Creating an Investment
To add a new investment:
- Navigate to the Investments tab.
- Click the New Investment button.
If you have an existing investment quantity upon setup, you can enter starting balances via Settings รขยย Starting Balances. Refer to Starting Balances รขยย Investments for details.
Once you create an investment, Accounter automatically adds two key accounts to your Chart of Accounts:
- Investments (Balance Sheet): records the current market value of your investments.
- Investment gains (losses) (Profit & Loss Statement): tracks realized and unrealized gains or losses on investments.
Managing Investment Values
Your Investments account reflects the market value based on prices entered under Investment Market Prices. For guidance, see Investment Market Prices.
The difference between market value and your original cost is posted to the Investment gains (losses) account. To see realized and unrealized gains or losses separately, consult the Realized investment gains (losses) report under the Reports tab.
Purchasing an Investment
To record the purchase of an investment:
- Go to the Payments tab and click New Payment.
- In the New Payment screen, select Investments account and choose the relevant investment.
If the Qty column is not visible in the form, activate it by checking the Column รขยย Qty checkbox. This allows you to enter the purchased quantity.
Selling an Investment
Selling an investment follows an identical procedure to purchasing. Categorize a transaction to the Investments account, then select the investment you're selling.
Investments Tab Columns
The Investments tab displays:
- Code: Investment identifier code
- Name: Investment name
- Control account: The associated control account (usually Investments, unless customized)
- Qty: Quantity or units held
- Market price: Current unit market price. Refer to Investment Market Prices.
- Market value: Calculated as Quantity รย Market Price, representing the total current market worth of the holding.
Foreign Currency Considerations
Investments can often be traded in foreign currency markets. In Accounter, all investment values are maintained in your base currency, even if traded internationally or across multiple currencies (for instance dual-listed stocks, commodities, precious metals).
When foreign currencies fluctuate, investment prices typically adjust accordingly. Therefore, a price increase in foreign currency terms may not equate to an actual gain in your base currency. Accounter ensures investment performance is always accurately tracked in your base currency.