Question

What is the role of an accountant in the SDLC? Why it's important for accountants to be involved with the process?

Answer 1

The role of the accountant in the System Development Life Cycle is very critical as Accountant are the specialist for this area as they know how the financial transaction should be recorded. Based on the Accountant provided information only the system will get developed, so I must say without Accountant knowledge the System cannot be developed.

Accountant are involved in the system development in three ways.

First Acountant are the Users - Accountant must provide a clear picture of problems and needs to the system professional. For example Accountant should specify what accounting menthod should be use to record any paticular transcation

Second Accountants participate in systems development as a members of development team. Accountant should provide his inputs to the developmet team in a way how any particular financial transaction need to be processed then development team will make the coding for the same and impliment in the system module.

Third Accountant are involved in system development as auditors. Accounting information should be auditable.Accountant can use some computer audit techniquies to check the correctness of the system being recording any financial transaction.