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Confusing CC balances

Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2014 3:07 pm
by AMUser
I want to setup CC tracking, but the home page is showing strange balances. Example:

CC "A" has a limit of $7k USD and a current balance of $5,938.50

I create a CC account with negative 7,000.00 as the balance limit, and positive 5,938.50 as the starting balance.

When switching to Home view, the balance is stated as $5,938.50, but the Available Balance is set to $12,938.50, and I believe it should say $1,061.50 (the remaining credit limit).

I have searched extensively for the solution, and have come up empty. All advice says to make the limit a negative number, and if that's done and you make starting balance zero, the home page looks correct. If I add $1 to the starting balance, home view will say $7,001.00 as Available Balance. Again, I want to see $6,999.00, reflecting my credit limit minus current balance. I'm brand new to accounting software, so what's intuitive to me isn't probably the case here, so someone educate me? Thanks very much in advance!

Re: Confusing CC balances

Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2014 6:16 am
by RLebeau
AMUser wrote:CC "A" has a limit of $7k USD and a current balance of $5,938.50

I create a CC account with negative 7,000.00 as the balance limit, and positive 5,938.50 as the starting balance.
You owe 5,938.50 so that needs to be a negative, not a positive. Purchases are withdrawals, payments are deposits.
AMUser wrote:All advice says to make the limit a negative number
That part is correct. It is a backwards quirk of the software. A negative credit limit plus a negative balance owed shows the correct positive available balance. Go figure, but it works.
AMUser wrote: If I add $1 to the starting balance, home view will say $7,001.00 as Available Balance. Again, I want to see $6,999.00, reflecting my credit limit minus current balance.
Credit balance is money owed, so it needs to be subtracted, not added.