The information system: an accountant's perspective

20 important questions on The information system: an accountant's perspective

What are the three basic types of commercial software?

turnkey systems, backbone systems and vendor-supported systems. 
Turnkey systems are completely finished and tested systems that are ready for implementation. 
Backbone systems consist of a basic system structure on which to build. 
Vendor-supported systems are custom systems that client organizations purchase commercially rather than develop in-house --> the software vendor designs, implements and maintains the system for its client.

What are the common approaches to structure organizations?


1. Geographic location

2. Product line For firms producing multiple diversified products.

3. Business function Based on tasks (marketing, accounting, productions etc.)

What is the accounting function and what roles does it have?

The accounting function manages the financial informational resource of the firm. It has two important roles in transaction processing.

1. Accounting captures and records the financial effects of the firm’s transactions.

2. The accounting function distributes transaction information to operations personnel to coordinate many of their key tasks.

  • Higher grades + faster learning
  • Never study anything twice
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Discover Study Smart

What is reliable information?

Reliable information is that information which has the following attributes: relevance, accuracy, completeness, summarization and timeliness.

What are the two extremes to structure the IT function?

Centralized data processing and distributed data processing

What is centralized data processing?

All data processing is performed by one or more large computers housed at a central side that serve users throughout the organization. IT activities are consolidated and managed as a shared organization resource (1-9). End users compete for these resources on the basis of need. The IT function is usually treated as a cost center whose operating costs are charged back to the end users.

What is distributed data processing?

it involves reorganizing the IT function into small information processing units (IPUs) that are distributed to end users and placed under their control. IPUs may be distributed according to business function, geographic location, or both (1-11). The central IT function has been eliminated from the organization structure.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of DDP?

Disadvantages of DDP – loss of control, inefficient use of resources, the destruction of audit trails, inadequate segregation of duties, an increased potential for programming errors and systems failures and the lack of standards.

Advantages of DDP – cost savings, increased user satisfaction, and improved operational efficiency.

What is the manual process model?


Is the oldest and most traditional form of accounting systems. Manual systems constitute

the physical events, resources, and personnel that characterize many business processes. It

includes tasks as order-taking, warehousing materials, manufacturing goods for sale,

shipping goods to customers, and placing orders with vendors. It also includes the physical

task of record keeping. These days, manual records are never used in practice.

What is the flat-file model?

Is often associated with so-called legacy systems. These are large mainframe systems that were implemented in late 1960s through the 1980s. Organizations still use these systems extensively. The flat-file model describes an environment in which individual data files are not related to other files. End users own their data files rather than share them with other users. Thus, stand-alone applications rather than integrated systems perform data processing (1-12).

What is the database model?

This model centralizes the organization’s data into a common database that is shared by other users. Access to the data resource is controlled by a database management system (DBMS).

What is a DBMS?

The DBMS is a special software system that is programmed to know which data elements each user is authorized to access. The organization’s procedures for assigning user authority are an important control issue for auditors to consider.

What is a traditional system?

It means that the organization’s IS applications (its programs) function independently of each other rather than as an integrated whole.

What is the history of database systems?

Early database management systems were designed to interface directly with existing flat-file programs. Another factor that limited integration was the structured database model. These models were inflexible and did not permit the degree of data sharing that is found in modern database models. True integration would not be possible until the arrival of the relational database model. This flexible database approach permits the design of integrated systems application capable of supporting the information needs of multiple users from a common set of integrated database tables.

What are the resources, events and agents in the REA model?

Resources: are the assets of the organization. They are defined as objects that are both scarce and under the control of the enterprise.
Events: are phenomena that affect changes in resources. They can result from activities such as production, exchange, consumption, and distribution. It are the critical information elements of the accounting system and should be captured in a highly detailed form to provide a rich database.
Agents: are individuals and departments that participate in an economic event. They are parties with discretionary power to use or dispose of economic resources.

What is enterprise resource planning?

It is an IS model that enables an organization to automate and integrate its key business processes. ERP breaks down traditional functional barriers by facilitating data sharing, information flows, and the introduction of common business practices among all organizational users.
Because of the complexity and size of ERPs, few organizations are willing or able to commit the necessary financial and physical resources and incur the risk of developing an ERP system in-house.
One of the problems with standardized modules is that they may not always meet the organization’s exact needs.

What is the role of an accountant?

Accountants are primarily involved in three ways: as system users, designers, and auditors.   

What are accountants as users?

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.

What are accountants as system designers?

Today, we recognize that the responsibility for systems design is divided between accountants and IT professionals as follows: the accounting function is responsible for the conceptual system, and the IT function is responsible of the physical system. The design of the conceptual system involves specifying the criteria for identifying delinquent customers and the information that needs to be reported. The accountant determines the nature of the information required, its sources, its destination, and the accounting rules that need to be applied. The physical system is the medium and method for capturing and presenting the information.

What is the difference between an internal and external auditor?

The tasks external and internal auditors perform are similar. The feature that most clearly distinguishes the two groups is their respective constituencies. External auditors represent third-party outsiders, whereas internal auditors represent the interest of management.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

  • A unique study and practice tool
  • Never study anything twice again
  • Get the grades you hope for
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.
Trustpilot Logo