Open source Java-based accounting and bookkeeping program Gnuaccounting has been enhanced with new features for cross-platform invoicing.
The program’s proprietary Open Business Data Exchange format has been abandoned in favor of “openTRANS,” an open, independent standard for electronic invoices that is being developed under the management of Fraunhofer Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation. The changeover makes it possible to exchange data with other programs.
In addition, Gnuaccounting can now send out invoices to customers, including openTRANS files, by e-mail. With the aim of transmitting data better, Gnuaccounting has introduced a credit/debit indicator to the staggered set of accounts.
“For this latest version of Gnuaccounting some of the changes really were very fundamental, reaching right down into the architecture of the program,” explained the software’s creator, Jochen Stärk. “This did have its advantages, for example, a simplified program structure and sustainability. The disadvantages included a lengthy development time, the fact that it was not possible to transfer data from previous versions, and a long and intensive test phase.”
The program is available in German and English and can be used as a portable application or on external databases such as MySQL or PostgreSQL. The 32-bit versions are supported by Windows XP, Vista and 7, and KDE-based 32 and 64-bit versions of Linux.
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