Chart of Accounts

Chart of Accounts

Design a customized chart of accounts for "$ARGUMENTS". Structure the account hierarchy to match the business type, size, and reporting needs.

Prerequisites

None — utility skill, run anytime. Should be done before starting the bookkeeping cycle.

Process

1. Understand the business:

   • What type of business? (service, retail, manufacturing, SaaS, etc.)
   • What size? (solo, small team, growing company)
   • What reporting is needed? (basic P&L, departmental, project-based)
   • Any industry-specific accounts? (inventory, WIP, deferred revenue)

2. Design account structure:

   • Start from the shared template at shared/chart-of-accounts-template.md
   • Add industry-specific accounts
   • Remove accounts that don't apply
   • Adjust numbering for growth (leave gaps for future accounts)
   • Consider sub-accounts for detailed tracking

3. Define account properties:

   • For each account: number, name, type, normal balance (debit/credit)
   • Group into categories: Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, COGS, Expenses
   • Mark which accounts are active vs. inactive
   • Note any accounts requiring special handling (tax, compliance)

4. Validate the structure:

   • Ensure all transaction types have a home
   • Verify numbering is consistent and allows expansion
   • Check that the chart supports required financial reports
   • Confirm alignment with tax reporting categories

5. Write the artifact to .metapowers/bookkeeping/$ARGUMENTS/chart-of-accounts.md with sections:

   • Business Context — type, size, and reporting needs
   • Account Listing — full chart with number, name, type, normal balance
   • Account Groups — summary of categories and their purpose
   • Usage Notes — guidance on when to use each account
   • Customization Log — what was changed from the template and why

Output

The chart of accounts written to .metapowers/bookkeeping/$ARGUMENTS/chart-of-accounts.md. Present a summary highlighting:

• Total number of accounts by category
• Key customizations for this business
• Recommended accounts to add as the business grows