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Double Entry Accounting System

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  • D Dalek Dave

    May I offer some assistance. (I speak from some level of expertise, I am an accountant). This is actually quite a large undertaking. It is more than just "Adding a value to one column and adding it's inverse to another". There are entries to be made directly to the Nominal Ledger. Enntries to the Bought and Sales Ledgers with the corresponding entries to the Nominal. The ability to make one entry that is posted to several accounts. (Example Adding £100 to the Bought Ledger Control Account and having £50 posted to, say, Expenses and £50 to Fuel Costs). There is also a corresponding entry for VAT (or Whatever your sales tax(es) is called). There are payment entries to be made. Don't forget also that you need Control Accounts (Bought Ledger Control, Sales Ledger Control, Vat Control etc). Some codes are Profit and Loss, some are Balance Sheet. You also have to allow for an Asset register and it's assigned Depreciation Accounts (One being P&L, the other being BalSheet). On top of this there are various legal controls, for example ensuring there can be no single sided entries. Then you have the various flag controls for Periods, Dates, Paid/Unpaid, Held/Released, Invoices/Credits etc. You will need a way to run period ends that clear period totals, but hold the year totals. The same for year end procedures. Then there is the Reporting. Apart from the legally required reports, you will want to have various useful reports for management figures and other administative purposes. Then there is the requirement to have Archiving procedures, and other useful housekeeping chores. Then, once you have planned all this, there is the actual development of the project, which will be quite large in terms of time/man hours/money. Alongside this you will need to ensure security provisions and access controls. Seriously, if you are not 'hot' on accountancy, get hold of an accountant at the planning and developing stages, and ask questions, and keep asking them. Best of luck.

    ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

    G Offline
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    GenJerDan
    wrote on last edited by
    #14

    I always get double entry system mixed up with the two sets of books system.

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    • D Dalek Dave

      May I offer some assistance. (I speak from some level of expertise, I am an accountant). This is actually quite a large undertaking. It is more than just "Adding a value to one column and adding it's inverse to another". There are entries to be made directly to the Nominal Ledger. Enntries to the Bought and Sales Ledgers with the corresponding entries to the Nominal. The ability to make one entry that is posted to several accounts. (Example Adding £100 to the Bought Ledger Control Account and having £50 posted to, say, Expenses and £50 to Fuel Costs). There is also a corresponding entry for VAT (or Whatever your sales tax(es) is called). There are payment entries to be made. Don't forget also that you need Control Accounts (Bought Ledger Control, Sales Ledger Control, Vat Control etc). Some codes are Profit and Loss, some are Balance Sheet. You also have to allow for an Asset register and it's assigned Depreciation Accounts (One being P&L, the other being BalSheet). On top of this there are various legal controls, for example ensuring there can be no single sided entries. Then you have the various flag controls for Periods, Dates, Paid/Unpaid, Held/Released, Invoices/Credits etc. You will need a way to run period ends that clear period totals, but hold the year totals. The same for year end procedures. Then there is the Reporting. Apart from the legally required reports, you will want to have various useful reports for management figures and other administative purposes. Then there is the requirement to have Archiving procedures, and other useful housekeeping chores. Then, once you have planned all this, there is the actual development of the project, which will be quite large in terms of time/man hours/money. Alongside this you will need to ensure security provisions and access controls. Seriously, if you are not 'hot' on accountancy, get hold of an accountant at the planning and developing stages, and ask questions, and keep asking them. Best of luck.

      ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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      Jim Crafton
      wrote on last edited by
      #15

      With all that is involved, doesn't it beg the question why they aren't considering buying some existing software (I'm of course assuming that you can get such software) as opposed to paying someone to re-invent the wheel?

      ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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      • S Slacker007

        Wow! This is why I am not an accountant. I had no idea that all that would be involved.

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        Dalek Dave
        wrote on last edited by
        #16

        And that is just for a very simple accounting system. You should see what happens once you start adding order control, budgeting, job-costing, payroll, contracting ledger, etc... There is a reason that accountants earn their money. (And all this is just basic bookkeeping, once you start getting involved with corporation tax, forward buying, FOREX, capital gains etc you start running out of aspirin to ease the brain-aching! :) )

        ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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        • Q QuiJohn

          Dalek Dave wrote:

          You also have to allow for an Asset register and it's assigned Depreciation Accounts (One being P&L, the other being BalSheet).

