July 19, 2002 (The Dallas Morning News) — Technology skills for accountants have become a business necessity, spurred in recent years by changing reporting standards and the move to paperless systems.
Companies looking to hire bookkeepers, senior accountants and chief financial officers are insisting not only on familiarity with technology, but also competence in using financial software packages, financial recruiters say.
Underscoring this trend, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants recently ranked "training and technology competency" as the No. 2 technology issue for accounting professionals. The No. 1 issue was "business and financial reporting applications."
"Two years ago, employers were saying `We will train 'em in software packages,'" said Mark Malone, branch manager at Robert Half International, a recruiting firm. "But now they are pickier."
For entry-level jobs, ease with Microsoft Excel, Access and Outlook is expected. For tax accounting, applicants must know tax software.
Educators in the accounting field say that the focus on technology skills has a direct correlation to the changes in the accounting industry.
As companies gear up to meet new requirements, they are upgrading their systems.
"The CPA must be able to advise clients about information technology systems," said Kathy R. Kelly, executive director of the Fort Worth chapter of the Texas Society of CPAs. "The accountant is the one who knows what data needs to tracked and compiled."
Also driving the tech trend are paperless systems. Even the CPA exam is moving to an electronic format by May 2004.
Local colleges and professional associations are offering technology training sessions along with accounting courses.
"You have to be able to go in the door knowing many of these packages," said Paula Grady, director of the career information center at El Centro College. El Centro offers computer training along with its accounting programs.
Job seekers are also tuned in to these enhanced expectations.
"I do all of my tables and annual reports on the computer," said Rolinda Carr, who is completing her one-year accounting program at El Centro.
Technology consultants say that the job boils down to how quickly an accountant can crunch data and retrieve information.
"Technical skills make a big difference to an accountant's productivity level," said D.D. Holmes, vice president of sales and marketing at Practitioners Publishing Co., which supplies technology products and services to accountants. "I wouldn't hire anyone who didn't know how to use Excel."
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