# Getting Help

## Accessing Help

The GnuCash Help Window uses YELP to display DOCBOOK versions of the help documents that are installed with GnuCash.

This window is accessed by going to the Help menu and selecting either the Tutorial and Concepts Guide or the Contents (F1).

The Help Window has a toolbar for navigation. The toolbar is described below;

- Back Used to navigate to topics previously viewed.

- Forward Used to navigate to topics previously viewed.

- Help Used to access various GNOME Help files.

- Search Enter search term to search GNOME Help files. Does not search GnuCash Help file.

The right side of the Help Window displays the currently opened help page. The left side of the Help Window contains the help Topics list tab. Selecting one of the help topics will load that page on the right side.

## GnuCash Tutorial and Concepts Guide

This guide is the counterpart to this help. It explains the concepts used in GnuCash and has a tutorial that takes you through using GnuCash to manage your accounts. It will appear if you choose Open the new user tutorial in the Welcome to GnuCash! menu.

To open this Guide manually go to Help -> Tutorial and Concepts Guide.

It is strongly recommended to read this guide if you are new to GnuCash or unfamiliar with accounting concepts.

## GnuCash On-line Assistance

Quoting the Tip of the Day "The GnuCash developers are easy to contact." GnuCash has several mailing lists;

- User List gnucash-user@gnucash.org - User questions and discussions. The developers and many very helpful users "hang-out" here.

- Development List gnucash-devel@gnucash.org - In-depth questions and where and how you can help.

- You can chat live with the developers on IRC! Join them on #gnucash at irc.gnome.org. Much more at the GnuCash web site including links to WIKI and Bugzilla !!

# Getting Started

## Running GnuCash for the first time

The very first time you run GnuCash you will be presented with the Cannot Find Default Values display with three choices; Quit, Skip, Setup. The following table describes the contents of the menu.

### First time running GnuCash options

Option Button | Action Description
--- | ---
Quit | Exit from GnuCash without any setups.
Skip | Continue into GnuCash without any setups.
Setup | Create a new set of default settings.

- The Cancel button is used to exit GnuCash.

- The Skip button is used to continue without any setting of display defaults for GnuCash.

- The Setup button will display the Update GnuCash Configuration Data screen to start the setup dialog.

The Update GnuCash Configuration Data druid opens with a screen that briefly describes what this druid does. The three buttons at the very bottom of the screen will not change until the final screen of the druid.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the druid and cancel creating a new set of accounts. Any selections you have made in this druid up to this point will be lost.

- The Back button in the following screen will bring up the previous screen so you can change a selection made on that screen, on the first screen since there is no previous screen the button will be pale.

- The Forward button will bring up the next screen so you can continue though the druid.

The second screen allows you to Choose a Method of setting gconf configuration for GnuCash. The screen describes the options, "Update Search Path" and "Install in Home Directory", and the impact of each. The Update Search Path button will modify .gconf.path in the user's home directory. The Install in Home Directory button on this screen will install the configuration files in the .gconf directory in the user's home directory.

After making your selection press the Forward button for the next screen.

If you selected "Install in Home Directory" the next screen presents you with three options;

1. GnuCash will install the data.

2. You will install the data yourself.

3. The data has already been loaded.

If you selected "Update Search Path" the next screen presents you with three options;

1. GnuCash will update search path.

2. You will update search path yourself.

3. The update search path has already been updated.

The final screen has the usual three buttons, with the difference that the Forward has changed to Apply. Pressing the Apply button will commit your selections, and will complete the initial defaults.

After the initial defaults are completed you will be presented with the Welcome to GnuCash! menu with three choices. The following table describes the contents of the menu.

###

Menu Item | Description
--- | ---
Create a new set of accounts | Runs the New Account Hierarchy Setup Druid.
Import my QIF files | Runs the Import QIF Files Druid.
Open the new user tutorial | Opens the GnuCash Tutorial and Concepts Guide.

This menu is intended for you to use to get up and running quickly.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the dialog. It will then prompt you with Display Welcome Dialog Again?

  1. If you do not want to see the Welcome to GnuCash! menu again press the No button.

  2. Press the Yes button or press the keyboard enter for the default which is to have the Welcome to GnuCash! menu run again.

