Copyright © Carol Champagne 2001
This document is released under the terms of the Free Document License.

GnuCash User Guide Outline

PART ONE: GETTING STARTED

Chapter 1 Overview of GnuCash

1.1 Introduction to GnuCash (Discussion)
1.2 About This Book (Discussion)
1.3 Top Ten Reasons to Use GnuCash (Discussion)
1.4 Installation (How-To)
		

Chapter 2  Basic Structure and Setup

2.1 Data Entry Concepts (Discussion)
	2.1.1 Files, Accounts and Transactions
	2.1.2 Double Entry
2.2 The GnuCash Interface (Discussion)
	2.2.1 New User Setup
	2.2.2 Tip of Day
	2.2.3 Main Window
	2.2.4 Register Window
	2.2.5 Tool Bar Buttons
	2.2.6 Menu Options
	2.2.7 Menu Shortcuts
2.3 Setting Preferences (Discussion)
2.4 Getting Help (Discussion)
	2.4.1 Manual
	2.4.2 Web Access
	2.4.3 Network Registration
	2.4.4 Topic Search
2.5 Creating, Saving and Opening Files (How-To)
2.6 Importing QIF Files (How-To)
2.7 Backing Up Data  (How-To)
2.8 Putting It All Together (Examples of creating and saving a file, importing a qif, and changing a preference)

Chapter 3  Organizing Your Accounts

3.1 Accounts vs. Categories (Discussion)
3.2 Types of GnuCash Accounts (Discussion)
3.3 Setting Up a New Account (How-To)
	3.3.1 General Info
	3.3.2 Opening Balance
3.4 Setting Up a Chart of Accounts (How-To)
3.5 Changing Accounts (How-To)
	3.5.1 Editing an Account
	3.5.2 Deleting an Account
3.6 Changing a Chart of Accounts
	3.6.1 Moving From Subaccount to Parent Account
	3.6.2 Moving From Parent Account to Subaccount
	3.6.3 Moving To a Different Parent Account
3.7 Opening Accounts and Subaccounts
3.8 Scrubbing Accounts
3.9 Putting It All Together (Examples of setting up a simple chart of accounts with cash, checking, savings, credit card, income and expense accounts)

Chapter 4 Entering Transactions

4.1 Overview of Registers (Discussion)
4.2 Setting Register Options (Discussion)
	4.2.1 Style
	4.2.2 Sort Order
	4.2.3 Date Range
	4.2.4 Preferences
4.3 Entering a Transaction (How-To)
	4.3.1 Register
	4.3.2 Transfer Dialog
	4.3.3 General Ledger Tool
4.4 Entering Multiple Splits (How-To)  
4.5 Using Entry Shortcuts (How-To)
	4.5.1 Autofill
	4.5.2 Keyboard shortcuts
4.6 Working with Existing Transactions (How-To)
	4.6.1 Editing
	4.6.2 Deleting
	4.6.3 Copying
	4.6.4 Jumping to Other Account
	4.6.5 Finding
4.7  Reconciling to a Statement (How-To)
4.8  Recurring/Scheduled Transactions (How-To)
4.9  Putting It All Together (Example of entering an opening balance in checking,  entering a paycheck with deductions, entering a second paycheck using QuickFill, and scheduling a recurring paycheck transaction)



PART TWO: MANAGING YOUR RECORDS

Chapter 5  Your Checkbook  and Wallet

5.1 Setting up Accounts (Discussion)
5.2 Entering Deposits(Discussion)
	5.2.1 Net Pay (How-To)
	5.2.2 Gross Pay(How-To)
	5.2.3 Interest Income (How-To)
	5.2.4 Other (Non-Income) Deposits (How-To)
5.3 Entering Withdrawals (Discussion)
	5.3.1 Check Payments (How-To)
	5.3.2 ATM/Cash Withdrawals(How-To)
	5.3.3 Service Charges (How-To)
	5.3.4 Other Withdrawals (How-To)
5.4 Printing Checks (How-To)
5.5 Reconciling Bank and Cash Accounts (How-To)
5.6 Adjusting the Balance (How-To)
5.7 Putting It All Together (Examples)

