Treasury

New Accounting System

Minimum Requirements

Following are the features that we need to keep track of our basic finances:

• import and reconcile transactions (Xero is TERRIBLE at this) from
  • Wells Fargo
  • Paypal
  • Square
  • other possible options listed under Treasury#Billing & Payment processing
• keep repeating invoices for membership dues & regular donors
• some smart suggestions to reconcile incoming transactions with their matching invoices (xero is betarded at this. It searches only by amount, not by name and amount)
• categories for flagging transactions as various types of expenses and income to make taxes easier
• custom categories / tagging to track income/expenses for sub-projects (like the Noisebridge Tor project) separately from the general fund
• some reasonably convenient way to output data (graphs and reports would be nice, but good clean csv files would do. I can matplotlib that shit.)
• clear tracking of unpaid invoices
• Reasonably forgiving and customizable rules system (i.e. xero has logical rules for automating reconciliation but won't let you create rules to reconcile against created invoices, only to create new transactions)
• Reasonable batch edit UI (i.e. xero won't let you delete invoices once created, you can only void them, one at a time, and it's 4 clicks per void. Not A Feature.)
• generate receipts easily
• report generation for standard bookkeeping reports such as a balance sheet and profit & loss for reasonably custom date ranges.
• web-based or linux-compatible local app. Some sort of remote data storage and ability to access from multiple machines is required. (Dropbox is an acceptable aid for this)

Bonus Features

These are in order of priority. Lacking any of these is not a deal breaker, but we really hope for the new system to include some of the higher-priority extras.

• API
• direct access to the full details of paypal or square transactions (i.e. notes to the payee, etc)
• really smart algorithms for invoice reconciliation, alteration and deletion (i.e. delete invoices for this member during these dates or change the invoice amount on individual invoices without affecting repeating invoices)
• an interface which isn't bleeding edge flash that trips up in Linux
• automated email invoicing for recurring invoices

Options to look into

Bookkeeping

• Quickbooks
• Less Accounting
  • Recurring invoices: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mia5zCN24Q4
  • API: http://lessaccounting.com/api (but doesn't have library implementations, so ActiveResource)
• GNU Cash (other examples here: http://hackerspaces.org/wiki/Hackerspace_Software)
• Freshbooks
  • $30 per month for unlimited clients
  • Import Clients using CSV http://community.freshbooks.com/support/is-there-a-way-to-import-data-into-my-freshbooks-account/
  • You can not import invoices, payments, estimates, staff, projects, items, tasks, or timesheets into FreshBooks.
    • So we'd need to use API to set up recurring invoices for all users http://developers.freshbooks.com/billing/
  • Recurring invoices
    • Out of the box (with template support)
    • With Formstack integration http://blog.formstack.com/2010/05/27/freshbooks-integration-feature-upgrades/
  • OOTB Integration with:
    • Paypal http://www.freshbooks.com/paypal-integration.php
    • Authorize.net http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2008/01/24/authorizenet-picks-freshbooks/
    • Google Checkout http://www.freshbooks.com/blog/2009/01/28/freshbooks-now-supports-google-checkout/
  • WePay with Formstack integration http://blog.formstack.com/2010/12/14/capture-data-and-collect-money-with-formstack-wepay/
  • API (Ruby / Python / Java) - http://developers.freshbooks.com/
    • Ruby Gem: https://github.com/bcurren/freshbooks.rb
  • Seems to have happy customers http://www.yfncg.com/2011/05/16/computer-guys-toolbox-payment-collection/
  • Good review from PC Magazine http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2254091,00.asp
• Zoho Invoice
  • Recurring invoices: http://www.zoho.com/invoice/help/invoices/online-recurring-invoices.html
  • API: http://www.zoho.com/invoice/api/index.html
  • Danny says that Zoho can't import very well.
• Turbocash
  • Recurring invoices: http://turbocash.net/Knowledge-Base/Repeating-Invoices/
  • Windows / Linux (with WINE) and very dodgy text...
• Accounting package overview
  • http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2382514,00.asp?obref=obinsite

Billing & Payment processing

• WePay
  • User:Hurtstotouchfire was contacted by WePay and had a phone meeting with them to discuss how they fit with us as a business. They are very nice and have API support. More notes on that call on User_talk:Hurtstotouchfire.
  • Donations https://www.wepay.com/about/why_donations
  • Request Money https://www.wepay.com/about/why_bills
  • Recurring payments
  • creating a wepay account is optional for transactions. WePay will process on a one-time basis. Account likely necessary for repeating payments.
  • Has fees (3.5%, comparable to paypal) https://www.wepay.com/about/fees
  • API
  • Formstack integration
• Chargify
  • Recurring Billing
• Spreedly - Recurring Billing
• Recurly - Recurring billing
• CheddarGetter
  • Cash in general
• PintPay
• Mazooma - online service for bank account transfers.
  • can't find much info on creating a merchant account without actually signing up. Annoying FAQ.
  • accepts most big banks. Credit unions probably screwed.
• MoneyBookers - online payments
  • Looks like a pretty direct paypal substitute
  • Supports recurring payments
  • In the USA, accepts visa, mastercard, and bank transfers
    • Uses Mazooma for bank transfers
  • Good international support for payment systems
  • Fees include a flat $0.29 + 2.9%
    • There are additional fees for some transaction types. Very confusing fee structure.
  • Money laundering policy! - honestly these guys come off as corporate dicks. Anyone have positive things to say about them?
• Flattr - micropayment system
  • Uses Moneybookers or PayPal to transfer funds.
  • 10% fee.
• Google Checkout - online payment processing
  • Fee maximum: 2.9% + $0.30 (less if we have >$3K/mo transactions, but that's unlikely)
  • requires a google account