Chris,

Here are my impressions and questions, perhaps I’m not understanding what you 
were trying to show with the screenshot. (does this contain illustrations of 
multiple presentation possibilities all-in-one or is this intended as how the 
report will look by default?)

The asset summary at the top seems confusing and isn’t labeled. If I don’t know 
who or what this entity is or how their books are arranged, how do I know what 
these figures represent?

Each section seems to be missing the standard headings. (Current/Non, 
Short/Long Term, Fixed/Intangible etc.) I know other discussions have touched 
on the duplication in some reports in the menus, but maybe this is how it’s 
addressed - have a basic report that has multiple entries based on the report 
type desired for a particular entity. (or determined by book/app preferences, 
say report defaults for a particular jurisdiction) So there might be a Personal 
Balance Sheet, Small Business Balance Sheet, Public Entity / Non-Profit 
Statement of Financial Position, etc. Each would have the appropriate major 
sections in the report with the standard headings expected for each. The 
account structure *might* mimic this but it shouldn’t have to. The report 
options should ask the user to select the accounts to include for each section. 
(rather than just one account list for the entire report) So you would select 
the accounts to include in Current Assets, the accounts to include in Fixed 
Assets, the accounts to include in Short Term Liabilities, etc. Perhaps this 
can be somewhat determined or guessed by default, but that might be lots of 
work. The same would be needed for Income/P&L.

I find totals/subtotals above the child amounts to be odd. Perhaps less 
emphasis on the parent label, with maybe a colon indicator (like on the 
wikipedia entry) would be cleaner with a bold subtotal/total line will make the 
important numbers stand out more. (that is, not showing the amount on the 
initial label line at all)

Also, usually single lines are to delineate figures from subtotals and double 
lines to indicate totals from subtotals. (again like the wikipedia sample)

I don’t think the figures need to be indented as well, just marked off with 
single/double lines and appropriate line-spacing. For account indentions, does 
the report indent contra-accounts? Most statements I’ve seen that have them do 
so.

I understand and like that I have the option for levels deeper than 1 or 2, but 
usually such official statements are intended as an overview, not for detailed 
analysis. They should be very easy to read and decipher without extraneous info 
or styling. And ideally, you should accomplish this with plain-text monospaced. 
Perhaps work it back to that point and then embellish if needed.

A few minor points:
-------------------

Is there is a reason why the child totals are also links? It lends a sense of 
clutter.

I noticed in the Equities & Liabilities section that some figures have no 
currency symbol. While I might be able to figure out what they are by studying 
the document, that info should be more readily discern-able at a glance. I’m 
puzzled by that section though. Usually it’s one or the other (separated or 
consolidated) but not both. Also, the total for Assets and the total for 
Liabilities & Equity should be on the same horizontal line when in 2-column 
mode.

I see too that some child amounts show in two currencies but not others. (looks 
like just the GBP accounts) Is this intended or just an illustration (or an 
omission)?

Regards,
Adrien

> On Jul 27, 2018, at 8:01 AM, Christopher Lam <christopher....@gmail.com> 
> wrote:
> 
> Latest iteration of balsheet
> 
> * restored amount-indenting. IMHO this is now producing sane indenting
>   for any subtotal strategy
> * restore dual columns (i.e. left=asset/income, right=liability/expense)
> * the above two only enabled when multicols are disabled
> * option to toggle amount/account indenting
> * incorporated bug 623381 recommendations for sections labels/totals
> * added sections for equity, liability+equity
> * modify 'original-currency' display to match eguile report i.e.
>   smaller font, precedes converted currency
> 
> I would really like feedback on
> 
> * accuracy of amounts
> * accuracy of sections
>     o further tweaking of option names/sections/ordering
> 
> Screenshot:
> https://screenshots.firefox.com/nhaiX1ehSA2GXA97/null
> 
> On 25/07/18 15:53, Frank H. Ellenberger wrote:
>> Am 19.07.2018 um 13:09 schrieb Christopher Lam:
>>> Hi Frank
>>> Thank you - I can restore the dual-columns when the periods have been
>>> disabled.
>>> I'd prefer to limit the number of options; so, if the "period duration" is
>>> disabled, the report will automatically show dual columns
>> while intl. IFRS and DE-GOB/HGB reqire one, US-GAAP requires 3 previous
>> years in the Income statement.
>> https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gewinn-_und_Verlustrechnung#Vorjahresbetr%C3%A4ge
>> 
>>> (Asset/Income=left, Liability+Equity/Expense = right). This works?
>>> Can you please show me good examples of idealised T-account balance
>>> sheet/income statement? Or the scaled form? I have no idea.
>> To get an impression you could starting from:
>> 
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_sheet - which has
>> #US_small_business in account form and #Sample in scaled form -
>> or
>> 
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_statement and an example in account
>> form: https://debitoor.de/lexikon/gewinn-und-verlustrechnung-guv
>> 
>> Note: There are several different methods for grouping the positions
>> with differrent pros and cons allowed for different company types:
>> Gesamtkostenverfahren, Umsatzkostenverfahren & IFRS. Currently I have no
>> better idea for the grouping than adjusting the account structure.
>> 
>> Optionally select other languages e.g.
>> https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilanz#Aufbau_der_Bilanz
>> 
>> HTH
>> Frank
>> 
>> 
> 
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