This assistant helps you to create a set of GnuCash accounts. It will
appear if you choose
in the Welcome to GnuCash! menu.
This will create a new blank GnuCash file and then automatically start
the New Account Hierarchy Setup assistant.
 | Tip |
|---|---|
To start this assistant manually, go to → if you need to create a new file. If you want to run the assistant within the opened file, go to → when the accounts tree tab is displayed. | |
The New Account Hierarchy Setup assistant opens with a screen that briefly describes what this assistant does. The three buttons at the very bottom of the screen will not change while using the assistant.
— exit the process and cancel creating a new set of accounts.
Warning If you click this button, any selections you have made up to this point will be lost.
— brings up the previous screen so that you can change a previous selection until the first screen.
— brings up the next screen so you can continue through the assistant.
The next screen allows you to Choose Currency to use as default for your accounts.
The Currency: drop down list defaults to the currency configured in the Accounts tab under GnuCash Preferences (see Section 9.2.2, “Accounts”). If you wish your accounts to use a different default currency, select one from the list.
The button is used to confirm your selection and continue to the next screen.
The next screen is used to Choose accounts to create.
You will see a screen divided into three parts.
The left upper portion has a list of Categories for commonly used hierarchies of accounts. Select from this list the types of accounts you wish to use. You can select as many of the categories of accounts as you wish.
The left lower section has a Category Description that displays a detailed description of the category currently highlighted.
The right side has a list of the Accounts that will be created from the selected category.
The button allows you to include all of the account categories.
The button allows you to deselect all of the categories selected.
The next screen allows you to Setup selected accounts by entering the opening balances and by selecting if the account is a placeholder.
Note Equity accounts do not have opening balances so the opening balance value for this kind of accounts is locked and set to zero by
GnuCashNote Placeholder accounts are used to create a hierarchy of accounts and normally do not have transactions or opening balances.
Follow the instructions in the display on how to select the account and entering an opening balance for the account. A single click is used to highlight an account.
The left side of the screen has a list of Account Names. Select an account by "clicking" once in the Account Names column with the account highlighted. This will open the account name for changes.
The right side of the screen has a check-box to make an account a Placeholder and a box to add the Opening Balance for the selected account. Again a single click in the Opening Balance or Placeholder column will open the field for changes.
The Finish account setup is the last screen and gives you a final list of the three choices to finish the assistant.
— exits the assistant and cancels creating a new set of accounts.
Warning If you click this button, any selections you have made up to this point will be lost.
— brings up the previous screen so that you can change a previous selection until the first screen.
— creates the accounts you have selected.
You should now have a hierarchy of accounts in your main GnuCash
account window.