Transaction Accounting Processing System and Approach

Abstract

Accounting data is classified to facilitate transaction processing and management. According to an example embodiment, data based rules are implemented for generating transaction data using stored rules and identified valid accounting codes. Transaction information is processed as a function of the rules and generated transaction data (e.g., for classifying expenses under generated valid accounting codes). This approach involves, for example, identifying data based rules and valid accounting codes to use in processing received transaction information and in generating/applying accounting codes to the transaction information.

1 . In a transaction-processing environment for facilitating transactions involving merchant offerings among users including buyers and sellers, aspects of each transaction being characterized by at least one transaction-based document, a system to generate transaction data for a participating user's chart of accounts, the system comprising:
 a data arrangement configured and arranged for storing transaction data based rules and a chart structure for each user's chart of accounts; and   a transaction processor configured and arranged, for each participating user, to:
 facilitate the loading and storing of transaction data based rules and general ledger (GL) codes for the chart structure in the data arrangement; 
 use stored transaction data based rules to identify GL codes that are valid for a particular period of time; 
 associate a particular set of transaction data based rules and a chart structure with a transaction based document for a transaction involving the user; 
 generate accounting data by applying the valid GL codes to transaction data in the transaction based document as a function of the associated transaction data based rules and chart structure; and 
 provide the generated accounting data for access by the user. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to
 receive and store valid GL codes provided by a particular user, and   use stored transaction data based rules to identify GL codes that are valid for a particular period of time for the particular user by identifying the stored valid GL codes provided by the particular user.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to use stored transaction data based rules to identify GL codes that are valid for a particular period of time for a particular user by using stored transaction data based rules for the particular user to define valid GL codes for the particular user. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to specify effective and expiration dates for each GL code for a particular user as a function of transaction data-based rules specified by the particular user. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to define the stored transaction data based rules for applying accounting codes to transactions for a particular user in response to inputs from the particular user. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to
 define the stored transaction data based rules for applying accounting codes to transactions for a particular user in response to inputs from the particular user, and   build a GL accounting code based on data values within a particular transaction based document.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to
 define the stored transaction data based rules for applying accounting codes to transactions for a particular user in response to inputs from the particular user,   build a GL accounting code based on data values within a particular transaction based document, and   specify GL accounting codes using transaction data based rules that define combinations of transaction data.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to use stored transaction data based rules to identify GL codes by comparing transaction data delivered to the transaction processor with defined assignment rule data to generate a valid GL code. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to
 retrieve transaction data based rules in response to an update made to the rules, and   for a transaction based document for which accounting data has been generated, repeat the steps of using stored transaction data, associating, generating and providing, using the updated rules.   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to provide the generated accounting data for access by the user by sending general ledger data to a remotely-located general ledger processing system for the user, over a data communications medium. 
     
     
         11 . The transaction-processing system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the data arrangement is further adapted for storing the generated accounting data and for storing user profiles that specify, for each user, data access rights for adding and modifying the transaction data based rules, the chart structure, and the generated accounting data, and   the transaction processor is further configured and arranged to provide secured access for adding and modifying data stored user data as a function of each user's stored profiles.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction processor associates a particular set of transaction data based rules and a chart structure with a transaction based document for transactions bearing upon a previously-provided agreement between the participating user and another user, which is stored in the data arrangement, and uses the previously-provided agreement for at least one of the steps of associating, generating and providing. 
     
     
         13 . In a transaction-processing environment for facilitating transactions involving merchant offerings among parties including buyers and sellers, aspects of each transaction bearing on a previously-provided agreement by the parties and being characterized by at least one transaction-based document, a computer-based processing arrangement comprising:
 a transaction processor programmed to:
 facilitate the loading and storing of transaction data based rules and the loading and storing of GL codes into a chart structure; 
 execute general ledger (GL) assignment engine program functions to assign GL codes to transaction data as a function of the loaded and stored GL codes and the transaction data based rules associated with the accounting codes; and 
 store the transaction data in the chart structure as a function of the assigned GL codes. 
   
     
     
         14 . The arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the transaction processor is programmed to
 facilitate the loading and storing of transaction data based rules and the loading and storing of GL codes into a chart structure by loading and storing valid GL codes provided by a particular user, and   execute general ledger (GL) assignment engine program functions to assign GL codes to transaction data by assigning stored valid GL codes provided by the particular user.   
     
     
         15 . The arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the transaction processor is programmed to execute general ledger (GL) assignment engine program functions to assign GL codes to transaction data as a function of the loaded and stored GL codes and the transaction data based rules associated with the accounting codes by using stored transaction data based rules for a particular user to define valid GL codes for the particular user. 
     
     
         16 . The arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the transaction processor is programmed to execute general ledger (GL) assignment engine program functions to assign GL codes to transaction data as a function of the loaded and stored GL codes and the transaction data based rules associated with the accounting codes by specifying effective and expiration dates for each GL code for a particular user as a function of transaction data-based rules specified by the particular user, and assigning the GL codes as a function of the specified effective and expiration dates. 
     
     
         17 . The arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the transaction processor is programmed to define the transaction data based rules for applying accounting codes to transactions for a particular user in response to inputs from the particular user. 
     
     
         18 . The arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the transaction processor is programmed to
 define the transaction data based rules for applying accounting codes to transactions for a particular user in response to inputs from the particular user,   build a GL accounting code based on data values within a particular transaction based document, and   execute general ledger (GL) assignment engine program functions to assign the built GL accounting code to transaction data.   
     
     
         19 . The arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the transaction processor is programmed to
 compare transaction data delivered to the transaction processor with defined assignment rule data to generate a valid GL code, and   facilitate the loading and storing of transaction data based rules and the loading and storing of GL codes into a chart structure by storing the generated valid GL code.   
     
     
         20 . The arrangement of  claim 13  wherein the transaction processor is programmed to
 associate a particular set of transaction data based rules and a chart structure with a transaction based document for transactions bearing upon a previously-provided agreement between the participating user and another user, the previously-provided agreement being stored in the data arrangement, and   use the previously-provided agreement for at least one of the steps of facilitating, executing and storing.