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See also: [[Online Quotes]]
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[[Category:Investment Management]]
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== Overview ==
 
== Overview ==
  
For more information, see Chapter 9 of the GnuCash [http://www.gnucash.org/viewdoc.phtml?doc=guide Tutorial and Concepts Guide].
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GnuCash can track holdings of various types of investments, including stocks and mutual funds. This page describes how to add such investments to your portfolio, with detailed instruction on the settings to use.
  
GnuCash allows you to track your holdings in various types of investments, such as stocks and mutual funds. This page describes how to add stocks or mutual funds to your portfolio, with detailed instruction on the settings to use.
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Stocks and mutual funds are types of commodities, and in GnuCash, accounts for these investments are set up slightly differently from checking or savings accounts. Most prominently, a stock account is denominated in ''shares of stock'', rather than in a currency. In order to track your holdings, you need to provide details of that commodity to GnuCash.
  
Stocks and mutual funds are types of commodities, and in GnuCash, an account for these investments is set up slightly differently from a checking or savings account. Most prominently, a stock account is denominated in ''shares of stock'', rather than in a currency. In order to track your holdings, you need to provide details of that commodity to GnuCash.
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Adding a commodity to your books is a two-step process: first, you must create an entry for the commodity in the Securities list in your books. Then, you add a commodity account in your Chart of Accounts to track your particular holdings.  
  
== Adding the Security to GnuCash ==
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;For more information, see:
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:[{{URL:docs:guide}}/chapter_invest.html Investments] in the ''Tutorial & Concepts Guide'' and
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:[{{URL:docs:manual}}/acct-create.html Creating a New Account] in the ''Manual''.
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;See also: [[Online Quotes]]
  
We will take the stock Amazon (AMZN) as an example.
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== Adding a Security to GnuCash ==
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In the first step, you provide GnuCash with general information about the commodity to allow internal tracking of that commodity.
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Take the stock Amazon (AMZN) as an example. Amazon is traded on the NASDAQ.
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;To add Amazon as a security:
  
 
* Go to Tools->Security Editor
 
* Go to Tools->Security Editor
* Click "Add"
 
* Put "Amazon" into the "Full Name" field
 
* Put "AMZN" into the "Symbol/Abbreviation" and "Display symbol" fields - for other stocks: the symbol depends on the source of your online quotes.
 
* Take "NASDAQ" as the type
 
* Optionally, if you like to get online prices, complete the following fields:-
 
** Check "Get Online Quotes"
 
** Select a preference for "Type of quote source" (Single|Multiple|Unknown)
 
** Choose the preferred [[#Online_Quotes|Finance Quote]] source (e.g., "Yahoo as JSON") from the dropdown list
 
  
Once saved, this security can now be used to create an account to track your holdings.
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[[File:SecurityEditor.png]]
See this screenshot:-<br>
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[[File:Gnc jb1 Add Security.jpg|Adding a security]]
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* In the Securities dialog, click '''Add'''
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:[[File:SecurityAdd.png]]
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* In the New Security dialog, enter:
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** "Amazon.com, Inc." in ''Full Name''
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** "AMZN" in ''Symbol/abbreviation''
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** "NASDAQ" in ''Type''
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::[[File:NewSecurity.png]]
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At this point, GnuCash has enough information to add the security, and you can click '''OK''' to add it. Once saved, this security can be used to create an account to track your holdings.
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 +
;If you want to retrieve online prices, additionally fill in the following fields:
 +
 
 +
* Check "Get Online Quotes"
 +
* Select a preference for "Type of quote source" (Single|Multiple|Unknown)
 +
* Choose the preferred [[#Online_Quotes|Finance Quote]] source (e.g., "Yahoo as JSON") from the dropdown list
 +
 
 +
:[[File:OnlineQuote.png]]
 +
 
 +
To retrieve online quotes, open the Price Editor (Tools->Price editor) and click '''Get quotes'''. See [[Online Quotes]] for more information.
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== Adding an Account for the Security ==
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 +
With the security added to the Securities list, you can create a new account to track your holdings. An account for a commodity is similar to other accounts in a GnuCash book, but has settings that identify the commodity in which the account is denominated.
 +
 
 +
To add an account for a security, go to the Chart of Accounts window and click '''New'''.
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* In the New Account dialog, enter:
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** ''Account name'' - this can be anything you choose
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** ''Parent Account'' - this is commonly an Asset account for the brokerage account
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** ''Account Type'' - select "Stock"
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 +
: [[File:NewAccount.png]]
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** ''Security/Currency'' - Click '''Select''' to open the dialog
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*** In the dialog, choose "NASDAQ" as type and "(AMZN) Amazon" as security
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::: [[File:SelectSecurity.png]]
  
== Adding the Account for the Security ==
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** Click '''OK'''
  
To create the new account to track your holdings, go to the Chart of Accounts window.
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* Click '''OK'''
  
* Click New Account
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== Other Accounts for Stocks ==
* Put "Amazon.com, Inc." (or whatever description you wish) into the "Account name" field
 
* Choose "Stock" as type
 
* Click on the "Select" button for the "Security/Currency" field
 
* Choose "NASDAQ" as type and "(AMZN) Amazon" as security
 
* Set Parent Account to an account in the Assets branch of your chart
 
* Click "Ok"
 
  
See this screenshot:-<br>
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While GnuCash only requires a commodity definition and a commodity account to track investment holdings, most users will find that additional accounts are needed to track commodities.  
[[File:Gnc jb2 Link Account to Security.jpg|Linking new Account to a security]]
 
  
Optionally, you can add related income and expense accounts to track dividends and expenses associated with this stock.
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Typically, accounts for commodity income and expense are useful for full accounting.  
  
