Authors: Andrew Mitchell, Chris Partridge, Frederik Gailly, Mesbah Khan, Michaël Verdonck, Sergio de Cesare
Tags: 2018, conceptual modeling
Double entry bookkeeping lies at the core of modern accounting. It is shaped by a fundamental conceptual pattern; a design decision that was popularised by Pacioli some 500 years ago and subsequently institutionalised into accounting practice and systems. Debits and credits are core components of this conceptual pattern. This paper suggests that a different conceptual pattern, one that does not have debits and credits as its components, may be more suited to some modern accounting information systems. It makes the case by looking at two conceptual design choices that permeate the Pacioli pattern; de se and directional terms – leading to a de se directional conceptual pattern. It suggests alternative design choices – de re and non-directional terms, leading to a de re non-directional conceptual pattern – have some advantages in modern complex, computer-based, business environments.Read the full paper here: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-01391-2_20