  Selecting either of these options will leave you with a minimum GnuCash window. Operations in this window are described in section Usage.

You can either use a preset hierarchy of accounts, import Quicken files (QIF files) or view the GnuCash Tutorial and Concepts Guide. Each of these choices will be explained in more depth in the following sections.

- If you wish to have a basic set of accounts to add account transactions into choose Create a new set of accounts.

- If you already have Quicken files (QIF files) from another financial application and wish to import them then choose Import my QIF files.

- If you are a new to GnuCash and just want to be guided though setting up GnuCash then choose Open the new user tutorial.

It is possible to run these items after you have made a choice here but this Welcome to GnuCash! menu will not reappear. To try one of the other choices later, use the following sections to start the other items from the GnuCash menu.

### New Account Hierarchy Setup

This druid helps you to create a set of GnuCash accounts. It will appear if you choose Create a new set of accounts in the Welcome to GnuCash! menu.

To start this druid manually go to File ->New -> New File. This will create a new blank GnuCash file and then automatically start the New Account Hierarchy Setup druid.

The New Account Hierarchy Setup druid opens with a screen that briefly describes what this druid does. The three buttons at the very bottom of the screen will not change while using the druid.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the druid and cancel creating a new set of accounts. Any selections you have made in this druid up to this point will be lost.

- The Back button will bring up the previous screen so you can change a selection made on that screen.

- The Forward button will bring up the next screen so you can continue though the druid.

The next screen allows you to select the default currency to use for your accounts.

- The Currency: drop down list defaults to USD (US Dollar). If you wish your accounts to use a different default currency select one from the list.

- The Forward button is used to confirm your selection and continue to the next screen.

The next screen is used to choose a hierarchy of 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 Select All button allows you to include all of the account categories.

- The Clear All button allows you to deselect all of the categories selected.

The next screen allows you to enter opening balances for your accounts and also select if the account is a placeholder account. Placeholder accounts are used to create a hierarchy of accounts and normally do not have transactions or opening balances. Equity accounts also do not have 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 last screen gives you a final list of the three choices to finish the druid.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the druid and cancel creating a new set of accounts. Any selections you have made in this druid up to this point will be lost.

- The Back button will bring up the previous screen so you can change a selection made on that screen.

- The Finish button creates the accounts you have selected.

You should now have a hierarchy of accounts in your main GnuCash account window.

### Import QIF Files

This Druid helps you import Quicken (QIF) files. It will appear if you choose Import my QIF files in the Welcome to GnuCash! menu.

To start this druid manually go to File -> Import ... -> Import QIF... or press Ctrl-I.

The Import QIF files druid opens with a screen that briefly describes what this druid does and requests the file(s) to import. The three buttons at the very bottom of the screen will not change while using the druid.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the druid and cancel importing Quicken file data. Any selections you have made in this druid up to this point will be lost.

- The Back button will bring up the previous screen so you can change a selection made on that screen.

- The Forward button will bring up the next screen so you can continue though the druid.

The next screen allows you to Select a QIF file to load. The Select... button on this screen is used to access the list of files. The Select... button brings up the Select QIF File dialog.

- The left panel allows you to select the top level directory, mounted device, or "bookmark".

- The Add button allows you to create a "bookmark" in the left panel, for easier access to a file location.

- The Remove button allows you to remove unwanted "bookmarks" from the left panel.

- The upper right bar allows you to easily navigate the selected directory structure.

- The right panel displays the file(s), and directory(ies) available for your selection.

- The pull down list below the file window filter the files displayed based on the extension selected.

- The Import button is used to confirm your selection.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the dialog without using any changes you have made.

Navigate to where you have stored your QIF files and select the first one then click Import. The next screen will display it in the Select a QIF File to Load field.

If the file you are loading does not have an QIF date listed in it you will see the Set a date format for this QIF file screen. Select the proper format from the pull down list and continue.

If the file you are loading does not have an account name listed in it you will see the Set the default QIF account name screen. Otherwise you will skip this screen and go on to the screen in the next section that shows loaded QIF files.

- The Account name: field is used to set an account name for this QIF file.

