Automatic Corrections for Accounting Exams: extension for exercises preparation and correction [BETA]

[This extension and this documentation is in development and is not in its final form]

How it works

• Students complete the double entry accounting exercises using Banana Accounting.
• Automatic Corrections for Accounting Exams compares the student file with the solution file, highlights errors, shows the correct solution and calculates the score. 

This process largely automates the correction work, allowing teachers to focus more on providing personalized feedback to their students.

Prerequisites

The extension requires the Advanced subscription plan of Banana Accounting Plus.

A Free subscription is available for schools.

The workflow for using the extension

The extension assumes that the teacher gives the student an exercise composed of different assignments on how to record transactions with double-entry accounting:

• The teacher prepares:
  • The exercise-assignment-file, usually a Word or PDF document, which in some cases may also include documents such as invoices or receipts.
    • The exercise, which consists of multiple assignments or documents.
    • Each assignment or document should have a unique number or identifier (numeric, alphabetic, or similar).
    • Instructions on how students should record accounting entries when they span multiple lines.
  • The student-file-empty, a ready-to-use Banana Accounting template that already contains an accounting plan. If necessary, the teacher can import a different plan into the file.
  • The teacher-file-solution, which contains the correct transactions in the Transactions table:
    • Each transaction must include the exercise number or identifier in the Doc column.
      • If the transaction spans multiple lines, the number must be repeated.
• The student will then:
  • Receive the student-file-empty.
  • Create their own student-file-result by renaming the file with their name.
  • Enter the required transactions in the file.
  • Return the file to the teacher via e-mail or by saving it to a cloud platform such as Moodle, Google Classroom, or similar.
• Teacher correction process:
  • All student-result-files received are saved in a directory named student-original.
  • These files are also copied into another directory named student-corrections.
  • The sequence of exercises in either the student’s file or the teacher’s file is not important. The extension associates the exercise numbers or identifiers with the corresponding solutions.
  • For each student’s file in the student-corrections folder, the teacher will:
    • Open the file in Banana Accounting Plus.
    • Execute the command Extensions > Automatic Corrections for Accounting Exams > Correct the exercises.
    • Select the teacher-file-solution when prompted.
    • Let the extension update the student file with corrections, automated score calculations, and other information.
    • Save the corrected file.
    • Return the file to the student.

Preparing the accounting exercise 

As usual, the teacher prepares the double-entry accounting exercise using a word processor.

• Transaction number: each exercise is assigned a unique number.
• Transaction description: each exercise begins with a description of a financial transaction that has occurred within a business. This could involve activities such as purchasing goods, selling services, paying expenses, receiving payments, or acquiring loans.

The teacher also prepares a Banana Accounting template with the accounting plan, but without any transactions entered.

Students use Banana Accounting to enter the transactions in order to solve the exercise. They then submit the completed file to the teacher.

Below is an example of an accounting exercise prepared by the teacher.

Teacher Solution File

The teacher creates a Banana Accounting file containing the double-entry records for each exercise.

• In the Transaction Table the teacher enters the transactions corresponding to each exercise.
  • The solution has multiple lines.
• Each transaction must include the exercise number in the Doc column which can be numeric or alphanumeric.
  • The number should match the one in the assignment file or in the related document (such as an invoice, receipt, or other supporting document).
  • If a transaction requires multiple lines, the same exercise number must be repeated on each line.
  • The order of exercises in either the student’s file or the teacher’s file is not important.
  • The sequence of accounting transactions across multiple lines does not affect the functioning of the correction or the calculation of scores.

Below is an image showing an example of the teacher’s solution file.

Auto Score Calculation

In collaboration with accounting teachers we are experimenting with automating the process of score calculation.

• Each row in the exercise is evaluated separately.
• If an exercise has multiple rows, each row receives its own score.

The settings in the teacher’s file are configured to assign partial points for each element of the accounting transaction, even when the transaction spans multiple lines. Specifically, points are awarded for each of the following correct entries:

• debit account
• credit account
• amount
• date
• VAT code
• currency amount
• currency
• exchange rate

Scores can be reduced down to zero if all columns are incorrect. Teachers can also customize the scoring system by adjusting the settings.

At the bottom of the student-result-file, the total score obtained by the student is displayed, along with the maximum possible score.

Correction of the Student's Files 

We assume that:

• Each student has completed the exercise using Banana Accounting.
• Each student has created a file and submitted it to the teacher.

The correction process will add information directly to the student’s file. To preserve the original work, it is recommended to first make a copy of the file.

When the teacher runs the Correct command, the extension automatically adds the following information to the student’s file:

• Max Score: the maximum possible score that can be achieved.
• Auto Score (Calculated): the score automatically calculated by the extension.
• Adjusted Score (Teacher adjusted score): the score after the teacher’s review or manual adjustment.
• Corrections Notes: feedback showing which values were incorrect.

Correcting a Single Student File

• Open the student's accounting file.
• Click on the Extensions menu in Banana Accounting Plus.
• Click on Automatic Corrections for Accounting Exams and then, on the right, click on Correct the exercises.
• A window will appear asking you to select the Banana Accounting Plus file containing the exercise solutions. Once the solution file is selected, click Open.
• A preview window, similar to the one shown below, will open with the information that will be automatically added to the file. Click Ok button to confirm and view the results in the Transactions table.

How to read the result

In the image below, the student’s accounting transactions are displayed alongside the teacher’s solutions for easier comparison:

• Teacher’s solutions – shown in bold, so teachers can quickly identify errors.
• Square brackets – placed before and after accounts from the teacher’s solution file, indicating transactions that do not affect the balance sheet or income statement in the Accounts table.
• Highlighted rows – red rows mark errors, while green rows indicate correct entries.
• Max Score column – shows the maximum possible points for each exercise, based on the teacher’s settings (e.g., Date, Debit Account, Credit Account, Amount, etc.).
• Auto Score column – displays the automatically calculated score. Each incorrect entry (such as a wrong debit account, credit account, amount, or date) deducts points from the Max Score.
• Adjusted Score column – initially copied from the Auto Score, but can be modified by the teacher if adjustments are needed.
• Corrections Notes column – provides details about which values were incorrect.

Resources for testing the extension

To try out the student accounting exercise correction extension, you can download the following pre-prepared templates:

• Exercise assignment file.
• Sample template for the student's exercise.
• Sample template for the teacher's solutions.

Resources to start using the extension

To begin using the Automatic Corrections for Accounting Exams extension, download these pre-prepared templates:

• student-file-empty.ac2.
• teacher-file-solution.ac2.

How to install the extension

Installing the extension is quick and will help you save time when correcting students’ exercises. Follow these steps:

• Click on the Extensions menu in Banana Accounting Plus.
• Click on Manage Extensions...
• In the window that opens, search by typing the term "automatic corrections" in the empty text field at the top left of the window.
• Click on Automatic Corrections for Accounting Exams in the middle of the window.
• In the right column of the window, click the Install button.

Easily Share Educational Content with Students

Schools and teachers can now share accounting materials created in Banana directly within the Banana Accounting Plus software.

This makes it simple and fast to adopt Banana files for use in both classroom teaching and individual learning in business accounting.

For more information and resources, visit the Banana Accounting Plus Community pages.