Single or multi-company business accounting system and method for same including account number maintenance

Abstract

A computer implemented method for account number maintenance used within a single or multi-company accounting system is provided. The method comprises at a processor, performing the account number maintenance on at least one of a plurality of accounts. Each of the accounts has a plurality of account segments. Performing the account number maintenance includes at least one of i) renaming the account segment of at least one of the accounts; ii) changing a length the account segment of at least one of the accounts from a first defined length having a first number of characters to a new defined length having a second number of characters; iii) changing the account segment of at least one of the accounts; iv) merging two or more of the accounts into one of the accounts; and v) splitting one of the accounts into two different accounts.

1 . A computer implemented method for account number maintenance used within a single or multi-company accounting system that operates on a computer arrangement and which is accessible by one or more persons defining an interface user, the method comprising:
 at a processor, performing the account number maintenance on at least one of a plurality of accounts within the single or multi-company accounting system, each of the accounts having a plurality of account segments defining the account including a natural account segment, a company segment, and one or more business segments, and wherein the natural account segment defines a specific type of one of an asset, a liability, an owner equity, a revenue and an expense, the company segment associated with one of one or more companies associated with the accounting system, and the one or more business segments each having a definable category for tracking money within the accounting system, wherein performing the account number maintenance comprises:
 i) the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement a specified criteria for merging two or more of the accounts into one of the accounts, wherein the specified criteria specifies:
 one or more segments used in the two or more of the accounts comprising the natural account segment, the company segment, the one or more business segments, or a combination thereof; and 
 optionally a time period that defines a specific number of days; 
 
 ii) identifying the two or more of the accounts to be merged via a search using the specified criteria; and 
 iii) merging the two or more of the accounts into one of the accounts comprising:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement a first existing segment value to replace a second existing segment value of the natural account segment or the one or more business segments, wherein the second segment value is associated with one or more second accounts that were identified via the search using the specified criteria and the first existing segment value is associated with one or more first accounts in which all of the segment values of the natural account segment, the company segment, and the one or more business segments for each of the one or more first accounts match corresponding segment values of the one or more second accounts except for the first and second existing segment values; and 
 the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value to define merged first accounts, wherein if the specified criteria includes the time period, then no change is made to a General Ledger before or after the time period and merging the two or more of the accounts is done in the General Ledger only for activity with a General Ledger date within the time period. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein merging the two or more of the accounts comprises:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement the first existing segment value to replace the second existing segment value of the natural account segment; and
 the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value of the natural account segment to define the merged first accounts. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein merging the two or more of the accounts changes the general ledger. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein merging the two or more of the accounts comprises:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement the first existing segment value to replace the second existing segment value of a first business segment; and   the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value of the first business segment to define the merged first accounts.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein merging the two or more of the accounts changes the general ledger. 
     
     
         6 . A single or multi-company accounting system for providing a computer implemented method for account number maintenance and which is accessible by one or more persons defining an interface user, the system comprising:
 a computer arrangement operative to:
 perform the account number maintenance on at least one of a plurality of accounts within the single or multi-company accounting system, each of the accounts having a plurality of account segments defining the account including a natural account segment, a company segment, and one or more business segments, the natural account segment defining a specific type of one of an asset, a liability, an owner equity, a revenue and an expense, the company segment associated with one of one or more companies associated with the accounting system, and the one or more business segments each having a definable category for tracking money within the accounting system, wherein performing the account number maintenance comprises: 
 i) the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement a specified criteria for merging two or more of the accounts into one of the accounts, wherein the specified criteria specifies:
 one or more segments used in the two or more of the accounts comprising the natural account segment, the company segment, the one or more business segments, or a combination thereof; and 
 optionally a time period that defines a specific number of days; 
 
 ii) identifying the two or more of the accounts to be merged via a search using the specified criteria; and 
 iii) merging the two or more of the accounts into one of the accounts comprising:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement a first existing segment value to replace a second existing segment value of the natural account segment or the one or more business segments, wherein the second segment value is associated with one or more second accounts that were identified via the search using the specified criteria and the first existing segment value is associated with one or more first accounts in which all of the segment values of the natural account segment, the company segment, and the one or more business segments for each of the one or more first accounts match corresponding segment values of the one or more second accounts except for the first and second existing segment values; and 
 the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value to define merged first accounts, wherein if the specified criteria includes the time period, then no change is made to a General Ledger before or after the time period and merging the two or more of the accounts is done in the General Ledger only for activity with a General Ledger date within the time period. 
 
   
     
     
         7 . The single or multi-company accounting system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer arrangement is operative to perform the account number maintenance comprising:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement the first existing segment value to replace the second existing segment value of the natural account segment; and   the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value of the natural account segment to define the merged first accounts.   
     
     
         8 . The single or multi-company accounting system of  claim 6 , wherein the computer arrangement is operative to perform the account number maintenance comprising:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement the first existing segment value to replace the second existing segment value of a first business segment; and   the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value of the first business segment to define the merged first accounts.   
     
     
         9 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a set of instructions for providing a computer implemented method for account number maintenance used within a single or multi-company accounting system which is accessible by one or more persons defining an interface user, the set of instructions to direct a processor to perform acts of:
 performing the account number maintenance on at least one of a plurality of accounts within the single or multi-company accounting system, each of the accounts having a plurality of account segments defining the account including a natural account segment, a company segment, and one or more business segments, the natural account segment defining a specific type of one of an asset, a liability, an owner equity, a revenue and an expense, the company segment associated with one of one or more companies associated with the accounting system, and the one or more business segments each having a definable category for tracking money within the accounting system, wherein performing the account number maintenance comprises:
 i) the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement a specified criteria for merging two or more of the accounts into one of the accounts, wherein the specified criteria specifies:
 one or more segments used in the two or more of the accounts comprising the natural account segment, the company segment, the one or more business segments, or a combination thereof; and 
 optionally a time period that defines a specific number of days; 
 
 ii) identifying the two or more of the accounts to be merged via a search using the specified criteria; and 
 iii) merging the two or more of the accounts into one of the accounts comprising:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement a first existing segment value to replace a second existing segment value of the natural account segment or the one or more business segments, wherein the second segment value is associated with one or more second accounts that were identified via the search using the specified criteria and the first existing segment value is associated with one or more first accounts in which all of the segment values of the natural account segment, the company segment, and the one or more business segments for each of the one or more first accounts match corresponding segment values of the one or more second accounts except for the first and second existing segment values; and 
 the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value to define merged first accounts, wherein if the specified criteria includes the time period, then no change is made to a General Ledger before or after the time period and merging the two or more of the accounts is done in the General Ledger only for activity with a General Ledger date within the time period. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein performing the account number maintenance comprises:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement the first existing segment value to replace the second existing segment value of the natural account segments; and   the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value of the natural account segment to define the merged first accounts.   
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 9 , wherein performing the account number maintenance comprises:
 the interface user entering into the single or multi-company accounting system via the computer arrangement the first existing segment value to replace the second existing segment value of a first business segment; and   the single or multi-company accounting system merging the one or more second accounts in with the one or more first accounts based on the specified criteria including replacing the second existing segment value for each of the one or more second accounts with the first existing segment value of the first business segment to define the merged first accounts.