Standard Operating Procedures

FINANCIAL CORE GUIDE

System manual for Credit management and ledger operations.

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01 /// Core Concepts & The "Asset" Entity

Nav-Fi³ is not just a spreadsheet; it's a relational financial engine. To function, it requires a central anchor point for all data.

The "Asset" is Mandatory

In Nav-Fi³, the Asset is the fundamental accounting unit. All Income, Costs, Mortgages, and Budgets must belong to an Asset.

Automatic Provisioning: Each Asset is strictly bound to a Financial Account. If you don't assign one, the system automatically creates a default ledger ("Unknown Bank") to ensure the asset never operates in a financial vacuum.

No Ship? Use a "Team"

Running a mercenary campaign? or a ground-based trade company? The "Asset" entity is flexible.

  • Create an Asset named "Alpha Squad" or "Trade Corp".
  • Leave Components/Fits empty (it's optional!).
  • Use this abstract "Asset" to track all credits, contracts, and salary costs for your team.

The Financial Core works perfectly for any organization by treating it as an "Asset" container.

Tactical Transition

If your Team acquires a ship or base, you must create a new Asset (category: Ship/Base) to unlock technical fittings and mortgage eligibility. Reassign your crew to the new asset to maintain continuity.

02 /// The Ship's Wallet (Financial Account)

Every Asset (Ship, Base, Team) has a unique Financial Account. Think of this as a physical "Wallet" or a dedicated bank account for that specific entity.

Contents

  • Credits: The liquid balance available *now*.
  • Bank Ref: The institution providing the funds.

Governance

Balances are not manual. Only Posted Transactions move credits via the Ledger.

Integrity Lockdown

Financial Accounts tied to an Asset are Immutable anchors. They cannot be deleted directly while the Asset is in service.

Lifecycle: From Ship to Credit

1. Asset
2. Account
3. Ledger
4. Credits

"Without an Account, an Asset can't have a Ledger. Without a Ledger, it can't have Credits."

Practical: Where is the Balance?

1. In the Asset List

Every asset card shows the current balance in real-time.

2. In the Annual Budget

The best place to audit balances and visualize cashflow across the year.

3. In the Asset Form

The Financial Account panel details the account and the linked bank.

Protocol Warning

If you delete an Asset, the system automatically removes its Financial Account and all Ledger history.

03 /// Time Cursor & Ledger Integrity

The Mission Session Date is not just a "current date" field. It acts as a Time Cursor for the entire financial simulation. In version 3.0, we've implemented strict synchronization protocols to ensure data integrity during temporal shifts.

Temporal Reconciliation

When you advance or retreat the Session Date, the system triggers a Reconciliation Event. Transactions move between PENDING and POSTED states automatically, updating Asset credits in real-time.

Immutability & Reversal

To maintain a proper audit trail, POSTED transactions are historically locked. Corrections generate a REVERSAL entry (cancelling the original amount) followed by a new transaction, preserving the timeline truth.

Automated Ledger Logic

  • 1. Effective Date: If Transaction Date <= Session Date, it is POSTED (Green) and affects the balance.
  • 2. Pending Date: If Transaction Date > Session Date, it is PENDING (Yellow) and does not touch credits yet.
  • 3. Auto-Recovery: The system resolves entity contexts during Form Submission even if UI components are disabled by JS.
  • 4. Strict XOR: Forms enforce a "Choose Existing OR Create New" rule for Banks and Vendors to prevent ambiguity.

03 /// Smart Interface & Hybrid Resolution

Progressive Disclosure

Fin-Core forms are now Context-Aware. You must select an Asset first to unlock the ledger fields. This prevents orphan transactions and ensures every credit is tracked to a specific ship or team.

Hybrid Resolution (On-the-fly)

No more jumping between pages to register a new bank or vendor. In any form, you can select an existing Company or simply type a new name. The system will resolve the entity on-the-fly, creating the necessary records in the background.

! XOR Validation Protocol

"The machine requires binary clarity. You may link a known entity OR define a new one. Attempting both will trigger a Protocol Error (FormError)."

Select Registered Bank
Type New Bank Name
Selected BOTH (Protocol Error)

04 /// Financial Modules Deep Dive

A. Income: Smart Transactions

Income in Nav-Fi³ is "Smart". When you create an income record (like a Cargo Contract), the system doesn't just add a number. It analyzes your Signature Date and Payout Date.

  • Deposit Handling: If you specify a deposit (e.g. 10% on singature), the system creates an immediate transaction for that amount on the Signature Date.
  • Final Payout: The remaining amount waits in "Pending" status until the Payout Date arrives.
  • Bonus Logic: Early delivery? Add a bonus. It gets summed into the Final Payout transaction automatically.
Example Flow
Contract Signature +10,000 Cr (Deposit)
↓ Time Passes ↓
Cargo Delivery +90,000 Cr (Payout)

B. Costs: Granular Tracking

Costs are the heartbeat of the simulation. Every credit spent is categorized and time-stamped.

