GNOME Bugzilla – Bug 761201
Non-split transactions created by autofill may have hidden Notes that confuse reports
Last modified: 2018-06-29 23:46:51 UTC
When entering a new transaction that autofills, if the copied transaction is a simple (only two splits) transaction that includes Notes (visible only in split view of the transaction), those Notes carry over to the new transaction. The Notes are not visible to the user unless they open the split view. As a result, Notes can frequently get stored invisibly. When running a report that includes those transactions, the text from the Note overrides the Description visible in the register, so the autofilled Note text appears on the report INSTEAD of the Description, making the report confusing. N.B.: This been discussed on the gnucash-user list several times starting about December 2015.
I suspect this might be addressed in several different ways -- 1) Autofills might conceivably scrub Notes from simple split transactions, (though this might not be the most consistent solution from a design perspective). OR 2) For an ordinary two-split transaction being displayed in the register, if a "hidden" note is stored in the transaction, instead of showing the other account in the "Transfer" field of the register, the register could show "-- Split Transaction --" or maybe "-- Noted Transaction --" or some other message to show that one or more of the Note fields for the transaction are filled (not blank). OR 3) Modify all the reports or the report system somehow to prioritize showing the Description over Notes when reporting on an ordinary two-split transaction.
Tommy, the propagation occurs in transactions with multiple splits as well. I think the idea of changing the register display is perhaps the best. Having some kind of visual feedback from GnuCash regarding the existence of hidden data is actually an area of the register that needs to be addressed (for example, issues raised in bug 336843 regarding UI needs for files attached to transactions), and thus might have a broader application. Other possible solutions: 1) The autofill function could automatically change the transaction view to Double-Line Auto-Split (exposing the entire transaction) until the transaction is committed, at which point the user's preferred view mode would be restored. 2) Expanding on your first option, autofill could allow users to configure which fields in a transaction are subject to autofill, with choices managed in settings. 3) Users could opt in settings to turn autofill off.
BTW, the text field attached to splits is called Memo. Notes is an extra text field attached to transactions that's visible in double-line view. The Transaction report only displays the Notes field if it has content and the memo field doesn't. That might be a bug, but in neither case does it override the Description. They're separate columns in the report. GnuCash displays --Split Transaction-- in the basic view's Transfer field when there is more than one "other" account. That's poor wording, --Multiple-- would be clearer, but overloading it for when there is data that can't be displayed in basic view would be confusing if the same term is used and annoying if a different term is used. I think having autofill not completely copy a transaction, whether optional or not, would be a worse bug than this one. Having the display switch layout on autofill would be incredibly annoying. Being able to turn off autofill might be popular. I'm open to flagging transactions that have hidden information, either in hidden fields or an attached file even though it means wedging in yet another column in an already very busy UI.
*** Bug 759362 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
I'm more for flagging the register as well rather than having quick-fill omit some fields. A way to bypass quick-fill itself would be useful as well (and an often asked feature), but that's a separate request.
I agree that omission is not a great solution, but made the suggestion in the interests of exploring solutions. As for the idea that the display change on autofill would be annoying, well, I think that the Auto-Split view option establishes precedent for that concept. Ultimately, it would seem to me that for this problem, some simple indicator that the transaction contains hidden information (a clickable asterisk, say) would suffice. Having some kind of indicator that there's something hiding could also be used for an attached file, for example.
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