This manual’s goal is to save you time. It will get you started
using GnuCash as quickly as possible.
Each chapter follows a simple format. A chapter begins with a “Concepts” discussion which introduces general themes and terminology, addressed and used within that chapter. “How-To” sections, which address specific procedures follow. Finally, a “Putting It All Together” section ends the chapter by giving detailed, concrete examples.
Beginning users will find the “Concepts” sections very helpful. They provide a reference for good ways to track your finances, and serve as a general introduction to financial background and terminology. Experienced users can flip to the “How-To” sections to quickly scan procedures. These sections provide to-the-point steps for accomplishing specific tasks. The “Putting It All Together” sections present real-world examples in the form of a tutorial. Beginning with creation of a file in Chapter 2, The Basics, each successive chapter builds on the previous chapter’s tutorial.
This manual is organized into 3 main parts:
Getting Started
Managing Personal Finances
Managing Business Finances
Getting Started provides you with the most
basic information needed to begin using GnuCash. The chapters in this section explain concepts that are fundamental to using GnuCash. New users of GnuCash should familiarize themselves with the information in these chapters to get you up and running:
Chapter 1, Overview - (this chapter) gives a general overview of GnuCash
Chapter 2, The Basics - gives users a very brief introduction to accounting principles, and then provides information about how GnuCash structures its data. There is also information on basic interface elements in GnuCash. Finally, this chapter explains how GnuCash stores and manages your data.
Section 2.8, “Accounts” - gives further information about accounts and how to organize them.
Section 2.9, “Transactions” - gives basic information about transactions and how to enter them.
Managing Personal Finances addresses
common applications and features of GnuCash in greater detail. You will
see more specific cases, based on frequently asked questions about
applying GnuCash to everyday situations. Here are the applications and
features covered in this part:
Managing Business Finances discusses the
use of GnuCash in business accounting:
This manual also includes several appendices, which contains extra information you might want to know:
GnuCash Glossary - Glossary of terms used in GnuCash
Appendix A, Migration Guide - Guide for former Quicken®, MS Money or other QIF users
Last, but not least, a glossary and index help you quickly locate topics.