Computerized Financial Accounting - Methods and Practices - Use of software in Accounting

Complete financial accounting course or tutorialCosting and budgetary control can be affected
covers a range of following topics. It is beingthrough the computer, the computer will point out
evaluated that how computers have affectedthe variations from the planned performance.
traditional accounting methods and practices.(v) Production control
- Financial Accounting with Double EntryThe computer also helps greatly in production
Bookkeepingplanning and control. It is possible that scheduling
- Principles of Accountingof the work may become necessary due to
- Basic Book of Accounting - Journalbreak downs etc. A new critical path may have
- Accounting Ledgerto be worked out. A critical path is the shortest
- Accounting Sub Journals - Cash Cookpath to be followed in production to achieve
- Subsidiary Accounting Booksproduction objectives. The computer helps the
- Accounting Verification by Trial Balancemanagement lay down this new critical path.
- Banking Transactions Bank ReconciliationAdvantages and disadvantages of a computer
StatementA computer is surely advantageous because of
- Depreciationthe high speed of operation and greater accuracy
- Rectification Of Accounting Errorsit provides, savings effected by better managerial
- Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Accountcontrol, savings in labor because it is fully
- Single Entry Bookkeeping Accounting Systemautomatic and finally because of its flexibility in
- Non Profit Organization Accountinguse. However, there is a considerable capital
- Capital and Revenueoutlay with difficulty of obtaining experienced
- Reserves and Provisionsanalysts and programmers, break down and
In a very short span of time, computer hasmaintenance troubles and finally fear of
grown from a scientific curiosity to anobsolescence due to rapid development of
indispensable tool of modem society. There iscomputers.
hardly any scientific/technical or business activityType of other applications in relation to accounting
which is not in one way or the other, affected bysystem
modern data processing techniques.WORD PROCESSOR
The human mind can handle only a limited numberIt is a software package to help in text
of things at a time. The digital computer, on theprocessing. Words are processed. Processing
other hand, can be programmed to compare,includes insertion, deletion changing, moving words,
measure, calculate and evaluate thousands ofparagraphs etc. Word processing is the
readings in an extremely short period of time.preparation of type scripts, using computing
The computer industry has become the fastestfacilities for the storage and manipulation of text.
growing industry these days. The sale ofFor example, word processor has ability to merge
mainframe computers is increasing day by day.name and addresses with standard text so as to
The computer industry has been further pushedgive impression that the latter is personalized
up by the introduction of mini computer and microeven in case of circular letter.
computers which are small, cheap, reliable andHiTech Financial Accounting has got features so
very light. These are being routinely used forthat you can export its reports to Microsoft
process control, production testing, scientificWord, a word processing and Mail Merge Program.
instrument recording, in store check out systems,You can also write letters to various parties and
in automobile test and evaluating systems, andstore the details in the program database.
medical monitoring etc.DATA BASE
Computers are now being used extensively inIt is simple collections of information (data) on a
office administration to perform the routine clericalparticular subject. Data base file allows you to
work. Today, most large and medium sizedmanipulate the data in desired form. So, data base
organizations are almost totally dependent on theirallows us to work on facts and figures to store
computers. Routine uses of computers are givenand manipulate that data in any desired way. For
below:example, from the same basic information trial
(i) Accounting, Billing, Inventory Control Softwarebalance is prepared; trading and profit and loss
with MIS, CRMaccount may be prepared; list of debtors and
Computers are extensively used in accounting andcreditors may be prepared; purchases and sales
there are multitude of computer software forforecast may be made and so on. So, an efficient
Accounting, MIS, CRM. HiTech Financial Accountingdata-base management is needed to provide
is one such software which has been customizedflexibility in uses of information.
for users in many segments in business andHiTech Financial Accounting uses MS Access and
services.MS SQL server databases for robust database
(ii) Payroll and personnel records.connectivity.
Payroll accounting was the first commercial areaSPREAD SHEET
to become widely computerized. The calculation ofIt is one of the software programs which have
wages or salaries involves a number of variablesincreased the utility of computer for accounting
which relate to the personal details of eachpurposes. Spread sheet programs help you to
employee, such as gross pay or rate for the job,draw vertical as well as horizontal columns on a
individual deductions, tax liabilities of the employeeslarge sized paper. Each .column's length and
and so on. These facts can be retained in thebreadth can be adjusted according to suitability.
computers and processed every month ofEven when columns are once drawn subsequently
produce pay slips for the employees.these can be altered, increased or decreased
(iii) Stock controladditional columns can be inserted, existing
The computer helps to exercise the type ofcolumns can be deleted. It is very useful for
stock control needed by the organization. It uptobusinessmen and professionals. It enables us to
dates the sales and purchases records,study multidimensional data at one sheet and
determines optimum re-order levels for differenthelps in arriving at logical decisions. For example, if
items and prints out the stock lists when desired.profit and loss account has been prepared for the
The system can be so designed that it triggersyear 1989 and you want a comparison with 1987
orders when stock level reaches order point forfigures and 1990 forecast then spread sheet shall
various material items; tests those item which areenable you to provide two additional columns on
slow moving or gives list for over stock items.each side for inserting 1987 actual figures and
(iv) Sale accounts records1990 forecast estimates.
Programming can be done for any salesHiTech Financial Accounting software can export
accounting system. The computer will pin pointits report data to Microsoft Excel Worksheet
defaulting debtors, determine the right limit forwhich is an advanced spreadsheet application.
credit for each debtor and maintain stores ledger.A series of articles are proposed to be written on
(v) Costing and budgetary controlthe topics mentioned in this article.