          Seriously though, you accountants just made all this shit up so it would seem like it was more complicated than adding columns in excel, just so we would hire more accountants, right?


          He said, "Boy I'm just old and lonely, But thank you for your concern, Here's wishing you a Happy New Year." I wished him one back in return.

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          Dalek Dave
          wrote on last edited by
          #17

          No, you voted for Politicians to make the tax laws so complicated that accountants need to do all this :)

          ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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          • D Dalek Dave

            No, you voted for Politicians to make the tax laws so complicated that accountants need to do all this :)

            ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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            Pete OHanlon
            wrote on last edited by
            #18

            Dalek Dave wrote:

            No, you voted for Politicians to make the tax laws so complicated that accountants need to do all this

            Not me. I voted for politicians so that they can claim multiple allowances for doing very little, and then tell me that I'm a hypocritical middle class child molesting Daily Mail reader.

            I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be

            Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads

            My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

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            • G GenJerDan

              I always get double entry system mixed up with the two sets of books system.

              D Offline
              D Offline
              Dalek Dave
              wrote on last edited by
              #19

              Two sets of books is what lands you up in prison! :) Double entry is so called because for every entry on the left side there is a corresponding entry on the right. Example: Credit Petrol Costs £30 Debit Bank Account £30 or... Credit Purchase Ledger Account "Joe Bloggs Contruction" £117.50 Debit Purchase Ledger Control Balance £117.50 Credit Debit Purchase Ledger Control Account £117.50 Debit Sundry Items £100.00 Debit Vat Control £17.50 Credit Job Ledger Account "Job21" £100 Debit Job Ledger Control £100 This second item could be one entry on a system but which produces seven postings.

              ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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              • J Jim Crafton

                With all that is involved, doesn't it beg the question why they aren't considering buying some existing software (I'm of course assuming that you can get such software) as opposed to paying someone to re-invent the wheel?

                ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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                Dalek Dave
                wrote on last edited by
                #20

                There are many options available, from very simple to highly industry specialised. They range from a few hundred Pounds to, well, £Millions.

                ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

                J 1 Reply Last reply
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                • D Dalek Dave

                  Two sets of books is what lands you up in prison! :) Double entry is so called because for every entry on the left side there is a corresponding entry on the right. Example: Credit Petrol Costs £30 Debit Bank Account £30 or... Credit Purchase Ledger Account "Joe Bloggs Contruction" £117.50 Debit Purchase Ledger Control Balance £117.50 Credit Debit Purchase Ledger Control Account £117.50 Debit Sundry Items £100.00 Debit Vat Control £17.50 Credit Job Ledger Account "Job21" £100 Debit Job Ledger Control £100 This second item could be one entry on a system but which produces seven postings.

                  ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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                  G Offline
                  GenJerDan
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #21

                  Thanks. A very clear explanation.

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                  • P Pete OHanlon

                    Dalek Dave wrote:

                    No, you voted for Politicians to make the tax laws so complicated that accountants need to do all this

                    Not me. I voted for politicians so that they can claim multiple allowances for doing very little, and then tell me that I'm a hypocritical middle class child molesting Daily Mail reader.

                    I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be

                    Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads

                    My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

                    J Offline
                    J Offline
                    Jim Crafton
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #22

                    That does beg the question: are you a hypocritical middle class child molesting Daily Mail reader? If so, please stop immediately!

                    ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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                    • D Dalek Dave

                      There are many options available, from very simple to highly industry specialised. They range from a few hundred Pounds to, well, £Millions.

                      ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

                      J Offline
                      J Offline
                      Jim Crafton
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #23

                      Right, so why would they pay to write yet another one? It just seems like a lot of expense for very little gain, unless they have some really weird set of requirements.

                      ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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                      • J Jim Crafton

                        That does beg the question: are you a hypocritical middle class child molesting Daily Mail reader? If so, please stop immediately!

                        ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

                        D Offline
                        D Offline
                        Dalek Dave
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #24

                        Yeah, if it's true then it's disgusting, and I would have nothing more to do with him! He should read something better!

                        ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

                        J 1 Reply Last reply
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                        • D Dalek Dave

                          Yeah, if it's true then it's disgusting, and I would have nothing more to do with him! He should read something better!

                          ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

                          J Offline
                          J Offline
                          Jim Crafton
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #25

                          Poor Pete - first he finds out that Carlo is two timing him, then we find out he has issues with porcupines and his trousers, presumably some weird animal fetish, now he comes out as a Daily Mail reader! What's next?

