Auto-adjusting budget values to previous month's balance

[GoogleCodeExporter]

This isn't an issue, simply a desired feature.  Currently, when you create a 
new page from a previous month, you have the option of either importing the 
balance as negative expenses or import it as an income value.  What would be 
very helpful for me is to be able to import the overall balance as an income 
value and then to auto-adjust each of the budget categories to their individual 
balances from the previous month.  This will really help me in maintaining a 
Zero Balance Budget where every dollar always has a category applied to it.  It 
will also help when saving up for something because the leftovers each month 
can be rolled over.  Thanks so much for considering!

Cheers!

Original issue reported on code.google.com by cybernet...@gmail.com on 11 Jan 2013 at 6:28

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Sorry, should have labeled this as an Enhancement.

Original comment by cybernet...@gmail.com on 11 Jan 2013 at 6:29

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Hi. Thank you for this suggestion. I think it's a great enhancement idea. 

I have one question, however. If I adjust categories based on the balance from 
previous month, and add that balance to the income for the next month, then if 
I don't have same amount of balance the next-next month (less likely since I 
now have large expense), I will have negative balance. 

Instead, would it make more sense if I add a feature which will auto-adjust 
categories (subtract by balance), and add all balance to an income deduction 
(probably named something like "saving") instead of adding as income? 

Original comment by soichih on 14 Jan 2013 at 1:45

[GoogleCodeExporter]

Thanks for getting back with me on this enhancement.  I actually have two 
variations to suggest on what I originally said based on different income types.

First I'll describe the Zero Balance Budget.  The idea is to give a category to 
every dollar once it comes in.  In your budget you assign everything so that 
you have “X” amount to spend in every category every month.  There might be 
a Misc. category but everything zeros out in the budget.  
Income = expected (budgeted) expenditures.

Here are the two "monthly turn-over" features I suggest.

Case 1:  This is more effective for people with varied incomes.  They set up 
their budget in month 1.  In month 2, the budget categories are made equal to 
the balances of month 1.  Then the over-all balance from month 1 is added to 
month 2 as an income value "Balance from Previous Month" or, if possible, using 
the actual name of the month.  This way, the person can add and distribute 
money to their budget as they receive income.

Case 2:  This is for people with more regular incomes and works on the same 
principle of Case 1.  This requires what I’m calling a “template budget.” 
 The template budget is an initial set-up budget where you can enter in income 
values and a monthly budget from that income.  Case 1 simply alters the budget 
categories to match the previous month’s balances.  Case 2 is exactly the 
same as Case 1 with the addition that the template budget is added to the 
budget categories and the income from the template budget is added to the 
month’s income.  Once the new page for the month is created there is no more 
linkage between it and the template so it can be modified/adjusted as needed.

Additional Income Feature:
I believe that, currently, the new month simply copies over the income values 
from the previous month.  Instead, all income values should be totally cleared 
each month.  That way, when the “Balance from Previous Month” or the 
template income is added there is no conflict with past entries.  In the case 
of varied income, they will want to input that themselves anyway.

Possible Advanced Feature:
A further extension of this idea is to create templates which could be added at 
the user’s discretion, rather than just at the monthly turn-over.  In the 
case of someone who is paid a set amount bi-weekly, they could have a template 
for the pay they receive and the budget associated with that pay.  When they 
receive pay they could push a button (an “Add Template to Current Month” 
button?) to add that template to their current budget, similar to the way Case 
2 works.

I'm sorry that I wrote some much.  It was all in an attempt to be clear.  
Please feel free to ask me about this to make sure it makes sense.

Cheers!

Original comment by cybernet...@gmail.com on 14 Jan 2013 at 4:40