ACC 272 - Accounting Information Systems

1. Explain the major features of accounting information systems
   1. Describe the objectives of accounting information systems
   2. Review the steps in the accounting cycle
   3. Review how accounting information systems produce reports for external use
2. Describe the objectives and methods of coding
   1. Discover methods of providing top-down and bottom-up information for internal use
   2. Describe how account codes are used to produce accounting reports
3. Describe the scope and purpose of information systems development
   1. Discuss selected concepts from the theory of systems
   2. Apply these selected concepts to the process of accounting transactions
   3. Review the systems approach to problem solving
   4. Define a “system.”
   5. Name the steps in the systems approach to problem solving
4. Describe the major types of documentation required for accounting systems
   1. Discuss techniques for reviewing, analyzing, and developing accounting information systems
   2. Describe how to use tools for documenting accounting information systems
   3. Name the techniques for managing accounting information systems development projects
   4. Evaluate the need for documentation standards
5. Describe the purpose and scope of accounting information systems
   1. List alternative methods for creating accounting information systems
   2. Describe the qualities of a successful information system
   3. Explain the phases that make up the system development life cycle
   4. Name alternative methods for developing information systems
   5. Describe the process of developing specifications for a proposed system
6. Determine the organization’s needs for an accounting information system
   1. Describe the activities that take place during the first phase of the systems development life cycle
   2. Explain how to conduct a preliminary survey
   3. Describe how to perform a feasibility study
   4. List criteria that determine the feasibility of a proposed accounting information system
7. Explain the importance of systems design documentation
   1. Discuss the activities that take place during the second phase of the system of the system development life cycle
   2. Describe how to create a preliminary system design
   3. Describe how to develop detail specifications for an accounting information system
   4. Explain the role of auditors in system design process
8. Identify the principal activities in systems implementation
   1. Discuss the activities that occur during the third and fourth phases of the systems development life cycle
   2. Describe the role of auditors during systems implementation
   3. Explain how a post-implementation review is conducted
   4. Explain how to properly account for the costs of an accounting information system
9. Describe the components of a computer system
   1. Name the components of a computer system
   2. List the forms that computer hardware can take
   3. State the kinds of software used by a computer
   4. Describe alternative configuration for a computer system
10. Describe the medium for data storage in a computer system
    1. Name the various computer storage devices
    2. Identify approaches to organizing accounting data in computer systems
    3. Describe approaches to processing data stored in an accounting information system
    4. Discuss how accounting data is stored and processed when a data base management system is used
11. Identify the major types of data files
    1. Delineate the types of files used in accounting information systems
    2. Identify the operations that accounting information systems use when processing files
    3. Explain the use of Sequential files in batch processing systems
    4. Discuss on-line real-time systems use of direct file access
12. Describe how the components of a data base management system work together
    1. Explain how accounting data are processed using the data base management approach
    2. Describe how a data base management system maintains data relationships
    3. Name three alternative structural models for data
13. State the broad and specific objectives of internal control
    1. Name the components of an organization’s internal control structure
    2. Describe objectives and limitations of internal control
    3. Outline the characteristics of a control environment which promote an effective internal control system
    4. Explain how an accounting information system aids in communicating information
    5. Describe effective control activities
14. Discuss control policies, practices and procedures that are important in computer-based accounting systems
    1. Three objectives for systems control
    2. Categorized control policies, practices, and procedures by their scope
    3. Describe practices that control the input, processing, and output of application systems
    4. Define categories of systems control
15. Distinguish between data security and data integrity I computer-based accounting systems
    1. List sources of data security risks
    2. Name methods of detecting fraud
    3. Explain how auditors evaluate data security and integrity in computer-based accounting systems
    4. Describe effects of advanced technologies on security and integrity