Seconding this, the GnuCash manual is fantastic. The principles of double entry accounting are very simple but if you're not used to thinking in those terms it can sometimes be a little confusing how to fit real life scenarios into that framework. The GNC manual has a lot of helpful explanations and examples.

> I do my budget in double-entry.

I have a short term budget in GNUCash in the form future dated scheduled transactions, but for more strategic stuff I have an annual budget spreadsheet, which among other things, models income taxes. Increase 401k contributions, and the sheet says I owe less tax. The GNUCash budget tooling is... less useful.

I agree that the GnuCash budget tooling is not useful.

I created separate "Budget" accounts (for every budget category) that are Liability accounts, and I also created a "Budgeted Money" Expense accounts.

Updating the budget for the month is done by debiting Budgeted Money and crediting the account for the particular budget I want.

Then when doing a transaction, on top of the debits and credits that would be there, I debit the budget account and credit the Budgeted Money account.

This lets me use the reports (with a little tweaking to get just budget stuff), as well as to split one transaction up into multiple budget expenditures if necessary, like for certain Amazon orders.

This is not for everyone, probably yourself included, but it does work for me.

> This is not for everyone, probably yourself included, but it does work for me.

Sounds a bit like accrual based accounting, which indeed is not for me ^_^

I appreciate the call-out.

I agree w/ you re: the benefits for personal finance, too.

For everybody else: If your work at all touches accounting of finance learn basic bookkeeping. It'll pay tremendous dividends.