Kalpesh, The examples provided did not necessarily need multi-split, but the discussion lead me to believe that multi-split was going to be necessary. If one want to handle P&I with a mortgage payment, and possibly other splits, then multi-split is an excellent tool. For the simple transactions presented, multi-split is not necessary.
With that out of the way, I often use multi-split with a debit and credit column. Then the CSV import is much like importing an actual general journal. The debit column is "Amount" during the import, and the credit column is "Amount(negated)." Now I have a standard journal on a spreadsheet, and it's easy to just import right into GnuCash. Also, THANK YOU TO SHERLOCK for fixing the export, the register export also has the debits before credits, so data can flow both directions without much issue. > On 09/15/2026 3:18 PM PDT Kalpesh Patel <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Multi-split IMHO is being substituted incorrectly which causes confusion. I > think references should be a transaction that has more than two legs -- like > a stool -- is a bit more proper. > > Nonetheless below example still stands correct. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Adrien Monteleone <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 1:37 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [GNC] example for multi-split CSV import > > I don't see this as a 'mult-split' transaction. It looks like a bunch of > independent transactions (most of them simple between 2 accounts, but I > suppose they could be more complicated in the real world) taking place on a > repeating schedule. > > You can certainly import them in advance all at once, but that doesn't make > them 'multi-split'. > > A multi-split transaction is a *single event* that involves more than two > accounts. (either multiple debits, multiple credits, or both) > > A payroll check would be a good example of this. As the receiver of the > check, you have one credit to Salary, and multiple debits to various expense > and/or asset accounts for deductions, e.g., > > Dr. Expenses:Income Taxes > Dr. Expenses:Social Security > Dr. Expenses:Health Insurance > Dr. Assets:Retirement Plan > Dr. Assets:Bank > Cr. Income:Salary > > One transaction, more than 2 splits = multi-split > > Now, a simple payment of an electric bill would be a simple transaction: > > Dr. Expenses:Utilities > Cr. Assets:Bank > > One transaction, only 2 splits, one debit & credit each = not multi-split > > > ----- > The Help Manual & the Tutorial & Concepts Guide, documents the elements you > need in the CSV. The order is not critical as you are going to use the > matcher to define the columns anyway. > > For a batch of simple transactions, you select one account (say perhaps > Assets:Checking) and then for each line in the file, you'll be matching them > to some other specific account. (perhaps expense accounts) > > How you indicate the Amount determines if it is a debit or credit. > > If you indeed import a multi-split transaction, instead of picking one > counter-account, you do so for each line, with either unique info (like > Description) being in the first line, or duplicated for each associated split > line. > > Once again, the Help documents cover this. > > Though honestly, the best way to learn it, is to use it. You can bail out on > the import process at any time. Even once you complete the import, you can > still simply delete the new transactions if they aren't correct and you want > to play with your CSV more. (alternately, just make a backup before importing > and restore it to roll back and try again.) > > Importing NEW transactions is relatively straightforward and simple. > Importing with the possibility of duplicating existing transactions (to clear > or update info) is a bit more involved and usually requires more steps. > > Regards, > Adrien > > On 9/14/26 4:44 PM, Luc Maisonobe wrote: > > Hi all > > > > During a discussion on a Gnucash feature request on bugzilla, the > > discussion shifted to multi-split CSV import. In order to help me > > understand, I asked for more explanations and more importantly for an > > example of use. > > > > So for the benefit of all users, here is a made-up case, where I > > assume the transactions below have somehow been computed beforehand by > > an external tool (spreadsheet, Python script, whatever) and I want to > > import these transactions. > > > > Let's say I have this hierarchy of accounts: > > > > - Income > > - Salary > > - Work 1 > > - Work 2 > > - Retirement > > - Assets > > - Cars > > - Car 1 > > - Buy > > - Amortization > > - Resell > > - Car 2 > > - Buy > > - Amortization > > - Resell > > - Expenses > > - Utilities > > - Electric > > - Liabilities > > - House > > > > Then say that I want to import these transactions (all these numbers > > are fake, of course), using ISO8601 date format: > > > > - 100€ of income each month from 2026-09-01 to 2028-12-31 from Work 1 > > - 10€ of income once a year from 2026-06-01 to 2030-12-31 from Work 2 > > - single 2000€ regularization income on 2029-01-01 when leaving Work 1 > > - 50€ of income each month from 2029-01-01 for as long as possible > > from Retirement > > - Consider Car 1 amortization is finished (I left it only to have two > > accounts with the same name) > > - Resell Car 1 for 250€ on 2027-10-15 > > - Car 2 amortization reduces linearly each month from 540€ to 0€ over > > 5 years starting 2025-01-01 (i.e. 540€, 525€, 510€… 45€, 30€, 15€, 0€) > > - Electric bill 30€ each month > > - House loan 80€ each month for the next 6 years > > > > > > The question is: how do I use multi-split CSV import to import these > > transactions, or in other words how do I set up my external tool so it > > creates a CSV file that gnucash could import? > > > > _______________________________________________ > gnucash-user mailing list > [email protected] > To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: > https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user > ----- > Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. > You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All. _______________________________________________ gnucash-user mailing list [email protected] To update your subscription preferences or to unsubscribe: https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user ----- Please remember to CC this list on all your replies. 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