Your suggestion for 3rd item (memorandum entry) could be folded into first item (simple entry) if debit and/or credit are zero or blank. Less known is that Quicken uses 'NReminder' for their data format, and more likely known is that large financial institutions codes it as 'Journal' for Transaction Type.
For investment account there is also 'Corporate Action' Transaction Type as well, and not sure that would be accommodated or folded into another. -----Original Message----- From: Patrick James <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, January 01, 2026 4:18 PM To: Gnucash Users <[email protected]> Subject: Re: [GNC] Manual Documentation - Import CSV flywire, I'm addressing your proposed UI changes 1 to 3. 1. Rename Multi-split to Multi-line 2. Move Account field under Multi-line checkbox 3. Dim/disable Account field when Multi-line enabled ---------- I agree with the basic premise that the "multi-split" could/should be changed to better align with its accounting objective and/or a better user experience. That said, I'm not convinced that "multi-line" is better than "mutli-split." I would be nice if one could find the term that incorporates accounting terminology and improve the user interface. I propose something like: "Simple import" and "Complex import" This avoids the question of what does "multi-line" mean with a csv file that's 100 lines. This also alerts the user that "complex import" probably needs something more than a simple bank download. Hopefully the user would ask the basic question, "What is a complex import?" Or, alternatively, think something like, "I don't know what a 'complex import' is, but I only need a 'simple import' for my workflow." Now moving forward to the justification: 1. Simple Journal Entry [=standard accounting terminology for a journal entry with exactly one debit and one credit] 2. Complex Journal Entry [=standard accounting terminology for a journal entry that has more than one debit or more than one credit; "compound journal entry" is also equally acceptable terminology] 3. Then there is another type of entry which does not meet either definition above, and that's a "Memorandum Journal Entry" [=no debit entry, and thus no credit entry]. Although the accounting definitions above are mutually exclusive, in that a simple journal entry cannot be a compound journal entry, and, a compound journal entry cannot be a simple journal entry, the same is not true when importing a "Multi-split" CSV file. A "Multi-split" import can result in both simple journal entries as well as compound journal entries. I realize that you point out, "Single-line/Multi-line terms are equivalent to Simple/Split Transaction terms used in the Guide for 2/2+ accounts respectively and also related to Register View styles for Basic Ledger and Transaction Journal." I suggest the documentation should be updated, or, at a minimum, the csv documentation should be updated if it is not appropriate/practical/favorable to change the documentation for the basic ledger. As far as your suggestions around the "multi-split" checkbox, I generally agree a change would be favorable. I personally suggest something like two radio buttons, where only one can be selected: * "Simple import" above the select account pull down. * "Complex Import" The radio button selection should take care of your proposed UI change 3, as the selection of one would disable the other option. These changing of only the terms/UI would not be breaking changes in that the actual import would not change. That said, I don't know how much work it would be to make the changes to the UI and use the previously saved settings. > On 12/31/2025 9:26 PM PST flywire <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Continuing on from the thread > https://lists.gnucash.org/pipermail/gnucash-user/2025-November/118164. > html > > My concern is the GnuCash CSV Importer UI and docs are confusing > because the terminology is not clear and the Account field (for > single-line mode) appears before the Multi-split checkbox decision > point that determines the import mode. > > Single-line mode (one line = one transaction, two accounts): > * Source Account: Set once in the assistant or via CSV column > * Transfer Account: CSV column or Import Matcher (defaults to > Imbalance) > > Multi-line mode (one line = one split, 2+ accounts): > * All data per-line; no common Account field > * Groups consecutive lines by identical/blank transaction info (Date, > Description, etc.) > > Every transaction needs: Date, Description, Amount(s), Account(s). > > Single-line/Multi-line terms are equivalent to Simple/Split > Transaction terms used in the Guide for 2/2+ accounts respectively and > also related to Register View styles for Basic Ledger and Transaction Journal. > > References: > * > https://github.com/Gnucash/gnucash/blob/stable/gnucash/gtkbuilder/assi > stant-csv-trans-import.glade#L46-L55 > * > https://github.com/Gnucash/gnucash/blob/stable/gnucash/gtkbuilder/assi > stant-csv-trans-import.glade#L527-L530 > > ---------------- > > Proposed UI changes: > > 1. Rename Multi-split to Multi-line > 2. Move Account field under Multi-line checkbox 3. Dim/disable Account > field when Multi-line enabled 4. Update tooltip-text 5. Update > documentation to describe > > Multi-linetooltip-text: > > * Disable: Each CSV line is one complete transaction. > * Enable: Multiple consecutive lines form one transaction. Each line > provides details for a single account or split, and the first line > must include the main transaction information such as Date and Description. > > The importer groups consecutive lines into the same transaction until > it finds a line where any transaction‑specific field (Transaction ID, > Date, Number, Description, Notes, Transaction Commodity, or Void > Reason) contains different, non‑empty information. > Accounttooltip-text: > > Apply a single source account to all imported transactions. The other > side of the transaction can be provided in a Transfer Account column, > or left for the Import Matcher to assign. > > Regards > > > > _______________________________________________ > gnucash-user mailing list > [email protected] > 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. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] 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.
