Talking technology – accounting for software

Accountants use a multitude of different software applications, but the term ‘accounting software’ usually describes a system that records and processes the basic financial transactions that an organisation uses to manage its business.

Although entry-level accounting packages are sold on the basis that they need no specialist financial expertise to install or run, accounting practitioners frequently have to step in and help clients who have discovered otherwise. Suppliers of small business accounting applications include the Australian company MYOB, US company Intuit, and the UK company Sage. After starting as small national operators, all are now pursuing international markets.

Small business accounting applications are often single rather than double entry and, while they observe local transaction tax requirements, they are unlikely to be GAAP compliant. As organisations grow, their needs change. Large numbers of transactions, complex business processes, multiple concurrent users or multiple companies, or the need to integrate back-office accounting with industry-specific software usually calls for a mid-range application. These also provide multi-currency functionality, and comply with multiple national and international accounting standards.

Just as for small business applications, some of these mid-range systems are supplied by local organisations that are strong in their home market, and some by international organisations. These include national suppliers such as Attaché Software in Australia and New Zealand, Cougar Mountain in the US, and international suppliers such as Coda, Epicor, and Microsoft.

Implementing and supporting a mid-range system calls for a wider range of skills than is required by a small business package. These skills include systems integration, e-commerce, and vertical market expertise (to name but a few), and they tend to be the preserve of IT service providers or accounting firms with their own IT services division.

The line between the mid-range and the top end of the market is now blurred, with the former group extending its functionality into the realms of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. As well as accounting and finance, ERPs offer a broad range of features – including analytics, supply chain management, customer relationship management, HR planning and product lifecycle management – to a wide range of organisations.

Suppliers of generic ERPs include market leaders Oracle and SAP, while smaller ERP industry specialists include suppliers such as Caliach (manufacturing) and Retek (inventory management). As ERPs tend to be used by the world’s largest organisations, their implementation and support is also provided by the very big, ranging from organisations such as Capgemini, to Big Four accountancy and consulting firms.

 

"Although entry-level accounting packages are sold on the basis that they need no specialist financial expertise to install or run, accounting practitioners frequently have to step in and help clients who have discovered otherwise"