Ledger
Links:
- Ledger (software) - Wikipedia
- http://ledger-cli.org/ - Project homepage
Technical
- Written in C++ using boost libraries.
- Python interface, might need some work
Preliminary evaluation
Positive
- Version controllable file format
Negative
- You should preferably have the discipline of a programmer to use it
Evaluation
Note: Due to the simplistic philosophy and architecture of ledger-cli, the sky, development ability and time are the limits to what ledger can achieve.
Evaluation of Reporting UseCases
Conservancy has contributed a few scripts regarding reporting: https://github.com/ledger/ledger/tree/master/contrib/non-profit-audit-reports.
- Trial Balance Report: Yes,
- Bank Reconciliation Report: Yes, if you're a hacker. Can also be found in ledger/contrib/non-profit-audit-reports mentioned above.
- Chart of Accounts: The trial balance report shows the chart of accounts during the selected period.
- Cash Disbursements Journal: Can be found in ledger/contrib/non-profit-audit-reports mentioned above.
- Income Report: Yes
- Expense Report: Yes
Evaluation of Reporting UseCases for Fund Accounting
Can each of these reports be generated, confined to a specific temporarily restricted asset type?
- Trial Balance Report: Not by default.
- Bank Reconciliation Report: Not by default.
- Chart of Accounts: Not by default.
- Cash Disbursements Journal: Not by default.
- Income Report: Not by default.
- Expense Report: Not by default.
Note: All these are possible using Conservancy's npo-ledger-cli.
Evaluation of Fund Accounting UseCases
All these are possible using Conservancy's npo-ledger-cli
Collaborating evaluation
- Simultaneous Editing of Ledger: Not by default. Possible by using a version control system since the ledger data is in plaintext files
Evaluation of Double-entry Accounting UseCases
- Does the system implement pure double-entry accounting? Yes
Evaluation of TrackingDocumentation UseCases
Does the system link up to external documentation? Not by default.
Does it have a the ability to explore transactions via documentation linkage? Not by default.
Evaluation of Handling multiple currencies UseCases
- Does it support the concept of a single functional currency, while still permitting multi-currency entries? Up to the user.
Evaluation of draft transaction UseCases
- Does the system allow generally for draft transactions that can be later approved before officially being posted to the books? Not by default.
Evaluation of WorkFlow UseCases
- Is a specific workflow dictated by the system ? No.
- Is a the workflow configurable ? Yes.
- Unaccrued Invoice ? ledger-cli does not manage your invoices by default, it only manages accounting data.
Evaluation of the Reading and Reporting API
ledger-cli can be configured to output machine-readable formats, you can also read the text files directly.
Evaluation of the Storage API
It is possible to alter the text files in any way as long as they are parsable by ledger-cli.
Evaluation of the Community Health
- Is the license both determined as Free Software by FSF and OSI-approved? Yes, it's the BSD license, see e.g. https://github.com/ledger/ledger/blob/master/src/account.cc for license text.
- Is the ?license GPL-compatible? Yes, it seems to be the modified BSD licsense.
- Does the project require assignment of copyright or a CLA to get code upstreamed? No, it does not seem like it.
- How many
?active developers/companies contribute to the project? 21 over the last 12 months. The C++-based ledger-cli is in maintenance mode until further notics - New features will probably not be added by the maintainer himself but could be added by the community.
- If there aren't many, how hard would it be to take over the project if needed?
- Is there good developer documentation? There does not seem to be any developer documentation.
- How easy it to engage as a developer with the community? Public IRC channel and mailing list, friendly.