| people's initial reaction to implementing accounting | | | | that for the end user in this case that information |
| software in a real way to their business is that | | | | is neither necessary nor relevant for their job. |
| they fear it will be simply one more difficult and | | | | The unnecessary nature of accounting knowledge |
| specialized skill to learn. "Why," they ask, "do I | | | | in successfully and efficiently using accounting |
| have to learn accounting principles to use financial | | | | programs is indicative in the format of most |
| software? Isn't that what my accountant is for?" | | | | accounting software reviews. The average |
| Relax and feel better knowing that your fears are | | | | financial software review will not focus on the |
| somewhat unfounded. Certainly, people that | | | | inner workings of accounting programs, just as |
| understand accounting will understand what | | | | the average car review does not focus on the |
| accounting software does, but that does not | | | | inner workings of a car. The specialized knowledge |
| mean that you need to understand what the | | | | is best left to the specialists in the field. |
| software does to benefit from it. Most people are | | | | A quick look at accounting software reviews |
| surprised to learn that using most accounting | | | | reinforces this point. The majority of them focus |
| software really requires no special skill sets. | | | | on usability, efficiency, and so on and avoid talking |
| Granted, an accountant will have a much more | | | | about complex accounting tasks since most |
| thorough understanding of what the software is | | | | software is not designed for advanced accounting |
| doing and the reports that it creates, but the | | | | professionals. While accounting professionals |
| actual use and imput of data requires no | | | | certainly use the software, manufacturers have |
| specialized accounting background. | | | | to design their software to be usable by the |
| Yes, it is very helpful and useful to understand | | | | people without those skills or risk severely limiting |
| these principles when using financial software. | | | | their target market. |
| There is no doubt about that. However, to | | | | The bottom line is that most accounting software |
| conflate that fact with 'accounting knowledge is | | | | is designed exactly for people who have minimal |
| essential' is not accurate, since good accounting | | | | accounting knowledge as they are the ones that |
| programs will do the nitty-gritty work for you. | | | | benefit the most from it. |
| Case in point: If you are responsible for tracking | | | | None of this, however, is to say that accounting |
| the sales and invoices for your organization but | | | | knowledge is useless when dealing with accounting |
| have no special accounting training, software can | | | | programs. If you have the opportunity to |
| be very beneficial. Most people that are | | | | fine-tune your accounting skills, then by all means, |
| comfortable working with computers can learn | | | | do so. Every little bit of knowledge helps when |
| how to input invoices, close them out, and email | | | | using accounting programs, but don't let the fact |
| them to customers. This requires no special | | | | that it is useful knowledge to have be conflated in |
| accounting knowledge. | | | | your mind with 'I must learn accounting knowledge |
| None of these tasks require a background in | | | | to use accounting programs.' |
| accounting. Any person with a general idea of | | | | Think of it like this: You don't need to know how |
| how to use software can probably figure these | | | | to build a car to drive one, but understanding car |
| things out and can most certainly be trained. While | | | | mechanics and having the knowledge to fix your |
| people with accounting backgrounds will be able to | | | | car when it breaks certainly makes owning and |
| see these changes reflected on the general ledger | | | | driving a car a much more enjoyable experience. |
| and know what they mean, the bottom line is | | | | The same can be said about accounting software. |