[GNC-dev] Adding module to make GnuCash more valuable

[Derek Atkins]

Rosi,

Rosi Dimova via gnucash-devel <gnucash-devel at gnucash.org> writes:

[snip]
> Here it is why:
> - B/L actually acts as a security. Theoretically, it doesn’t serve as
> a document of ownership (as per popular readings on the
> Internet). Practically, it is just like that! It’s a very special
> document of title. It transfers ownership while the commodity of any
> value is on the move - on board or at any other point of shipment. And
> GNC supports securities - I can recall it from the translation 9y ago,
> even if I have no idea how it works

I think the issue here is that GnuCash could be used to keep track of
the value of the B/L, and even record when the transfer happens, but it
does not have the capability to actually *transfer* the actual B/L
between entities.

I think the closest you could get would perhaps be the business features
in terms of the Invoice operations, but I don't think that applies here,
either.  That's an AR operation.  You create the Invoice when to
initiate the Receivable, and inform the customer that they owe you
money.  However, there is no document that shows when the invoice has
been paid, per se (there is the ability to re-print the invoice and show
the payments on it).  But I don't think that counts as a B/L.

> - Afaik, there is no such product on the market. Believe it or not,
> both commodity and money flow work fine even without it, yet... There
> is no commercial or free software solution for freight-forwarders
> since 40+ years. Shipping lines have it, but it is easy for them,
> because they act as Principal-Agent which is basically server-client
> relationship.

I believe that there is no product on the market.

[snip]
> Guys, I’m not here to recruit any of you for my idea, but to tell me
> why GNC is not suitable. If you want to get rid off me, just say:
> GNC‘s features do not allow to keep track on consecutive documents (as
> invoices) or don’t support software for digital signature. Or
> EDI-standard could not be implemented. And I’ll give up or put it on
> hold and just live my life :)

GnuCash does not currently have any support for digital signatures, nor
does it have any way to import/sign/export a multi-stage Invoice (or any
other document).  And I'm with John (and everyone else) here.  I don't
think GnuCash is really the right tool to implement that.

I will also note that in my $DAYJOB I am working on building an
ownership transfer system sort of like a B/L but more designed for IoT
so that the end owner of a device and prove that it's the device's owner
(and then provision it) without requiring any UI on the device itself.
But again, it's not quite a B/L system, even though it has the ownership
provenence piece of a B/L system embedded in it.

Good Luck,

> Kind regards,
> Rosi

-derek

-- 
       Derek Atkins                 617-623-3745
       derek at ihtfp.com             www.ihtfp.com
       Computer and Internet Security Consultant