I have set out in the pages on Data modelling a number of ideas on how to model data and the opportunity to create rich, open data models that would enable a variety of industry verticals in the form of a “Universal Logical Data Model” (ULDM). The skeleton model has been on GitHub for a while but I have not had the time (or maybe commitment) to put a great deal of content in it so far. However, in a professional context, we have been wrestling with the best way to model Finance (i.e. Accounting) data and this has been a catalyst for making an update to the ULDM in this domain.
I am not an accountant and so I have had to spend a fair amount of time educating myself on the subjects of accountancy and double entry bookkeeping, but I believe this has paid dividends. As ever, credit is due to Len Silverston for his pioneering work on open data models but there remains an opportunity with a richer modelling language to develop and improve his work. While this only scratches the surface of the scope of this domain, I have modelled and documented the core data concepts that underpin an integrated (i.e. financial accounting and management accounting), double entry accounting system.