Chapter 6 Credit Cards  

6.1 Setting Up Accounts (Discussion)
6.2 Opening Credit Card Balance (How-To)
6.3 Entering Charges(Discussion)
	6.3.1 Purchases (How-To)
	6.3.2 Finance/Late Charges (How-To)
6.4 Entering Payments (Discussion)
	6.4.1 Monthly Payments (How-To)
	6.4.2 Refunds/Credits (How-To)
6.5 Reconciling Credit Card Accounts (How-To)
6.6 Adjusting the Balance (How-To)
6.7 Putting It All Together (Examples)

Chapter 7  Investments 
7.1 Setting up Accounts (Discussion - brokerage, IRA, 401(K), stock options)
	-Brokerage
	-CD?s
	-Treasury Bills
	-Money Market
	-Mutual Funds
	-Stocks
	-Bonds
	-Retirements accounts
7.2 Creating a Portfolio for Your Current Holdings (How-To)
7.3 Buying New Investments (How-To)
7.4 Selling Investments (How-To)
7.5 Recording Dividends and Interest (How-To)
7.6 Recording Stock Splits and Mergers (How-To)
7.7 Recording Employee Stock Plans (Discussion)
	7.7.1 Stock Purchase Plans (How-To)
	7.7.2 Stock Options (How-To)
7.8 Managing your Portfolio (Discussion)
	7.8.1  Portfolio View
	7.8.2 Updating Prices (How-To)
	7.8.3 Measuring Capital Gains (Discussion)
7.9 Reconciling with the Brokerage Statement (How-To)
7.10 Putting It All Together (Examples)	 
  
Chapter 8 Assets and Loans 
8.1 Setting up Accounts (Discussion of ways to handle appreciation, depreciation, principal and interest payments, gains)
8.2 Buying a House with Related Mortgage (How-To)
8.3 Buying a Vehicle with Related Loan (How-To)
8.4 Entering a Payment Schedule
	8.4.1 Monthly Payments (How-To)
	8.4.2 Final Payment (How-To)
8.5 Selling a House or Vehicle (How-To)
8.6 Recording Changes in Value
	8.6.1 Appreciation (How-To)
	8.6.2 Depreciation (How-To) 
	8.6.3 Capital Gains (How-To)
8.7 Tracking Other Assets (How-To)
8.8 Reconciling with the Loan Statements (How-To)
8.9 Putting It All Together (Examples)

Chapter 9  Multiple Currencies 

9.1 Setting up Accounts (Discussion of ISO codes, setup of currency accounts)
9.2 GnuCash Currency Support (Discussion of Euro support, exchange rates)
9.3 Setting International Preferences (Discussion)
9.4 Recording Currency Exchange (How-To)
9.5 Recording Purchases in a Foreign Currency (How-To) 
9.6 Tracking Currency Investments (How-To)
9.7 Reconciling Statements in a Foreign Currency (How-To)
9.8 Updating Exchange Rates (How-To)
9.9 Putting It All Together (Examples)

Chapter 10 Reports and Graphs

10.1 Overview of Reports and Graphs (Discussion)
10.2 Types of Reports and Graphs (Discussion)
10.3 Creating Standard Reports and Graphs (How-To)
10.4 Customizing (How-To) 
10.5 Printing Reports and Graphs (How-To)
10.6 Putting It All Together (Examples) 


Chapter 11 Going Online

11.1 Available Online Features (Discussion) 
11.2 Using Online Help (How-To)
11.3 Getting Online Software Updates (How-To)
11.4 Getting Online Quotes and Exchange Rates (How-To)
11.5 Importing Online Bank Statements (How-To)
11.6 Putting It All Together (Examples)


PART THREE:  ADVANCED TOPICS 

Chapter 12  Planning for the Future 

12.1 Preparing for Tax Time (Discussion)
12.2 Creating and Using Budgets (Discussion)
12.3 Planning for Loans (Discussion)
12.4 Planning to Buy a House (Discussion)

Chapter 13 Business Needs
13.1 Overview of Business vs. Personal Needs
13.2 More on Double-Entry Accounting
13.3 General Ledger
13.4 Payables and Receivables
13.5 Inventory
13.6 Payroll

APPENDICES

Appendix A Guide for Former Users of Quicken and other QIF Applications

Organization of QIF Files (Discussion)
Common Duplication Issues (Discussion)
Checking QIF Data (Discussion)

Appendix B Frequently Asked Questions

(Notes: How to treat taxes (payable or expense?), how to record a txn on different 
dates (actual date and bank date), how to provide security for GC data using CFS, 
etc.)


Appendix C Troubleshooting Guide





