Bookkeeping module

[kobra]

While I like the idea...this is IMO, more than a module and more of a complete application. Things like FIFO require tracking the cost per unit on each inbound shipment, the separation of the goods cost from the shipping cost among other considerations.

Schedule "C" items would include many many things that are not part of the cart at all like, hosting fees, advertising(pay-per-click etc etc), telephone, computing equip, depreciation, and the list is long.

The cart currently does not have the tables to record any of these ancillary costs, and then double entry requires a whole other realm of tracking.

The cost of say Quick Books, or maybe another Open Source application for this can take the Zen Cart info and include it in the bigger picture and it might be wiser to find/select a viable Open Source canidate and develop a module to export the Zen Cart info to.

JMO and 2 cents

[stagebrace]

All opinions are requested, and I thank you for yours. Your suggestion has also been my original consideration. But I have not succeeded in automating the stores sales data into another app. You are absolutely right on the depreciation and other super complicated stuff. I would not want to build those into the program just yet. Let’s start with the simple numbers.
I suggest two or three input forms:

• Inventory purchases. This form would input the order date, model and description, quantity and cost of inventory purchases. The quantity would automatically be added to the stores product quantity.
• Expense of sale. Accrual accounting states each sale needs to have its expense's date match the date of sale. I do not have the design of this form in mind yet.
• Other expenses. These two expense forms may be combined into one expense form.

Trying to keep the requirements to a minimum, Zen Cart stores the income, this new module would store expenses and cost of inventory. Reports would help the store owner give Uncle Sam and cousin governor with data. A few new table will be needed but that’s not odd for add-on modules to include new tables. I do not see or at lease hope no Zen Cart core code gets changed. Input forms and reports would be started from one of the Admin drop downs.

[stagebrace]

Here is an overnight attempt at designing one of the input forms. At this time its just HTML and javascript, no PHP yet.

Comments encouraged.

[kobra]

But I have not succeeded in automating the stores sales data into another app.

Have you looked at the QB module and QB for this?

A few new table will be needed but that’s not odd for add-on modules to include new tables.

Right, not odd for a module but as I initially stated, I do not see this as a module nor something in the Zen Cart admin - more as a separate appliation that can link to the Zen Cart DB.

I might be showing my corp background here but you might look at either Quick Books(no need to re-invent the wheel) and or a couple of things that I use being "Crystal Reports" and "NaviCat"(I think that there is an Open Source comparable to Crystal Reports that uses JAVA) and this is for repetitive reports that you can create and save - albeit fully off cart(not in/from the admin).

Full business accounting is not, as I see it, part of a shopping cart application. I view this(Zen Cart) more like being a checkout register/station where the days results are then combined and recorded into the companies General Ledger application that exists separately.

[Merlinpa1969]

thanks for the tips Kobra,

Since this has been asaked for many times in the past I guess there are others that would like to have the store and the accountant and inventory management all in one place and NOT have to download to import into another program.


thats the kool thing about this,

everyone has an opinion

[kobra]

Merlin,

Since this has been asaked for many times in the past I guess there are others that would like to have the store and the accountant and inventory management all in one place and NOT have to download to import into another program.

And a man in the desert wants "Ice Water"
Yes, while I am sure that this would be a desired item - it is my opinion that based upon the size of these applications that in a "Full Blown" GL package that the cart functionality would become an add on module for it and not the other way around.

Owing to the fact that Zen Cart is not generally thought of as "Modular", making it an add-on to a full accounting package seems a bit over the edge. But I am php challenged.

What would make this powerful is a "Single" admin interface for all functionality, and then looking into what an accounting pkg has to deal with - some are manufacturing concerns - some product retailers - some drop shippers - etc, etc. And wanting a "Double-Entry" system for larger company concerns and not just the small mom&pop concerns where a Single-Entry system is sufficient.

Each with their own specific accounting requirements i.e. short list for manufacturing-retailing:
cost of raw materials
cost of goods in process
cost of services apportioned to manufacturing(elec, gas, maintenance of production equip, supplies, etc.)
cost of goods produced
cost of inventory
cost of goods sold
Gross profit from mfg
gross profit from sales
gross profit from operations
all other expenses
net profit from operations

Bottom-line: IMO this is over and above the mission for Zen Cart and as most of these GL packages are on the order of 3x the code base size of Zen Cart - the support to cater to all the types of businesses in all the different locales across the globe with their unique and individual requirements is also over and above what could be handled without a definite and significant increase in Dev staffing.

Take a look at the US IRS 1120 - with all the required tables and schedules that must accompany a return.

[DogTags]

What about the Turbocash module? I believe Turbocash has recently been updated, too:

http://www.turbocashuk.com/