Analyze

Analyze financial transactions for "$ARGUMENTS". Review source documents, identify events with financial impact, and determine which accounts are affected.

Prerequisites

None — this is the first phase.

Process

1. Gather source documents:

   • What type of entity is this? (sole proprietorship, LLC, corporation, nonprofit)
   • What accounting period are we covering?
   • Collect invoices, receipts, bank statements, contracts, and payroll records
   • Identify the chart of accounts in use (or create one)

2. Classify transactions:

   • For each document, determine the transaction date and amount
   • Identify which accounts are affected (assets, liabilities, equity, revenue, expenses)
   • Determine whether each account increases or decreases
   • Flag any unusual or complex transactions requiring further review

3. Assess accounting basis:

   • Is the entity using cash basis or accrual basis?
   • Are there any special recognition rules (percentage-of-completion, subscription revenue, etc.)?
   • Note any multi-currency or intercompany considerations

4. Write the artifact to .metapowers/accounting/$ARGUMENTS/01-analyze.md with sections:

   • Entity Profile — type, size, industry, accounting basis
   • Chart of Accounts — account categories and numbering
   • Transaction Register — chronological list of transactions with accounts affected
   • Flags & Notes — unusual items, open questions, items needing further documentation

Output

The analysis written to .metapowers/accounting/$ARGUMENTS/01-analyze.md. Present a summary highlighting:

• Number of transactions identified
• Account categories involved
• Any flagged items requiring attention