Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

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BritinSA
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Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by BritinSA »

I just moved back to MMEX last week.

Today I had to enter a split transaction and was a bit disappointed to have to use a calculator to enter the amounts of the splits.

On Cash Organizer you enter the total amount, then on the split screen you enter the first split. Automatically, the next split field is filled with the remaining balance.

Obviously I can live with using a calculator but it would be so much more helpful if the balance was prepopulated in the next split field.

Cheers.
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by MartinArmstrong »

disappointed to have to use a calculator to enter the amounts of the splits
Could you let us know where you are getting the split amounts from please?

For example, do you have an invoice or a receipt with several items on it? If so, why do you need to calculate the split amounts; can't you simply enter them from the invoice?

Just trying to understand the exact workflow that you are hoping to see in MMEX.
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by BritinSA »

Thanks for your response. Yes, we are talking a supermarket receipt with many items. Example: 100 total amount.

The majority of the items are category wine, but say 1 item is airtime. If I enter the wine 75, I am notified that 25 remains unassigned. I don't need to calculate that I need to enter 25 for airtime.

I used simple numbers with only 2 splits but if there are a few different categories involving cents/pence, it would be much easier to know what the unassigned totals are.

Not sure if I am making myself clear? Anyway I will try to add a screenshot from Cash Organiser showing the UI and flow.

2022-11-09 11_14_34-Cash Organizer Desktop.jpg
2022-11-09 11_14_34-Cash Organizer Desktop.jpg (26.48 KiB) Viewed 5437 times
MartinArmstrong
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by MartinArmstrong »

Thanks for the explanation.

I can see that having the remaining unassigned amount automatically entered on the next split would save you typing in the very last entry of a multi-line receipt, i.e:

- The 2nd line if there are only 2 items

- The 10th line if there 10 items

But to do this, you'd have to enter the total amount of the receipt at the beginning, so it's just as much typing overall, isn't it?

I don't (at the moment) see the benefit - unless I'm still not understanding your workflow.

---

By the way, are you aware that the Amount fields on the Edit Transaction and the Split Transaction dialogs allow you to do simple calculations as shown in the attached screenshot?

After entering the figures, the result is calculated when you press Return, which also activates the next row, so you don't need to click the Add Split button.

Does aggregating all your wine purchases by doing the maths in the field save a bit of effort?
Split calculation.png
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BritinSA
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by BritinSA »

Hi Martin. Thanks for providing further feedback.

I had forgotten that you can do calculations in the amount box. Thanks for the remainder. However, I do have to sum all the splits to arrive at the last split which I think the program could do for me.

I suppose my expectation is that as I enter amounts, the unassigned amount of the total should change (reduce). :idea:

Currently the Split screen shows a Total at the bottom right under Notes, which sums the total and the splits. To be it would more logical to show the total being reduced by the splits.

Overtime, having the program do the simple arithmetic saves a small amount of time (granted), every time. Granted its not huge but boring chores are what computers do best.

Anyway, being able to do calculations in the amount box is at least a way to avoid starting the desktop calculator. :|

Cheers.
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by MartinArmstrong »

All noted, but still I'm trying to understand the workflow:
I suppose my expectation is that as I enter amounts, the unassigned amount of the total should change (reduce)
But doesn't this imply that you'd first have to manually enter the total somewhere so that MMEX can subtract the amount of each split as it is entered?

MMEX's current approach is not to require this prior entry of the total; rather it sums the split amounts and presents you with the total.
I do have to sum all the splits to arrive at the last split
I'm still not understanding this. Doesn't your receipt tell you how much the last item is? And you simply enter that figure?

...

Or (the penny drops!) are you saying that your last 'item' to be entered into MMEX actually comprises several separate items on your receipt?
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by BritinSA »

I have realised that MMex can only sum the splits, which is basic if functional. I posted this in the requests section because I think there is an improved workflow possible (unless I am missing something).

You say "doesn't this imply that you'd first have to manually enter the total" and indeed that is what I do on the first page. I then click the + icon to enter the splits.

In Cash Organizer the flow is to enter the total of the expense (100) on the first page then click the split tab. On the split tab screen, I click add split. Spit 1 opens and I enter the details of the first item, 15.

At the bottom I am told Unassigned is 75 and split total is 15. I click add split to add another. I add 33.70.

At the bottom I am told Unassigned is 51.30 and split total is 48.70

My last item must be 48.70 so I add it.

In MMEx the process feels less intuitive and the last entry has to be calculated by entering the total minus the sum of the splits.

As I say, obviously the user can do that but why not have the program do it?

In writing this post I had to recreate the steps in both programs. I noticed that MMex is quite fussy about what constitutes entering an item in Splits. I often use TAB to move to next fields but if I do that on the Split screen, the last item is lost.

Some adjustment required from me it seems. :o
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by Renato »

I would be interested to know why you switched to MMEX if Cash Organizer is so much better.
I looked at Cash Organizer and found that I would have trouble using it to meet my needs.
Oh well, every program has its features (good and not so good).
I think that the existing solution of split bookings is not so bad, certainly the process could be refined a bit more, but there are certainly other more urgent problems to solve.
Our developers put a lot of effort and sacrifice a lot of time to improve the freeware MMEX.
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MartinArmstrong
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by MartinArmstrong »

BritinSA wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 2:58 pm I noticed that MMex is quite fussy about what constitutes entering an item in Splits. I often use TAB to move to next fields but if I do that on the Split screen, the last item is lost.
That is (was) a bug.

There are a few bugs relating to splits in 1.6.0. These are now fixed and will be included, along with some other enhancements, in 1.6.1:

https://github.com/moneymanagerex/money ... ssues/5273
https://github.com/moneymanagerex/money ... ssues/5251
https://github.com/moneymanagerex/money ... ssues/5276
https://github.com/moneymanagerex/money ... ssues/5320
https://github.com/moneymanagerex/money ... ssues/5250
https://github.com/moneymanagerex/money ... ssues/5292
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Re: Split transaction: auto populate balance after each split

Post by MartinArmstrong »

BritinSA wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 2:58 pm In MMEx the process feels less intuitive and the last entry has to be calculated by entering the total minus the sum of the splits.
But in the Cash Organizer workflow, the total amount has to be entered first. MMEX does not require the user to do that.

I believe that most people will create split transactions simply by entering the amounts for a few different items from an invoice or a receipt. Most people won't have to make any manual calculations at all because they simply copy the values from the receipt. Normally people won't need to add up multiple values from a receipt to create each split in the way you have described.

But even if they do, the approach that MMEX takes in calculating the total is arguably less prone to error than the Cash Organizer workflow. I'll explain...

According to your description, in Cash Organiser, you enter the total amount, then enter the individual item amounts (the splits) until you get to the last item, which you say you just accept as it must be equal to whatever amount is left. But if you were to make an error in calculating and entering any of the previous item values, then the last item amount (which you say you don't calculate) would be wrong. And you'd never know!

However, because MMEX calculates the total based on the splits that you enter, it's easy to see if you have made an error, because if you have, then the total that MMEX displays would not equal the total on your receipt. It would be obvious that you'd made a mistake and you'd know to recheck your entries.

This protection from errors seems a good reason to retain the MMEX approach.
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