If you chose to get online quotes you can receive online quotes by opening the Price Editor (Tools->Price editor) and clicking on "get quotes". See [[Online Quotes]] for more information.
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For more information, see [{{URL:docs}}C/gnucash-guide/chapter_invest.html Investments] in the ''Tutorial & Concepts Guide''
  
 
==Stocks noted in foreign currency==
 
==Stocks noted in foreign currency==
  
If you start your first (buy) transaction from your stock account, the currency of the parent account will be used. Assuming your default currency is USD and you wish to buy stocks in EUR, then you should first create a normal asset account of currency EUR and below this your stock accounts.
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If you start your first (buy) transaction from your stock account, the currency of the parent account will be used. Assuming your default currency is USD and you wish to buy stocks in EUR, then you should first create a normal asset account of currency EUR and use the EUR account as the parent account for all commodities that should be valued in EUR.
  
Alternatively you could start your first transaction from you EUR cash or bank account, but with the first approach everything is much clearer - also later if you forgot the nominal currency.
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Alternatively you could start your first transaction from an EUR cash or bank account, but with the first approach everything is much clearer - also later if you forgot the nominal currency.

Latest revision as of 18:23, 6 April 2023


Overview

GnuCash can track holdings of various types of investments, including stocks and mutual funds. This page describes how to add such investments to your portfolio, with detailed instruction on the settings to use.

Stocks and mutual funds are types of commodities, and in GnuCash, accounts for these investments are set up slightly differently from checking or savings accounts. Most prominently, a stock account is denominated in shares of stock, rather than in a currency. In order to track your holdings, you need to provide details of that commodity to GnuCash.

Adding a commodity to your books is a two-step process: first, you must create an entry for the commodity in the Securities list in your books. Then, you add a commodity account in your Chart of Accounts to track your particular holdings.

For more information, see
Investments in the Tutorial & Concepts Guide and
Creating a New Account in the Manual.
See also
Online Quotes

Adding a Security to GnuCash

In the first step, you provide GnuCash with general information about the commodity to allow internal tracking of that commodity.

Take the stock Amazon (AMZN) as an example. Amazon is traded on the NASDAQ.

To add Amazon as a security
  • Go to Tools->Security Editor

SecurityEditor.png

  • In the Securities dialog, click Add
SecurityAdd.png
  • In the New Security dialog, enter:
    • "Amazon.com, Inc." in Full Name
    • "AMZN" in Symbol/abbreviation
    • "NASDAQ" in Type
NewSecurity.png

At this point, GnuCash has enough information to add the security, and you can click OK to add it. Once saved, this security can be used to create an account to track your holdings.

If you want to retrieve online prices, additionally fill in the following fields
  • Check "Get Online Quotes"
  • Select a preference for "Type of quote source" (Single|Multiple|Unknown)
  • Choose the preferred Finance Quote source (e.g., "Yahoo as JSON") from the dropdown list
OnlineQuote.png

To retrieve online quotes, open the Price Editor (Tools->Price editor) and click Get quotes. See Online Quotes for more information.

Adding an Account for the Security

With the security added to the Securities list, you can create a new account to track your holdings. An account for a commodity is similar to other accounts in a GnuCash book, but has settings that identify the commodity in which the account is denominated.

To add an account for a security, go to the Chart of Accounts window and click New.

  • In the New Account dialog, enter:
    • Account name - this can be anything you choose
    • Parent Account - this is commonly an Asset account for the brokerage account
    • Account Type - select "Stock"
NewAccount.png
    • Security/Currency - Click Select to open the dialog
      • In the dialog, choose "NASDAQ" as type and "(AMZN) Amazon" as security
SelectSecurity.png
    • Click OK
  • Click OK

Other Accounts for Stocks

While GnuCash only requires a commodity definition and a commodity account to track investment holdings, most users will find that additional accounts are needed to track commodities.

Typically, accounts for commodity income and expense are useful for full accounting.

For more information, see Investments in the Tutorial & Concepts Guide

Stocks noted in foreign currency

If you start your first (buy) transaction from your stock account, the currency of the parent account will be used. Assuming your default currency is USD and you wish to buy stocks in EUR, then you should first create a normal asset account of currency EUR and use the EUR account as the parent account for all commodities that should be valued in EUR.

Alternatively you could start your first transaction from an EUR cash or bank account, but with the first approach everything is much clearer - also later if you forgot the nominal currency.