The next screen shows you the QIF files you have loaded. You can use this screen to return to the previous screen and load more QIF files. It will also let you unload any files you have loaded by mistake.

- The top panel shows the list of QIF Files you have loaded.

- The Load another file button takes you back to the previous screen to load another QIF file.

- The Unload selected file allows you to select a file from the top panel and remove it from the list.

The next screen gives a description of the Accounts and stock holdings matching process on the Match QIF accounts with GnuCash accounts screen. This and other informational screens in the Import QIF files druid can be turned off in the On-line Banking & Importing section of the GnuCash Preferences. Please refer to the GnuCash Preferences section of the help for instructions on this.

The next screen lets you Match QIF accounts with GnuCash accounts. You will see a list of QIF account names on the left and suggested GnuCash account names on the right. The New? column indicates if the GnuCash account name will be created by the QIF Import.

To change the GnuCash account to a different one select the QIF account. A dialog will pop up to select another account or create a new one.

- Select an account from the list to choose a already existing account.

- The New Account button allows you to add a new account name as a sub-account (child of selected) of the selected account.

- The OK button is used to confirm your selection.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the dialog without using any changes you have made.

The next screen gives a description of the Income and Expense categories matching process on the Match QIF categories with GnuCash accounts screen.

The next screen lets you Match QIF categories with GnuCash accounts. You will see a list of QIF category names on the left and suggested GnuCash account names on the right. The New? column indicates if the GnuCash account name will be created by the QIF Import.

To change the GnuCash account to a different one select the QIF category. A dialog will pop up to select another account or create a new one.

- Select an account from the list to choose a already existing account.

- The New Account button allows you to add a new account name as a sub-account (child of selected) of the selected account.

- The OK button is used to confirm your selection.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the dialog without using any changes you have made.

The next screen gives a description of the Payees and memos matching process on the Match payees/memos to GnuCash accounts screen.

The next screen lets you Match payees/memos to GnuCash accounts. You will see a list of QIF payee/memo names on the left and suggested GnuCash account names on the right. The default GnuCash account used is called Unspecified. The New? column indicates if the GnuCash account name will be created by the QIF Import.

To change the GnuCash account to a different one select the QIF payee/memo. A dialog will pop up to select another account or create a new one.

- Select an account from the list to choose a already existing account.

- The New Account button allows you to add a new account name as a sub-account of the selected account.

- The OK button is used to confirm your selection.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the dialog without using any changes you have made.

The next screen allows you to Enter the currency used for new accounts. The drop down list defaults to USD (US Dollar). If you wish the new accounts to use a different currency select one from the list.

The next screen gives a description of the Tradable Commodities process on the screen.

The next screen, Tradable Commodities lets you set the exchange, full name, and symbol of stocks/mutual funds or commodities being imported.

A series of screens, one for each of the stock, mutual fund, or commodity, with display the exchange, full name, and symbol. These screens allow you to set the correct parameters.

The next screen gives a description of the Match duplicate transactions process on the Select possible duplicates screen.

The next screen lets you Select possible duplicate transactions. Imported transactions are shown on the left panel and possible matches to each selected transaction are shown on the right.

- The left panel shows the list of Imported transactions to select from for matching duplicates

- The right panel shows the list of Possible duplicates for the selected imported transaction. Select the one that most closely matches

The last screen, Update your GnuCash accounts, gives you a list of three choices to finish the druid.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the druid and cancel creating a new set of accounts. Any selections you have made in this druid up to this point will be lost.

- The Back button will bring up the previous screen so you can change a selection made on that screen.

- The Apply button imports the data and creates the accounts you have specified.

You should now have successfully imported your accounts.

## Tip of The Day

The Tip of the Day screen starts whenever you start GnuCash unless it has been disabled. It gives tips on features and using GnuCash. You can use the three buttons at the bottom of the screen to look through the tips.

- The Close button is used to dismiss the Tip of the Day dialog

- The Prev button is used to look at the previous tip

- The Next button is used to look at the next tip.

- The Display this dialog next time check-box is used to enable or disable the Tip of the Day from running at GnuCash start-up.

It is also possible to configure the Tip of the Day to run at start-up in Edit -> Preferences -> General. The Tip of the Day can also be manually run by going to Help -> Tip of the Day.