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<title>Chart of Accounts and Account Numbering</title>
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<h1>Chart of Accounts</h1>
<p>Typically accounts are arranged as a tree, in hierarchical
form.</p>
<p>The main branches represent entire categories or groups,
while the leaves of the tree denote individual bank accounts or
expense categories.</p>
<p>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:</p>
<pre>
300 Expenses
|
+--310 Living Expenses
| |
| +--311 Beer
| |
| +--312 Cable
|
+--320 Business Expenses
| |
| +--321 8-inch Floppies
| |
: :
</pre>
<p>Note that accounts not only have names; they have <b>
codes,</b> in order to provide <em>order.</em> When a report is
generated, the <a name="SORTORDER">sort order is determined by
the numbering.</a></p>
<p>A sensible hierarchy generally will have the "leaf" accounts
end in non-zero digits, whilst parent nodes have increasing
numbers of zeros. For instance, "cash" accounts might logically
be arranged thus:</p>
<ul>
<li>
Overall Assets: <tt>100</tt>
<ul>
<li>
Overall Cash: <tt>110</tt>
<ul>
<li>Cash in Wallet: <tt>111</tt></li>
<li>Cash in Sock in Closet: <tt>112</tt></li>
<li>Cash in Mattress: <tt>113</tt></li>
<li>Petty Cash Box: <tt>114</tt></li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Overall Banking Assets <tt>120</tt>
<ul>
<li>Checking Account <tt>121</tt></li>
<li>Savings Account <tt>122</tt></li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p>When you <a href="xacc-accwin.html">create a new
account</a>, GnuCash offers a guess at what an appropriate
account code might be; 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, <tt>a</tt> through <tt>z</tt>.</p>
<h1>A Sample Chart of Accounts</h1>
<a name="SAMPLECHART"></a>
<p>A "typical" chart of accounts is shown below. Each
account is of a given <a href="xacc-acctypes.html">account
type</a>. This example is a combination of some typical
business and personal accounts.</p>
<ul>
<li>
Assets
<ul>
<li>
Cash On Hand
<ul>
<li>Checking account</li>
<li>Money Market Account</li>
<li>Certificate of Deposit</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Fixed Assets
<ul>
<li>Furniture</li>
<li>Computers</li>
<li>Jewelry, Collectibles</li>
<li>Tools, Machinery</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Investments
<ul>
<li>Stocks</li>
<li>Bonds</li>
<li>Mutual Funds</li>
<li>Real Estate</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Liabilities
<ul>
<li>
Taxes
<ul>
<li>Federal Income Tax</li>
<li>Social Security</li>
<li>Medicare</li>
<li>FUTA</li>
<li>State Income Tax</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Accounts Payable
<ul>
<li>MasterCard</li>
<li>Visa</li>
<li>American Express</li>
<li>Diner's Club</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Loans
<ul>
<li>Debentures</li>
<li>School Loan</li>
<li>Uncle Harry's Tide-me-over</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Equity
<ul>
<li>Retained Earnings</li>
<li>Current Year Earnings</li>
<li>Historical Adjustments</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Income
<ul>
<li>
Interest Income
<ul>
<li>Bank Account Interest</li>
<li>Certificate of Deposit</li>
<li>Bond Interest</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Dividends
<ul>
<li>Stock</li>
<li>Mutual Fund</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Consulting
<ul>
<li>ABC Design</li>
<li>PQR Infomatics</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Salary
<ul>
<li>My Day Job</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Commissions
<ul>
<li>Royalties</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Expenses
<ul>
<li>
Rent and Utilities
<ul>
<li>Rent</li>
<li>Rent Late Fees</li>
<li>Electricity</li>
<li>Gas</li>
<li>Phone</li>
<li>Internet</li>
<li>Cable TV</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Office Expenses
<ul>
<li>Accounting</li>
<li>Legal</li>
<li>Software</li>
<li>Postage</li>
<li>Bank Charges</li>
<li>Credit Card Charges</li>
<li>Toner, Paper, Paper Clips</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Auto Expenses
<ul>
<li>Gas</li>
<li>Insurance</li>
<li>Repair</li>
<li>Rental</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Taxes
<ul>
<li>Social Security</li>
<li>Unemployment</li>
<li>IRS penalties</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Wages and Salaries
<ul>
<li>Consulting</li>
<li>Wages</li>
<li>Health Insurance</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Travel
<ul>
<li>Air</li>
<li>Hotel</li>
<li>Meals</li>
<li>Auto</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>
Marketing
<ul>
<li>Advertising</li>
<li>Trade Shows</li>
<li>Give Aways</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<hr>
<p>Return to <a href="xacc-main.html">Main Documentation
Page.</a></p>
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