Information Systems in the Accounting World

Information Systems in the Accounting World

In today’s society everyday there are advancements and technology changes. These advancements can include improved hardware, software, and information systems. These advancements are constantly changing the way accountants handle the accounting process. It is hard to find accountants that do manual accounting using paper and pencil. Instead everything is done on computers using new accounting information systems. These advancements are having a very positive effect on the accounting world. According to Shanker (2014), "accounting is about dealing with information-- business information--any advances in this area will have a positive impact in the accounting department, from the old days of the battery operated calculator to the fast computers of today” (para.1). This paper is going to highlight some of the new technologies that are available and their effect on accounting. It will also explain how these technologies have changed the way that accounting tasks are performed in the retail world.

New Technologies

Accounting has changed drastically in the last twenty years. These changes have taken accounting from pencil and paper to computers and the internet. These changes have all helped to make a company’s accountant’s job easier. With the new technology that is available accountants are able to analyze and organize statistical information more efficiently. Accountants can now interpret data quickly and effectively. Accountants can now use spreadsheet programs like Excel. This program takes the place of adding machines, pencils, paper ledgers, and even calculators. Programs like Excel not only took accounting digital but they also made it less tedious and the decreased the chance of human error.

Now accounting software like Excel had a serious impact on accounting it was only one of many technological advancements that have changed the industry. Another technological advancement is the use of the internet to...