Hi Peter; On Mon, Jun 18, 2012 at 7:34 PM, Peter Dolding <[email protected]> wrote: > I am from Australia. The ATO here provides 45 test scenarios to make > sure software is working correctly to be used todo accountancy in > Australia. > > http://softwaredevelopers.ato.gov.au/testscenarios
Thanks for that. It may be helpful. > > There is a list of products that pass > http://softwaredevelopers.ato.gov.au/viewproductregister > > Currently there is not one single open source program listed. This is > where accountants in Australia will go and look for software. > > I would suspect other countries have the same thing. Also registered > developer companies can get access to information about the Australian > tax system before they happen. So not being registered is competing > with one hand tied behind back. > > Yes I want to see more FOSS accountancy software in Australia. Only > recently here did we get the means to submit items from Linux systems > to the Tax Office. > > http://auskey.itmaze.com.au/how-to/auskey-under-linux > > Only end of 2010 did we get auskey for Linux. Before that to > electronically submit to the tax office and you were running Linux or > OS X you could buy a copy of windows and a virtual machine package and > write that off on the tax return. So Linux based accountancy was kind > battling up hill. Interesting. > > I suspect I am not alone with this problem of FOSS software not being > registered with thier countries tax offices. There is also not a list > of tax offices around the world and there requirements in accountancy > software. > > Maybe this list should be on the wikipedia or some other joint project > between FOSS in the hope of getting tax offices to share methods. Perhaps. There are some other problems that come to mind here and they are big problems..... I have been just now starting to seriously look at what will be required to make LedgerSMB into a software package with world-class support for a very large number of regulatory jurisdictions. This is a huge problem. The problem which no single business can address as such is the fact that all these different jurisdictions are, well, different. They change their regulations on different schedules, the regulations may be somewhat nuanced, and so forth. This means that this is not a problem which is well suited to a single player in the industry to solve, and it really requires local voices who know the regulations both in theory and practice, and can act as a voice helping the community figure out what we need to do to meet the regulatory requirements. Also a lot of regulatory compliance work is a bit difficult to pay for in a standard pay-for-development open source model since it leads to one person paying for compliance for everyone else, over and over. I think paying for it will require a local party offering support subscriptions. (I can partner with you on these if you need development help etc). I think this is one thing we are both trying to address. I would like to see however the idea that we create a place for local players in helping get this through. So I guess I would turn the proposal on its head and suggest: 1) We look at seeing what we need to do to pass these tests if we don't do so already 2) We look into the registration process 3) We look for local partners in Australia who can help with things like payroll regulations. Looking through the set of tests: 1) We don't currently automate a capital gains reporting, or AIIR reporting. 2) We don't try to handle franked dividends 3) The sales tax scenarios would apply 4) The income tax withholding may be necessary as we get further. 5) Some of the other reporting stuff is not handled yet but would be an area where a local partner might have a role in getting that going. Did I miss something? Best Wishes, Chris Travers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Live Security Virtual Conference Exclusive live event will cover all the ways today's security and threat landscape has changed and how IT managers can respond. Discussions will include endpoint security, mobile security and the latest in malware threats. http://www.accelacomm.com/jaw/sfrnl04242012/114/50122263/ _______________________________________________ Ledger-smb-devel mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/ledger-smb-devel
