Gary:
Actually, the memo is never replicated in recurring transactions.
Before I get a flood of emails requesting this feature, let me explain
why it is the way it is.
1. Imagine you write something like "January rent" in the memo field.
Replicating that would do you no favors, since you would have to change
the memo of every posted recurrence. Better to just type whatever you
want, or just leave it blank.
2. The same is true when other circumstances besides the date change.
It just seems like if you wanted to replicate the memo, it would just
get in the way. And if you were able to replicate the memo, you would
always be able to anticipate what it says, so there really would be no
point in replicating it.
Rob Meredith
gwunder@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 08/14/06 01:36PM >>>
Okay, re bug 1, does this mean the memo is taken from the first and not
the
last recurring transaction? If so, is there an easy way to find that
first
one so that we don't have to enter the memo each month?
Thanks sir.
Gary
----- Original Message -----
From: "ROB MEREDITH" <rmeredith@xxxxxxx>
To: <moneytalks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 14, 2006 12:30 PM
Subject: [moneytalks] Re: Two bugs located in the recurringtransactions
part
of program
Steve:
Your bug number 1 is actually a problem with the manual, not the
program. We'll fix the manual.
As for your bug number 2, we need to einvestigate a possible
solution.
A solution, while perhaps correct, goes against the current design
philosophy, so it won't be an easy fix.
Rob Meredith
steveziel@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 08/12/06 03:07PM >>>
Hello MT staff and others,
I hope I'm not too late to get this fixed in the next release of MT.
I believe I've located two bugs in the recurring transactions part
of
the program. I've used the project recurring transactions to test
this.
I didn't let the program automatically post as the computer's clock
normally advances. I did use the "Post Next Occurrance" and
"Project
Recurring" options in the Transaction menu to test this.
Bug number 1, dealing with how recurring transactions work with the
memo field:
The manual states at one place:
Status of Recurring Transactions
When Money Talks adds a recurring transaction to your register, it
uses
the information
from the last transaction in the Payee/Payer, Amount, Item, Memo,
and
Category fields.
Usually, this is what you want, but there may be some recurring
transactions with
amounts that differ from time to time. . . .
Problem:
The contents of the memo field of the original transaction, is, in
fact, not carried over. Recurring transaction memo fields are
blank.
To test this:
Pick a transaction which has a memofield filled in, and make it
recurring. Project that item into the future. The memo field will
be
left blank.
Bug number 2, dealing with inaccurate posting dates for recurring
transactions with frequencies of less than seven days, (a week):
To test this, I created a transaction on Saturday, August 12, then
made
it recurring as follows.
Step 1. I chose Every X Days option under the Frequency combo box
under
the Recurring sub-menu
Step 2: I tabbed to the Number of Days edit box and entered the
digit
3.
Step 3: Tabbing to Weekend Action radio button I chose Previous
Weekday.
Step 4: Under Advanced Days to Post, I left it at zero.
Step 5: I hit enter to accept the OK button.
Problem:
The program inaccurately posts the recurring transactions, putting
them
on incorrect days and over time creating erronious results. I think
it
is tied into the use of Weekend Action, but not in the way you might
at
first think. I don't think this problem occurs if you set Weekend
Action to "Always Post".
Here's a description of what the results are and what I think they
should be.
Original transaction date, Saturday, August 12.
First occurrance: Tuesday, August 15, (3 days later, correct.)
Second occurrance: Friday, August 18. Correct.
Third occurrance: Monday, August 21. Correct.
Fourth occurrance: Thursday, August 24. Correct.
Fifth occurrance: Friday, August 25. Correct. The actual posting
date
should have been Sunday August 27, but because Weekend Action is set
to
Previous Weekend, it got posted on Friday, the 25th.
Here's where the problems begin:
The nnext occurrance should be Wednesday, August 30, because the
30th
is three days after the 27th.
However, the program places the recurring transaction on Monday,
August
28, three days after its Friday, August 25 posting. It is using
its
actual posting date based on the Weekend Action setting, rather than
what it should be based on, truely three day multiple projections
from
August 12.
The next actual projection should be Saturday, September 2, and
should
be placed in the program on Friday, September 1.
However the program places the transaction on Thursday, August 31,
three days after its last entry.
The next actual recurring transaction should be Tuesday, September
5,
three days after September 2.
However the program thinks it should be on Sunday September 3, three
days after August 31. Because September 3 is a Sunday, it enters it
on
Friday, September 1.
The next actual occurrance should be Friday, September 8, three days
after the 5th.
However the program places it on Monday, September 4, three days
after
Friday, September 1.
You can see how over time, the recurring transactions will not
reflect
the real number of transactions that should be there, and hence the
actual amounts of the projections will be inaccurate. To be
accurate,
At times the actual transactions, because of the Weekend posting
settings, should occur twice on a given Friday, (or Monday if you
set
weekend action to the follwoing week day). As it is, the program
simply
is placing a transaction three days after its last recurring
posting,
regardless of the fact that this posting isn't a true multiple of
three.
Over time, the discrepancy willl be larger and larger, and the money
values more and more inaccurate. This inaccuracy may become more
profound if you use different values for frequency from 1 to 6 days.
I believe MT should actually post in correct multiples of "number of
days" from the starting date of the recurring transaction entry. In
my
example above, it should post in correct multiples of three.
If you concur, I hope I'm not to late to get this probelm resolved.
Steve
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