Grisbi:DocuWiki

This tab is presented in the same way as Transactions, with the list of accounts on the left, and the properties of the selected account on the right.

To create a new account in your file, you can:

• click the menu Accounts, then New;

• click the button New account in the bottom left-hand corner.

A dialogue box will open and you will have to select the account type. Grisbi can manage the following account types:

• bank account: we can manage all types of transactions;

• cash account: can only manage cash;

• asset account: this is an account that represents your assets (i.e. possessions) bought. Its initial balance is zero, it increases suddenly at the time of purchase and regularly decreases over time due to asset depreciation;

• liability account: this is an account representing a debt you owe (i.e. a mortgage from your bank). The initial balance is negative and tends to become nil (zero for Americans). This can only manage transfer transactions.

We will return to details on account notions in chapter tips-accounts and on transaction type notions in the paragraph setup-modes.

If you look in the left side of the window you will see an account named No name, and on the right side of the window the account properties No name.

You have to enter a little information for the account you just created:

• Account name: will be Bank account or Saving account, or Bank account 1 and Bank account 2, etc. The most important thing is that you can find it later, and in any case you will be able to change this name later in the account properties without any problem ;

• Account type: this field is initialised according to your choice in the previous dialog box, but you can still change it later;

• Account currency: in euros by default, but you can decide to keep it in french francs. You can set up a new currency type if yours is not available (see paragraph setup-currencies);

• Closed account: this check box allows you to hide an account in the left side of the window without deleting it. It could be displayed later on with the menu Accounts/Closed accounts;

• Account holder: Grisbi allows you to record a holder per account. If you open a savings account for your children this can be useful;

• Address: The holder can have the same address as the main holder (see paragraph setup-general), or a different address that should be specified here;

• Financial institution: by default this is none but it is recommended to list one (see paragraph setup-bank);

• Bank sort code: is saved with the bank parameters (see paragraph setup-bank). This is the sort code (called a routing number in USA) found on your bank statement;

• Bank branch code: also to be taken from the bank statement;

• Account number/Key: also on the bank statement;

• Initial balance: take the balance from your last bank statement;

• Minimum balance authorized: this is the minimum balance authorized by your bank;

• Minimum balanced desired: this is the balance you would like to keep. If you are serious it should be greater than the previous one ;

• Comments: Grisbi allows you to save informal account related comments here (opening date, etc.).

Then click on Apply button and the account will be created. It will now on appear under this name in the accounts list.

You can alter all of this information at any time, except the currency if you selected the Euro (or if you switched an existing account into Euros as indicated below).

You only have to select the account you want to modify in the list on the left-hand side, and to perform your updates on the right-hand side. Don't forget to validate.

Just as for creating an account, for deleting you can:

• click the menu Accounts, then Delete;

• click the button Delete an account in the bottom the left-hand corner.

A confirmation dialogue box will pop up. Default is to delete the account currently selected, but you can select any other account. Attention: there will be no further warning and the information deleted cannot be recovered.

This section will become more and more obsolete as time goes by, but we will keep it for now to allow the potential import of old account files.

If your account has been opened in a currency other than Euros, which is being converted into Euros (see paragraph setup-currencies), you can, at any time, switch the currency of this account to Euros. Just click the button Switch this account to Euros.

Grisbi then displays a dialogue box to warn you that this operation is irreversible.

The entire account is now displayed in Euros, with the exchange value in original currency between parentheses. On the other hand the balances will be displayed only in Euros.

If you create a new account directly in Euro,s there will be no display in parentheses of course.

If you want to keep the balances displayed in the old currency a few manipulations will be required:

• at firs, try to have as few non-reconciled transactions as possible;

• rename your existing account (Bank account - old currency for example);

• create a new account (name it Bank account since this name is now available);

• delete all non-reconciled transactions from your account (taking care to carefully jot them down, because you will have to re-key them in the new account). You should have an account balance equal to the one on your last bank statement;

• make a transfer of that amount from the account in your currency to the account in Euros;

• enter the transactions previously deleted in that account, with the original currency. Grisbi will perform the conversion.

You now have an account in euros, as well as in the old currency.