                          ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

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                          • J Jim Crafton

                            Right, so why would they pay to write yet another one? It just seems like a lot of expense for very little gain, unless they have some really weird set of requirements.

                            ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

                            D Offline
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                            Dalek Dave
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #26

                            Two things spring to mind. Firstly it could be a security issue. They do not want an off the peg solution because they do not want the original developers to have any kind of access. (Paranoid, but possible) Secondly it could be that they want it tailor made to connect to an existing system for reporting or data input reasons that a ready-made package may not be able to handle.

                            ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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                            • K keencomputer

                              I have to design double entry accounting systems as part of the package, Where Do I start?

                              Tapas Shome System Software Engineer Keen Computer Solutions 1408 Erin Street Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3E 2S8 http://www.keencomputer.com www.ias-research.com/blog

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                              A Offline
                              AspDotNetDev
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #27

                              keencomputer wrote:

                              Where Do I start?

                              The mouth?

                              [Forum Guidelines]

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                              • J Jim Crafton

                                Poor Pete - first he finds out that Carlo is two timing him, then we find out he has issues with porcupines and his trousers, presumably some weird animal fetish, now he comes out as a Daily Mail reader! What's next?

                                ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

                                D Offline
                                D Offline
                                Dalek Dave
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #28

                                He loves VB and his best friend is a Liberal Democrat?

                                ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

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                                • D Dalek Dave

                                  He loves VB and his best friend is a Liberal Democrat?

                                  ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

                                  J Offline
                                  J Offline
                                  Jim Crafton
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #29

                                  Good God - say it ain't so!!!

                                  ¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! Personal 3D projects Just Say No to Web 2 Point Blow

                                  1 Reply Last reply
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                                  • K keencomputer

                                    I have to design double entry accounting systems as part of the package, Where Do I start?

                                    Tapas Shome System Software Engineer Keen Computer Solutions 1408 Erin Street Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3E 2S8 http://www.keencomputer.com www.ias-research.com/blog

                                    M Offline
                                    M Offline
                                    Member 96
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #30

                                    Do *not* do this. There are api's for every major accounting package out there, it's highly specialized and requires constant updates as tax rules change, payroll taxes change etc etc. Integrate your app with QuickBooks (for example) using their API and save yourself a world of hassle and a lifetime of pain.


                                    “If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

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                                    • D Dalek Dave

                                      He loves VB and his best friend is a Liberal Democrat?

                                      ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

                                      P Offline
                                      P Offline
                                      Pete OHanlon
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #31

                                      Now that's just sick. I wouldn't associate with such disgusting filth. Liberal democrat X|

                                      I have CDO, it's OCD with the letters in the right order; just as they ruddy well should be

                                      Forgive your enemies - it messes with their heads

                                      My blog | My articles | MoXAML PowerToys | Onyx

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • D Dalek Dave

                                        Two sets of books is what lands you up in prison! :) Double entry is so called because for every entry on the left side there is a corresponding entry on the right. Example: Credit Petrol Costs £30 Debit Bank Account £30 or... Credit Purchase Ledger Account "Joe Bloggs Contruction" £117.50 Debit Purchase Ledger Control Balance £117.50 Credit Debit Purchase Ledger Control Account £117.50 Debit Sundry Items £100.00 Debit Vat Control £17.50 Credit Job Ledger Account "Job21" £100 Debit Job Ledger Control £100 This second item could be one entry on a system but which produces seven postings.

                                        ------------------------------------ I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC League Table Link CCC Link[^]

                                        R Offline
                                        R Offline
                                        Roger Wright
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #32

                                        Good lord, you people not only drive lefthanded, but do your books backward, too!

                                        Dalek Dave wrote:

                                        Credit Petrol Costs £30 Debit Bank Account £30

                                        When I buy gas, I debit the fuel expense, and credit the bank account.

                                        Will Rogers never met me.

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                                        • K keencomputer

                                          I have to design double entry accounting systems as part of the package, Where Do I start?

                                          Tapas Shome System Software Engineer Keen Computer Solutions 1408 Erin Street Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada R3E 2S8 http://www.keencomputer.com www.ias-research.com/blog

                                          L Offline
                                          L Offline
                                          Lost User
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #33

                                          keencomputer wrote:

                                          I have to design double entry accounting systems as part of the package, Where Do I start?

                                          With the first entry. Then it's just a simple matter of adding the second.

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