2. Getting Started
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## 2. Getting Started

### 2.1. Running GnuCash for the first time

The very first time you run GnuCash you will be presented with the Welcome to GnuCash! menu with three choices. The following table describes the contents of the menu.

Table 1.

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 quickly up and running.

- The Cancel button is used to exit the dialog. It will then prompt you to uncheck the checkbox if you do not want to see the Welcome to GnuCash! menu again. The default is to have the Welcome to GnuCash! menu run again.

- The OK button is used to confirm your selection.

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.

#### 2.1.1. 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 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 Select... button on this screen is used to access the list of currencies. The Select... button brings up the Select currency/security dialog.

- The Type: drop down list defaults to CURRENCY. Other types are used for setting up commodities for stock related accounts.

- The Currency/security: 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 OK button is used to confirm your selection.

- The New... button brings up the New Currency/Security dialog. This is used for setting up commodities for stock related accounts.

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

The next screen is used to choose a hierarchy of accounts to create. You will see a screen divided into three parts.

- The top part has a list of Account Types and Descriptions for commonly used hierarchies of accounts. Select from this list the types of accounts you wish to use. You can select as many types of accounts as you wish.

- The left bottom part has a Detailed Description of the account type you selected.

- The right bottom part has a list of the Accounts that will be created from the selected account type.

- The Select All button allows you to include all of the account types from the top part.

- The Clear All button allows you to deselect all of the account types from the top part.

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.

- The left side of the screen has a list of Account Names. Select each account to enter a opening balance or to make it a placeholder account.

- The right side of the screen has a checkbox to make an account a Placeholder and a box to add the Opening Balance for the selected account.

The last screen 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 Finish button creates the accounts you have selected.

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

#### 2.1.2. 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. 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 Create Dir button allows you to make a directory to store the GnuCash files.

- The Delete File button allows you to remove unwanted files.

- The Rename File button allows you to rename GnuCash files.

- The drop down list allows you to navigate the directory structure.

- The left panel allows you to navigate up and down by directory

- The right panel allows you to select the file you want

- 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.

Navigate to where you have stored your QIF files and select the first one then click OK. You will now see it listed in the QIF Filename: field.

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 Online 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 (child of selected) ... 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 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 (child of selected) ... 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 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 (child of selected) ... 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 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 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 Finish button creates the accounts you have selected.

You should now have successfully imported your accounts.

#### 2.1.3. 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.

### 2.2. Tip of The Day

The Tip of the Day screen starts whenever you start GnuCash. 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 checkbox is used to enable or disable the Tip of the Day from running at GnuCash startup.

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

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