Automated transaction accounting processing engine and approach

Abstract

Accounting data is classified to facilitate transaction processing and management. According to an example embodiment, data based rules are implemented for classifying transaction-related data into accounting categories. Accounting information is processed as a function of the data based rules and accordingly classified. This approach involves, for example, the identification of particular data based rules to apply to the accounting information, applying the rules and processing the information accordingly.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving a transaction document at a computer arrangement that comprises one or more computers;   associating, by the computer arrangement based on information in the transaction document and information in a plurality of user profiles, the transaction document with a particular transaction party, each of the user profiles associated with a different transaction party; and   assigning, by the computer arrangement, accounting codes to line items in the transaction document as a function of classification rules associated with the particular transaction party.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising retrieving, by the computer arrangement, the classification rules associated with the particular transaction party in response to associating the transaction document with the particular transaction party. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising receiving, by the computer arrangement, the classification rules associated with the particular transaction party from the particular transaction party. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein retrieving the classification rules comprises retrieving, by the computer arrangement, the classification rules as a function of a timing event associated with the transaction document and effective dates of accounting codes as specified in the classification rules. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing, by the computer arrangement, information that identifies merchant offerings to which the line items apply and information indicating costs of the merchant offerings. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the line items include a particular line item and the method further comprises reassigning, by the computer arrangement, an accounting code to the particular line item as directed by a user. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the line items include a particular line item; and   wherein assigning accounting codes to the line items comprises creating, based on the classification rules and data in the transaction document, a particular accounting code for the particular line item.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the method further comprises authorizing, by the computer arrangement, payment for the line items as a function of business rules for the particular transaction party; and   wherein the computer arrangement assigns the accounting codes to the line items in response to authorizing payment for the line items.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the method further comprises auditing, by the computer arrangement, the line items as a function of business rules for the particular transaction party; and   wherein the computer arrangement assigns the accounting codes to the line items in response to auditing the line items.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising storing, as a function of the accounting codes assigned to the line items, the line items under accounting categories in a general ledger chart of accounts of the particular transaction party. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein storing the line items under the accounting categories comprises:
 configuring the line items and the accounting codes assigned thereto into a format specified by the particular transaction party; and   sending the configured line items and accounting codes to an automated general ledger chart of accounts processing system specified by the particular transaction party.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the transaction document is a first transaction document, the particular transaction party is a first transaction party, and the method further comprises:
 receiving a second transaction document at the computer arrangement;   associating, by the computer arrangement based on information in the second transaction document and the information in the plurality of user profiles, the second transaction document with a second transaction party, the second transaction party being different than the first transaction party; and   assigning, by the computer arrangement, accounting codes to line items in the second transaction document as a function of classification rules associated with the second transaction party, the classification rules associated with the second transaction party being different than the classification rules associated with the first transaction party.   
     
     
         13 . A computer arrangement that comprises one or more computers that are configured to:
 receive a transaction document;   associate, based on information in the transaction document and information in a plurality of user profiles, the transaction document with a particular transaction party, each of the user profiles associated with a different transaction party; and   assigning, by the computer arrangement, accounting codes to line items in the transaction document as a function of the classification rules associated with the particular transaction party.   
     
     
         14 . The computer arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to retrieve the classification rules associated with the particular transaction party in response to associating the transaction document with the particular transaction party. 
     
     
         15 . The computer arrangement of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to receive the classification rules associated with the particular transaction party from the particular transaction party. 
     
     
         16 . The computer arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers are configured to retrieve the classification rules as a function of a time-related characteristic of the transaction document and effective dates of accounting codes as specified in the classification rules. 
     
     
         17 . The computer arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to store information that identifies merchant offerings to which the line items apply and information indicating costs of the merchant offerings. 
     
     
         18 . The computer arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to:
 authorize payment for the line items as a function of business rules for the particular transaction party; and   assign the accounting codes to the line items in response to authorizing payment for the line items.   
     
     
         19 . The computer arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to:
 audit the line items as a function of business rules for the particular transaction party; and   assign the accounting codes to the line items in response to auditing the line items.   
     
     
         20 . The computer arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to store, as a function of the accounting codes assigned to the line items, the line items under accounting categories in a general ledger chart of accounts of the particular transaction party. 
     
     
         21 . The computer arrangement of  claim 20 , wherein the one or more computers are further configured to:
 configure the line items and the accounting codes assigned thereto into a format specified by the particular transaction party; and   send the configured line items and accounting codes to an automated general ledger chart of accounts processing system specified by the particular transaction party.   
     
     
         22 . The computer arrangement of  claim 13 , wherein the transaction document is a first transaction document, the particular transaction party is a first transaction party, and the one or more computers are further configured to:
 receive a second transaction document at the computer arrangement;   associate, based on information in the second transaction document and the information in the plurality of user profiles, the second transaction document with a second transaction party, the second transaction party being different than the first transaction party; and   assign accounting codes to line items in the second transaction document as a function of classification rules associated with the second transaction party, the classification rules associated with the second transaction party being different than the classification rules associated with the first transaction party.