want to track approx value or something non-money? like #of - 3 cars 2 houses, 2770 comics, 5 chess sets? When you say non-money, it sounds like something like that. What non-money tracking do you want to do? It can be done. I do it for one of my non money tracking methodologies.
Those are good examples. Say you have 3 cars, 2 houses, 2770 comics. it would be nice to say this is Superman #1 worth so-and-so, and this is Batman #2, worth so-and-so, for all 2770 comics. Same for the cars and houses. Is that possible?
Most anything is possible, using created currency conversions, but your level of delineation would be very high trying to value 2770 comics, each differently. For something that fine, I'd probably assign a standard money valuation, that would age. I'd create a Superman #1 transaction with today's date and value. Same for the others. Then the meaning of transaction changes to an inventory overview. Thus, a transaction isn't a sacred thing. You can add inventory by adding new transactions. For dime/quarter comics, you could group them - My useless modern comics (107#) value 107*0.25 (unless you needed a total inventory count - different method). If Superman #1 changes significantly, you simply redo the transaction date and value. (unless you need a value history, again a different methodology).
By non money tracking methodology, I mean the tracking criteria you wish to follow - inventory count, historical graph of values, etc. Each requires a different set, but once you get the concept(s), these aren't that hard to set up - (you do have to figure out appropriate categories to push and pull values - MD is still double entry accounting)
One I use a lot involves the fact I'm a published author. So I track my book inventory by creating a currency called Books, and have categories and transactions that track each book, sales, returns, etc. If I want more complex tracking (like value versus simply number) I create a different currency for each book, like BG book, OP Book, and so on [these are first letter of each word in title] and have a non 1.0 value, book value BG Book 6.73 for example. This has low enough delineation that I can value hundreds of one book at once, and if I remainder them or they become collectible, I can change the currency value.
That's really just a start. I wish MD would allow you to create new account categories, but asset (or liability, I don't have anything like that right now) will have to do.
You can treat them many ways within MD. I tend to keep them as Not in net worth, and evaluate if i want them inactive or hidden if they don't end up expressing a money value.
Again this is just a start, but I hope I've established that non-money assets can be tracked. I'd love it if MD had an inventory tracker method, like house inventory by room for insurance purposes, but I know it would never be a priority to do, so I figure out ways to do it within the current capabilities.
Still @dwg is correct - the only designed way to do this in MD is to assign monetary values and depreciate/appreciate them with a depreciation/appreciation category. That's how I handle my two cars as "non-money assets".
1 Posted by dwg on 10 Jan, 2026 02:15 AM
You would have to create Asset accounts and assign a monetary value.
2 Posted by dtd on 10 Jan, 2026 03:31 AM
want to track approx value or something non-money? like #of - 3 cars 2 houses, 2770 comics, 5 chess sets? When you say non-money, it sounds like something like that. What non-money tracking do you want to do? It can be done. I do it for one of my non money tracking methodologies.
3 Posted by megawatt on 10 Jan, 2026 10:42 AM
Those are good examples. Say you have 3 cars, 2 houses, 2770 comics. it would be nice to say this is Superman #1 worth so-and-so, and this is Batman #2, worth so-and-so, for all 2770 comics. Same for the cars and houses. Is that possible?
What's your non-money tracking methodology?
4 Posted by dtd on 10 Jan, 2026 09:42 PM
Most anything is possible, using created currency conversions, but your level of delineation would be very high trying to value 2770 comics, each differently. For something that fine, I'd probably assign a standard money valuation, that would age. I'd create a Superman #1 transaction with today's date and value. Same for the others. Then the meaning of transaction changes to an inventory overview. Thus, a transaction isn't a sacred thing. You can add inventory by adding new transactions. For dime/quarter comics, you could group them - My useless modern comics (107#) value 107*0.25 (unless you needed a total inventory count - different method). If Superman #1 changes significantly, you simply redo the transaction date and value. (unless you need a value history, again a different methodology).
By non money tracking methodology, I mean the tracking criteria you wish to follow - inventory count, historical graph of values, etc. Each requires a different set, but once you get the concept(s), these aren't that hard to set up - (you do have to figure out appropriate categories to push and pull values - MD is still double entry accounting)
One I use a lot involves the fact I'm a published author. So I track my book inventory by creating a currency called Books, and have categories and transactions that track each book, sales, returns, etc. If I want more complex tracking (like value versus simply number) I create a different currency for each book, like BG book, OP Book, and so on [these are first letter of each word in title] and have a non 1.0 value, book value BG Book 6.73 for example. This has low enough delineation that I can value hundreds of one book at once, and if I remainder them or they become collectible, I can change the currency value.
That's really just a start. I wish MD would allow you to create new account categories, but asset (or liability, I don't have anything like that right now) will have to do.
You can treat them many ways within MD. I tend to keep them as Not in net worth, and evaluate if i want them inactive or hidden if they don't end up expressing a money value.
Again this is just a start, but I hope I've established that non-money assets can be tracked. I'd love it if MD had an inventory tracker method, like house inventory by room for insurance purposes, but I know it would never be a priority to do, so I figure out ways to do it within the current capabilities.
Still @dwg is correct - the only designed way to do this in MD is to assign monetary values and depreciate/appreciate them with a depreciation/appreciation category. That's how I handle my two cars as "non-money assets".
Hope that helps.
5 Posted by megawatt on 11 Jan, 2026 01:51 AM
Those are awesome suggestions, thank you! I will actually bring it up with the MD team as well.