > > to see the building/restricted accounts. I never have to mess about > > changing the dates on reports to see different years, I never have to > > explicitly specify which data file to use (because it's in the > > directory for the year I'm looking at). > > I can see disadvantages in this approach (which I couldn’t use on my Mac > anyway!) > > 1. Assuming you create a new data file for each each unrestricted and > restricted > account each year, you lose the prompts for recurrent transactions (e.g. > Payment to The Corner Shop from the current account to the Expenses:Tea, > Milk and Biscuits account). Yes, but it's hardly a big loss. One only has to re-enter a repeated item once a year! > 2. Similarly, you lose the capacity to produce multi-year balance sheet > and income & expenditure reports to compare the most recent year’s > performance > against previous years. We (or the Diocese) have absolutely no need for multi-year reports. Anyway it's hardly more difficult to produce a balance sheet for 2021 and a balance sheet for 2022 and compare them. Plus I never have to change start and end dates for reports, for a particular year they are cast in stone for all reports. > 3. If you start to use the new data files immediately the new year begins, > you have to enter starting balances for the accounts. If you discover you’ve > missed an entry in the previous year, made an incorrect entry, or have > issued a cheque which has not been cashed by the year end, you have to > remember to adjust for all of these (which would certainly be a problem > in my case). With 'cash accounting' it's trivial to ensure the end of year figures are correct, they **must** be the same as the bank statement for 31st December. Similarly uncashed cheques simply don't appear, a cheque payment only appears in the accounts when it is actually debited from the bank account. -- Chris Green _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list gnucash-user@gnucash.org To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.
