Improve error reporting in Fiscal Year creation wizard

[Graeme Gellatly]

1. To replicate

Create new db - with demo data checked. (GTK Client)
Select accounting & finance module
During config select generic chart of accounts and change fiscal year to 1/4/2010 to 31/3/2011.
Press Configure

2. Result Observed
modal box - ValidateError Error occurred while validating the field(s) date_start,date_stop: Error! You cannot define overlapping fiscal years

3. Result expected - No error
4. Platform Ubuntu 10.10 64bit, OpenERP latest revisions (3072, 1708, 3983 server, client, addons) running inside Helios Eclipse, Python 2.6, postgres 8.4 - although have experienced on other recent revisions

Just tried to replicate with demo data unchecked and it works fine so my geuss is that the demo data is creating some fiscal years, which the config wizard is not happy about.

[Jamin Shah(OpenERP) (jamin-openerp)]

Hello Graeme,

If you create a new db with demo data, the fiscal year is created from demo file so you are not allowed to overlap the fiscal years. If you want to configure your own fiscal year you should create new db without demo data.

Thanks

[Graeme Gellatly (gdgellatly)]

Sorry but I disagree. While I understand what you are saying - it is still not right. The error handling needs to be better. If you click OK and then try again you get an error which just says 1, then kicks you out of config wizard.

But moreso, if you give the user an option to configure fiscal years in initial configuration, then they should be able to configure fiscal years. If not, then it is a usability bug. Imagine new user to openerp, load demo data, then decide to configure to his country standard year, changes it, then gets error, then tries to continue and gets another error telling him he needs a maintenance contract. What kind of impression is that?

Also, this is new behaviour, this did not occur before.

[xrg (xrg)]

On Tuesday 07 December 2010, you wrote:
> Sorry but I disagree.
In my opinion, Jas is right.

A database with demo data is not supposed to expect "production" data
afterwards[1]. Several of the demo records will precede the entries you would
normally configure and fill with your company's data. Also, having configurable
demo data is well beyond the scope of that feature[2].

On the other hand, I have to admit that some of the messages are not clear
enough. That "1" you said is about the osv_memory wizards. Did you restart the
server while experimenting?

[1] it does not prohibit it, though. You could theoretically delete some of
the demo data and replace it with real entries.
[2] all "useful" data (that could help in a production db) is generated
through the normal xml files, configuration wizards and addons. Demo must be
redundant in all cases.

[Olivier Dony (Odoo) (odo-openerp)]

We could indeed improve the error reporting on this case, and even hint at the solution in the error message, e.g.: "If existing fiscal periods are already defined on the same calendar months (e.g. due to demo data), please delete them before using this wizard".

For the rest the current behavior is ok.

Keeping as Wishlist - priority to be re-assessed by Addons3 R&D team.

[Robin (www.cgbs.com.au) (robin-cgbs)]

I am from Australia and have tested using demo data for three different countries charts of accounts.

They all seem to work except when fiscal year overlaps a calendar year.

It is a shame that we need to go in and fix demo data to proceed every time we want to set up a new database, as the Australian accounting period is from July to June.

[Robin (www.cgbs.com.au) (robin-cgbs)]

One option mentioned has been to enhance the error reporting within the wizard, which will be great.

Another suggestion could be to ignore that wizard when demo data is involved and initially creating a new database.

The reason is that when users in countries like Australia have a different financial year starting month, we without thinking try and get the wizard to conform to their own accounting standards, forgetting the fact that a fiscal year and monthly periods have already been predefined and setup with the demo data.