Can you trust accounting software numbers?
Recently I was looking at some data entered on a company accounts system. The line items on a good received note (comes with the goods) matched line items on the invoice (sent later for payment) but did match In fact it came out as 2 minor units of the local currency.
The invoice had less than 20 items on it and added up to less then a 1000 units of the local currency.
People who use FAE, CFD and combustion modelling programs know that their results can be suspicious due to the mathematical errors propagating through the calculation cycle 1000s of times, but I was shocked to find this happening so easily. for what is basically Sum = Sum + (Quantity x unit price) Yes they do price items at fractions of a minor currency unit IE 0.00xx /ea but should that not be accounted for in allowed accuracy of numerical entry?
I'm pretty worried about this. However to avoid spreading FUD I'm not going to name the package or the hardware of the home currency. Yes I am based somewhere in Europe/North America but I think that's a fairly wide area. I'm sure there are various players across the region but also some strong "local" players that are probably unknown outside a few countries.
If someone mentions the package and a similar experience I will confirm the package
Any AC's from the Marketing department saying how this could never happen with product X will be down voted automatically.
So is this just how real accounts packages work and it's the developers dirty little secret and I should just sit tight and not worry about it?
Because I find that very hard to believe.
Ladies and gentlemen the floor is yours.