refactor for double-entry accounting

[chadwhitacre]

Picking up from #3618, which had branch name journal, which ended up being wrong.

[chadwhitacre]

(From #3618 (comment) ...)

I met with a CPA (gratipay/inside.gratipay.com#285). Tidbits from our initial conversation:

• We're on the right track here.
• Modern accounting uses "[general] ledger" to refer to the entire list of transactions, while a "journal" is a partial record ("a payroll journal"). This confirms what my friend said the other day, too. s/journal/ledger
• Transactions encompass one or more debits and credits.
• The payment method (exchange route: CC, PayPal) wouldn't touch the chart of accounts; that could just be a variable in the ledger ("source/destination of funds").
• PA has a statue against earning interest on escrow. It's aimed at lawyers.

Next steps:

• map out all of the things we need to account for and how we currently account for them
• refactor each thing in terms of double-entry accounting (chart of accounts + ledger)
• meet with our CPA again to review our design

[chadwhitacre]

Rebased on master.

[chadwhitacre]

Yes, this is OK.

---

Thank you! :-)

[chadwhitacre]

To: CPA

I've received and reviewed your engagement letter dated July 31. I plan to make a couple changes to the scope and frequency of services, but otherwise it looks good. I expect to get that executed and in the mail back to you tomorrow, along with the $250 retainer.

Looking ahead, how does your schedule look for the week of September 13? My intention is to build the bulk of Gratipay's new escrow accounting software before our meeting, so that we can use our meeting to review the implementation and come up with a list of final changes to the software before we start using it. I anticipate that you and I will need at least 1.5 hours for this, possibly up to 3 hours. I'd prefer to meet in the morning so we're both fresh. Therefore, could we start at 9am, and end between 10:30 and noon? Would either of the following days work for you?

Monday, September 14
Wednesday, September 16

Thanks, []!

[chadwhitacre]

Good to hear from you – unfortunately neither of those days will work. One of our worst periods of the year are the extended deadlines which are 9/15 for business returns and 10/15 for personal returns. Accordingly, I will be up to my eyeballs on the 14th. And after the 15th is over, I will be taking a short vacation for the rest of the week. How about the following week?

---

Ok, not a problem. How about Monday the 21st? If you'll have too much digging out to do then, we could also look at Wednesday the 23rd.

---

P.S. I did mail the engagement letter yesterday, along with a check [$250 retainer]. I wasn't comfortable assuming personal liability, so you'll see that I struck that part and just signed for Gratipay, LLC. There were a few scope changes as well. Let me know how that all looks once you get it.

[chadwhitacre]

Don't forget to account for balance transfers during take-over.

[chadwhitacre]

I have other commitments on the 21st. Sorry for getting back to you so late.

Wednesday the 23rd will work but I have a commitment for the morning. I would be available at 1:30?

---

Let's do it: Wednesday, September 23 at 1:30pm. How much time will you have available that afternoon?

[chadwhitacre]

OK – I should have about 2-2.5 hours available if needed

---

Sounds good, Peter. Let me know if there are any problems with the engagement letter. Looking forward to the 23rd!

[chadwhitacre]

Okay, rebased on master (old HEAD ed692e4).

[chadwhitacre]

This PR is out of control. I'm gonna start a new one and salvage for parts.