treasuredb/README.md

README
======

TreasureDB is a plain SQLite database application to observe and trace the finances of a
non-profit registered society or club.  The ideal state of balance is zero both in debit
and in credit because they even out. In Germany, such clubs may not accumulate reserves.

How does it work?
-----------------

There are four tables: Account, Credit, Debit and Transfers.

Account table stores the static details, i.e. the type of account, the record identifier for
another table that stores more information about the account owner, and the IBAN for outgoing
bank transfers.

The Credit table stores bank transfers from the member to the club, and also the target
records of internal transfers to the club and other members performing commercial services for
it. The value of the former sort is initially >0 and should not be altered afterwards.
The latter's value always starts at 0 and is increased automatically by transfers linked to the
according debts.

The Debit table stores the receipts documenting a debt, their link to the credit record of the
respective recipient as well as to the account from which it is paid.

The Transfer stores when which amount is transferred from which credit record to settle which debt.
So, a debt can be associated with n source credits, and a souce credit can settle multiple debts.
Transfers cannot be altered once inserted, they need to be revoked and re-entered. This is due to
triggers that have to rebalance the involved accounts. Whenever the view Balance contains positive
values for both credit and debt in a line, this indicates transfers yet to be entered.

Using the sqlite3 database purposefully means two things:

 1. Keep `ReconstructedBankStatement` view in sync with the actual statements received from your bank
   by entering the incoming and outcoming bank transfers in the Credit or Debit table, respectively,
   best as soon as they show up.

 2. Ideally, all records in the `Balance` view must be 0 in each of debit, credit and promised
   columns. If neither debit nor credit is zero in the same record, you need to make internal transfers
   linking records from the `CurrentDebts` and from the `AvailableCredits` tables. Otherwise,
   ensure that members make the transfers they are obligated to and return any money that is paid
   too much unless the indicated purposes, if any, also refer to dues in certain future.

Installation
------------

As it is a SQLite3 database with all consistency and calculatory logic built in, you only
need the `sqlite3` binary or any sqlite3 GUI software to run it.

1. Ensure sqlite3 is installed

1. Run the test suite: `./test.sh` (on Linux and unix systems with Bash installed)

        # Or go by foot and test manually a little bit further
        treasuredb $ sqlite3
        SQLite version 3.8.7.1 2014-10-29 13:59:56
        Enter ".help" for usage hints.
        Connected to a transient in-memory database.
        Use ".open FILENAME" to reopen on a persistent database.
        sqlite> .read schema.sql
        
        sqlite> .read t/schema.sql
        ...

1. Setup the database: `sqlite3 treasure.db < schema.sql`

1. Study the files to learn how to work with the system: `less schema.sql t/schema.???`


License
-------

Copyright (c) 2016, Florian Heß.
All rights reserved.

See details in LICENSE file containing the BSD 3-clause revised license.