Motivation

Original intent

abacus started as a project to demonstrate principles of double-entry accounting through Python code, in spirit of build-your-own-x.

Teaching

You can use abacus to teach basics of accounting and accounting information systems (AIS), or as a project in your Python class.

Other uses

• Use abacus as a software component with other open source tools such as medici ledger.
• Convert reports between charts of accounts, for example local accounting standards to IFRS.
• Process business events in scenario simulations and make financial reports.
• Generate prompts for a large language model in accounting (RAG).
• A vendor-agnostic DSL (domain-specific language) for accounting.