GnuCash 2.6 release tour
This tour will introduce you to new major features in GnuCash 2.6.
Jqplot Reports
GnuCash now uses javascript jqplot to render reports. This gives a more professional look to all graphical reports (piechart, barchart, scatterplot).
![[jqplot barchart]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-jqplot-reports.png)
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| A barchart rendered in GnuCash with jqplot. |
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New preconfigured reports management system
The old GnuCash custom report management system has been revised. You can save a report using the dedicated options in the File menu and rerun it later by selecting it from the menu Reports->Preconfigured Reports.
![[Preconfigred reports window]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-Pre-reports.png)
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| The Preconfigured Reports window. You can select and run a preconfigured report, edit its name and delete it. |
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Export any report directly to PDF
Reports and invoices can be exported directly in a PDF file without going thru the Print window.
Associate a local file or remote location with any transaction
It is now possible to link an external local file or a remote location (URL) with a transaction. This long-requested feature is available through both the Transaction menu and the transaction's context menu. The files are displayed in the default viewer for that file type.
![[Attach file/ location to transaction]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-file-location.png)
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| You can now associate a local file or a remote location with any transaction. |
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Account colors
It is now possible to associate to any account a unique color from the edit account window. This color can then be displayed as account name and account register tab background easing the lookup of a specific account.
![[Account colors]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-acc-colors.png)
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| The colors ease the lookup of specific accounts in the account tree and in tabs. |
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Timeout on "Save changes on closing"
In the General tab of the GnuCash Preferences is now possible to set a timeout for the "Save changes on closing" window. If enabled, the "Save changes on closing" question will only wait a limited number of seconds for an answer. If the user didn't answer within that time, the changes will be saved automatically and the question window closed.
Open datafile read-only
When opening a locked "book" one now has the option of opening it read-only.
Note that GnuCash is still a single-user program and that the database backends are still used only as a data store.
![Open read-only]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-read-only.png)
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| The new button to open a GnuCash datafile in read-only mode. |
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Save "Filter By" settings
It is now possible to save the "Filter By…" settings for an account register.
![[Filter by save]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-save-filter.png)
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| Save the "Filter By…" settings by enabling the "Save Filter" checkbox. |
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Improved business module
The business module has been revamped and we introduced some new features:
- Credit Notes
- Customer and Vendor Overview Pages
- Customer Overview Reports
- Existing Transactions may be reassigned as invoice payments
- One click duplication of invoices
- Improved invoice and bill handling: Post, print, or duplicate multiple items directly from a search results list
- Better invoice printing setup: Choose a default invoice report as a preference
- Reorder invoice entries in the invoice window
![[Customer report]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-credit-customer-report.png)
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| Customer report with an invoice and a credit note. |
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![[Search Invoice]](./images/2.6-release/2.6-search-business.png)
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| Updated search window with buttons to process payment, duplicate, post and print multiple search results. |
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New preference system
The preferences system has been rewritten to use GSettings from GIO (GLib) instead of GConf. This is a simpler and more robust backend which writes to the OS's native prefs - defaults on OS X and the Registry on MSWindows - and allows us to remove several troublesome dependencies including GConf, ORBit, and DBus.
Note that window position, column sizes, and sort orders will not be migrated from GConf. Those settings will revert to the default the first time you use Gnucash 2.6 or later, but they will be saved once you've reset them.
Relicensing
By agreement of all authors we have relicensed GnuCash to the GNU General Public License Version 2 or later from just Version 2.
Download
You can download the new 2.6 version of GnuCash from the GnuCash website main page.
Help
GnuCash 2.6 comes with updated Help and Guide. If you can't find the answer to your questions in those documents, try with the GnuCash wiki. If both options are unsatisfactory, you can send your questions to the GnuCash mailing lists: the GnuCash community is very friendly and experienced and someone will surely assist you.
Want to Help?
GnuCash is a program maintained by volunteers. If you want to be part of the effort, you can contribute in many ways:
- By testing the program and reporting bugs
- By liking our project page on facebook and Google+
- By spreading the word
- By making a donation
- By partecipating in the GnuCash mailing lists and IRC channel
- By reviewing and adding hints to the wiki
- By improving the released documentation
- By translating the program and documentation to your language
- By developing the source code
The GnuCash developers team
