The term “file” is a rather antiquated term since business don't use physical files anymore. Accounting systems also have data “files” so that could be the applicable term, but then modern accounting systems (Enterprise Resource Planning – ERP) run in databases with tables which reside in files.
So we don't need to get caught up in the term of files but the flow of data.
The accounting system is not just one wild ball of every transaction but different types of transactions occur in different stages and then those all flow into the general ledger.
Let's take that sale. In the enterprise ERP world such as SAP – this would be a “process” called Order to Cash.
So the billing isn't the first step – first the customer gets q quote. Here are the steps:
1. Customer requests a quote for a widget (no posting to GL). (order file)
2. Customer says that's a good quote – let's convert to an order (the cust will send a PO then).
3. *** Various controls will check for customer credit, product availability, and other things. (expect much content around controls)
4. Item ships and customer is billed. Postings to GL are relief of inventory and the sale (DR AR and CR Sales) (customer file, inventory file, general ledger file)
5. Then customer pays. This reduces AR and increases cash. (customer file, general ledger file)
If all of those things were stored in the same place, it would be a horrific and unmanageable mess with very little control and thus risk.
Here is what the files might actually look like:
Customer: Cust account, customer name, payment terms, balance
GL: GL account, transaction date, amount, description
Inventory: Item number, transaction date, quantity, price
Sales: Invoice, transaction date, item, quantity, price per unit, cost per unit, extended price, extended cost, sales rep
AUD - 77
BEC - 81
FAR - 77
REG - 81
REG - 1.
Becker only - fail (forgot to study depr - oops); 2. Becker only - Pass
FAR - 1. Becker only - fail; 2. added
Ninja Notes and MCQ - Pass
AUD - 1. Becker videos; Ninja Notes, Audio, MCQ, Becker
Notes - Pass
BEC - 1. Ninja Notes, Audio, MCQ, Becker Notes - Pass