How safe is GnuCash?

GWB gwb at 2realms.com
Wed Jan 11 20:13:21 EST 2017


Interesting question, but I would disagree with the assertion that
gnucash lacking these features is not much better than a spreadsheet.
I have yet to encounter an audit by a governmental unit that did not
require some trail of actual receipts and statements.  I'm not sure I
would use gnucash for a GAAP audit, but it does a very good job for
book keeping and tracking expenses.  There was an earlier thread on
the list from either Norway or Sweden referencing a governmentally
mandated type of software that could do traceable audits.  My response
then was that if you happen to be in their jurisdiction ask them to
give you the software that meets their requirements.  They should do
so for free.  If they won't or can't, use your vote to get the people
responsible for that mandate out of office.

As for audits required by businesses, comptrollers, banks,
fiduciaries, venture funds, etc., I would not know.  Forensic
accounting must have some kinds of software that they use; that might
be a good place to start looking.

Gordon

On Wed, Jan 11, 2017 at 1:10 PM,  <70147persson at telia.com> wrote:
> How safe is GnuCash? No, I am not talking about lack of bugs etc, but from
> an auditor's point of view. How to secure that no one is manipulating the
> figures in the book? The best way of book keeping is an, in advance
> paginated, paper book, in which you write your notes with non erasable ink.
> Then, if I make a mistake, I have to make a change by drawing a straight
> line (in ink) over the wrong figures and write the correct ones next to the
> original and sign it with my signature. That way the auditor can see all
> changes and can verify it to the written documents/verifications.
>
> A good electronic book keeping system should be as close to these (manual)
> methods as possible, and I have also seen such programs. An already written
> and accepted notation can never be changed in such a program, but
> substituted with the correct one next to the original. Moreover there are
> log files, protected with checksums, where all transactions are noted.
>
> Does GnuCash have anything of this? My impression is no, but I might have
> missed something important. If not  the program is not much better then a
> simple spread sheet, which some people use, although a wee easier to use.
> When using GnuCash or any book keeping program, in professional business,
> and if I was the auditor I would demand these facilities, to make sure that
> no way exist to manipulate the book after the original book keeping .
>
> /Kaj
>
> _______________________________________________
> gnucash-user mailing list
> gnucash-user at gnucash.org
> https://lists.gnucash.org/mailman/listinfo/gnucash-user
> -----
> Please remember to CC this list on all your replies.
> You can do this by using Reply-To-List or Reply-All.


More information about the gnucash-user mailing list