Re: [SQL-Ledger-users] sql-ledger and international accounting standards /documentation

[Steve D. <sd...@sw...>]

Hi Andre.

Andre Felipe Machado wrote:

> Hello,
> As I am a newbie at this, what is the positioning, or compliance of
> sql-ledger to COMPASS  General Ledger Facility specification (
> http://www.compassgl.org/newhometest/990305fr1.html , see
> www.compassgl.org ) and the more international broad one Internatio=
nal
> Accounting Standards  Committee =AE (http://www.iasc.org.uk/frame/c=
en2.htm
> ) see www.iasc.org.uk ?

I've looked at this before and COMPASS seems to be a comprehensive li=
st of
function prototypes in C/C++ (see
http://www.compassgl.org/papers/0305x8.htm#_Toc438810673) for  accoun=
ting
software.  It would be a big project to code everything in around the=
se
prototypes.

Sql-ledger doesn't follow this spec, but I don't see why you couldn't=
 use
sql-ledger data with an application like this if it existed.

> I realized that www.compassgl.org is a subset and computational foc=
used
> team from www.iasc.org.uk. Is it right?

The EU commissioned the COMPASS project to comply with IASC accountin=
g
rules, but I don't think they are affiliated.

> Maybe these are irrelevant questions, but it "seems" that complianc=
e will
> allow fully integration with other sw (crm, hr, pos, etc, etc) and =
or
> attract more and more developers to help. The www.gnuenterprise.org=
 is a
> bold attempt (pre alpha stage now) to create a big enterprise packa=
ge,
> and MAYBE sql-ledger could integrate well with it.
> Please, some patience with these questions, as I am a newbie.....
> Thanks.

COMPASS and Gnue are great ideas, but I see very little activity on e=
ither
one.  With COMPASS, I think the idea was to get companies like People=
soft,
SAP, and Oracle, etc. to follow the spec, but I also think they faile=
d to
realize that interoperability is not conducive to the proprietary sof=
tware
business model.

Having witnessed a Peoplesoft implementation at a large US corporatio=
n, I
saw that once they get you, it would cost millions of dollars to chan=
ge to
something else.  I don't think they are going to want to make it easi=
er to
change from their software by adopting a spec like COMPASS with the o=
ther
ERP/accounting vendors.

As far as Gnue goes,  I think you drastically reduce the number of pe=
ople
who have the skills to contribute when you get into that level of
complexity.  Following the COMPASS g/l spec. could actually have the =
effect
of scaring people off because this is going to be such a huge project=
, and
so little is currently done.

I like Sql-ledger's simplicity, and the fact that you just set up the=
 server
and let people visit it with their browser vs. installing a client ap=
p on
every accountant's desktop.

I think your questions are relevant, but I don't see much value in fo=
llowing
the COMPASS spec. for Sql-ledger now.

Just my opinion.
Steve

>
> Andre Felipe Machado
> PS: if I can remember some people is starting a documentation effor=
t. Why
> not use sourceforge resources for documentation at
> http://sourceforge.net/projects/sql-ledger ?