Question

What are the accountant's involvement in systems selection as an analyst, as a user, as consultant and as internal auditor?

Answer 1

Accountant as Analyst:

As analysts, accountants may perform certain types of analysis using financial data that is used to assist in making business decisions. From deciding which kinds of supplies to order, payment of bills to payroll, the accountant handles many intricate financial details on a daily basis. Advising on business operations can include issues, such as revenue and expenditure trends, financial commitments and future revenue expectations.

Accountant as a Consultant :

Consultants perform a wide range of functions. What any individual consultant actually does depends on the business they are working for and their current assignment. A consultant who works with accounting information systems might be called upon to assess the inefficiencies in a company's system and make recommendations for improvement. Because the consultant is not involved in the day-to-day use of the system, he or she can provide a fresh perspective on the system's strengths and weaknesses.

Accountant as Internal Auditor :

Accountants, internal staff are engaged in an internal audit by large-sized entities (like listed companies, companies required to conduct an internal audit under any law etc.) to ensure that all the accounting transactions related to respective accounting year are recorded, classified and summarized in accordance with the accounting policies followed by the entity. It also enables management to check whether all the instructions given by it is followed or not.

Accountant as a User :

In most organizations, the accounting function is the single largest user of IT. All systems that process financial transactions impact the accounting function in some way. As end users, accountants must provide a clear picture of their needs to the professionals who design their systems. For example, the accountant must specify accounting rules and techniques to be used, internal control requirements, and special algorithms such as depreciation models.The accountant’s participation in systems development should be active rather than passive. The principal cause of design errors that result in system failure is the absence of user involvement.