General ledger management system and method

• US 20040111342A1
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Published: 06/10/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Wang, Juei-Mei
• Application Number:
  US10/405,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20040111342A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

A general ledger management system includes client computers (10), a database (14), and an application server (12). The application server includes a journal ledger management unit (23), a voucher carrying forward unit (24), a posting unit (25), an account balancing unit (26), and a statement generating unit (27). The journal ledger management unit is for setting different types of vouchers, and entering the vouchers to a general ledger. The voucher carrying forward unit is for automatically carrying forward subsidiary ledgers of an external financial system to vouchers of the general ledger. The posting unit is for entering data in vouchers to transaction records of accounting subjects of the general ledger, and calculating gross balances of the accounting subjects. The account balancing unit is for balancing accounts to obtain closing balances. The statement generating unit is for generating various financial statements according to statement generating conditions and templates set by users.

Claims

1. A general ledger management system connected to at least one external financial system for obtaining transaction records from the at least one external financial system, the general ledger management system comprising:

a plurality of client computers, each of the client computers providing a user interface for inputting and displaying data;

a database for storing information including opening balances and closing balances of accounting subjects; and

an application server comprising;

an authorization control unit for defining and controlling operational rights and scope for each of users of the general ledger management system;

a data maintenance unit for adding, modifying, searching and deleting information;

an account opening unit for setting opening balances of accounting subjects when the general ledger management system is initially put into use;

a journal ledger management unit for setting different types of vouchers, and for entering the vouchers to a general ledger;

a voucher carrying forward unit for automatically carrying forward subsidiary ledgers of an external financial system to vouchers of the general ledger;

a posting unit for entering data in vouchers to transaction records of accounting subjects of the general ledger, and calculating gross balances of accounting subjects;

an account balancing unit for balancing accounts to obtain closing balances; and

a statement generating unit for generating various desired financial statements according to statement generating conditions and statement templates set by a user.

2. The general ledger management system according to claim 1, wherein the data maintenance unit comprises a fiscal period setting device for setting fiscal years and fiscal periods.

3. The general ledger management system according to claim 1, wherein the data maintenance unit comprises an accounting subject maintenance device for maintaining accounting subjects, structures of accounting subjects and subject segmenting.

4. The general ledger management system according to claim 1, wherein the data maintenance unit comprises an accounting subject grouping device for maintaining accounting subject groupings.

5. The general ledger management system according to claim 1, wherein the data maintenance unit comprises a statement template maintenance device for setting types, typesetting and formats of financial statements.

6. The general ledger management system according to claim 1, wherein the data maintenance unit comprises an expense allocation device for maintaining allocated expenses.

7. The general ledger management system according to claim 1, wherein the external financial system can comprise an accounts receivable management subsystem, an accounts payable management subsystem, a note management subsystem, and a fixed asset management subsystem.

8. A general ledger management method using a general ledger management system, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) setting basic information through a user interface;

(b) determining whether the general ledger management system is being used for a first time;

(c) opening accounts manually if the general ledger management system is being used for the first time;

(d) determining whether there is an applicable external financial system;

(e) carrying forward external ledgers to vouchers of a general ledger if there is an applicable external financial system;

(f) entering journal ledgers in vouchers of the general ledger if there is no applicable external financial system;

(g) posting the vouchers to the general ledger;

(h) balancing accounts of the general ledger management system; and

(i) generating a financial statement.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein step (a) comprises the step of defining fiscal years or fiscal periods.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein step (f) comprises the step of setting one or more different types of vouchers, and entering the vouchers to the general ledger.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein step (i) comprises the step of setting statement generating conditions through the user interface.

12. The method according to claim 8, further comprising the step of creating additional accounting entries for entering journal ledgers in vouchers of the general ledger.

13. A method of running a ledger management system capable of automatically generating entries and accounting vouchers based upon external financial systems, comprising steps of:

(a) providing a ledger management system linked to a plurality of external financial systems;

(b) setting basic information through a user interface;

(c) determining whether the general ledger management system is being used for a first time;

(d) opening accounts manually if the general ledger management system is being used for the first time;

(e) carrying forward external ledgers to vouchers of a general ledger;

(f) posting the vouchers to the general ledger;

(g) balancing accounts of the general ledger management system; and

(h) generating a financial statement.