  • Categories: Fuel, Life Support, Maintenance, Salaries, Berthing. Using these consistently feeds the Annual Budget analysis.
  • Legal Context: You can tag costs with a "Local Law" or Jurisdiction. Vital for campaigns where compliance matters (or bribes need tracking).
  • Line Items: A single "Cost" record (e.g. "Starport Refuel") can have multiple line items (Fuel x50 tons, Life Support x2 weeks), creating a detailed manifest.
Budget Impact

Costs are deducted on their Payment Date. If you defer payment (put it "on the tab"), set the date in the future. The debt will loom in your ledger until that day arrives.

C. Salaries: 28-Day Imperial Cycle

Running a crew is not free. The Salary module automates the rigid Imperial standard of a 28-day lunar pay cycle.

  • Pro-Rata Logic: New hires don't get a full month. The system calculates `(Salary / 28) * Days` automatically for the first check.
  • History: Every contract change (raise, promotion) is tracked. Old salary records are preserved for historical ledger integrity.
Payroll Ledger

Payments are generated as SalaryPayment entities. They link directly to the Asset Ledger, ensuring "Cashflow" reports are accurate to the credit.

D. Mortgage: The Long Game

NAV-FI³

The classic Traveller burden. Nav-Fi³ handles the math so you can focus on the stress.

Asset Eligibility Only Ships and Bases are mortgage-eligible. Teams are too transient for Imperial bank financing.
Standard Terms 40 Years, 480 payments. The default Traveller standard.
Amortization Calculates principal vs interest for every month automatically.
The Captain A mortgage requires a Captain. Links crew hierarchy to the debt.

05 /// Practical Workflows

Workflow: The Free Trader

  1. Start Session: Check the Mission Date. Update it to "Today".
  2. Check Ledger: Look at the Asset Ledger. Did any automatic payments (Mortgage, Salary) trigger when you advanced the date?
  3. Log Activity: Add new Income (Contracts) and Costs (Fuel, Repairs) as they happen at the table.
  4. End Session: Advance the date if time passed. The Ledger will lock "Posted" transactions.

Workflow: Ground Unit (No Ship)

  1. Create "Team": Create an Asset entity named "Bravo Company". Leave fittings empty.
  2. Log Logistics: Use "Costs" to track ammo, rations, and bribes. Categorize under "Maintenance" or "Life Support".
  3. Contracts: Use "Income" to log your merc tickets. The split payment logic (Deposit vs Completion) is perfect for merc contracts.
  4. Paychecks: Standard Crew Salary functions work perfectly for your team members.

06 /// Cancellation & Security

Nav-Fi³ implements high-fidelity data integrity. Once a record exists in the Imperial Ledger, its destruction follows strict safety protocols.

Asset Termination (Vessel Scrapping)

The only way to remove a financial ledger linked to a Ship or Base is to delete the Asset.

CASCADE ACTION: Deleting an Asset triggers an unconditional WIPE of the Financial Account, including all linked Mortgages, Costs, and Incomes. This action is final.

Mortgage Protection Seal

Financial Accounts cannot be deleted if a Mortgage is active.

The Imperial Bank requires a valid target for debt collection. You must either pay off the mortgage or scrap the vessel (Asset Termination) to close the ledger.

07 /// Critical System Protocols

System Event

Temporal Reconciliation

Triggered by confirming Session Date. Future liabilities are converted to current debt and solvency is recalculated.

Audit Alarm

Ledger Integrity

Triggered by modifying a past record. The correction is queued and the original error archived for forensic audit.

Status State

Causality Locked

Transactions scheduled for a future date. They remain ineffective until the Time Cursor (Session Date) arrives.

Critical Warning

Hard Deck Breach

Fiscal sustainability protocol violation. Your asset is operating with negative credits. Seizure risk imminent.

08 /// Economic HUD & Navigation Link

Navigation HUD Integration

The Financial Core is now unified with the Tactical Navigation HUD. Jump events are not just narrative—they are financial triggers.

  • Fuel Logistics: Burn rates are calculated based on Real Parsec Distances, ensuring your ledger reflects actual jump costs.
  • Auto-Temporal Sync: Every Jump-Transit automatically advances the session clock by 7 days, triggering pending ledger entries (Mortgages, Salaries).

Jump-Sync Financial Protocol

Engagement Mode

Financial accounts are locked during transit to prevent causality paradoxes.

Credit Audit

Fuel costs are logged as 'ASSET_MAINT' ledger entries post-jump.

Ready to Master Your Credits?

Nav-Fi³ Interface Imperial standard drift lane // Protocol 7.4

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