Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 4
Sales history file
cash receipts history file
The Revenue Cycle accounts receivable reports file
Accounting Records
With a properly maintained audit trail, it is
possible to track transactions through the
systems and to find where and when errors
were made:
o pre-numbered source documents
o special journals
Authorization Controls o subsidiary ledgers
Proper authorization of transactions o general ledger
(documentation) should occur so that only valid o files
transactions get processed.
Within the revenue cycle, authorization should Access Controls
take place when: Access to assets and information (accounting
o a sale is made on credit (authorization) records) should be limited.
Within the revenue cycle, the assets to protect Computer-Based Accounting Systems
are cash and inventories and access to records
CBAS technology can be viewed as a continuum
such as the accounts receivable subsidiary
with two extremes:
ledger and cash journal should be restricted.
o automation - use technology to
Independent Verification improve efficiency and effectiveness
Physical procedures as well as record-keeping o reengineering – use technology to
should be independently reviewed at various restructure business processes and firm
points in the system to check for accuracy and organization
completeness:
Reengineering Sales Order Processing Using
o shipping verifies the goods sent from
the warehouse are correct in type and Real-Time Technology
quantity Manual procedures and physical documents are
o warehouse reconciles the stock release replaced by interactive computer terminals.
document (picking slip) and packing slip Real time input and output occurs, with some
o billing reconciles the shipping notice master files still being updated using batches.
with the sales invoice o Real-time - entry of customer order,
o general ledger reconciles journal printout of stock release, packing slip
vouchers from billing, inventory control, and bill of lading; update of credit file,
cash receipts, and accounts receivable inventory file, and open sales orders file
o Batch - printout of invoice, update of
closed sales order (journal), accounts
Automating the Revenue Cycle
receivable and general ledger control
Authorizations and data access can be
account
performed through computer screens.
There is a decrease in the amount of paper. Advantages of Real-Time Processing
The manual journals and ledgers are changed to Shortens the cash cycle of the firm by reducing
disk or tape transaction and master files. the time between the order date and billing
Input is still typically from a hard copy date
document and goes through one or more Better inventory management which can lead to
computerized processes. a competitive advantage
Processes store data in electronic files (the tape Fewer clerical errors, reducing incorrect items
or disk) or prepare data in the form of a being shipped and bill discrepancies
hardcopy report. Reduces the amount of expensive paper
Revenue cycle programs can include: documents and their storage costs
o formatted screens for collecting data
o edit checks on the data entered Reengineered Cash Receipts
o instructions for processing and storing The mail room is a frequent target for
the data reengineering.
o security procedures (passwords or user Companies send their customers preprinted
IDs) envelopes and remittance advices.
o steps for generating and displaying Upon receipt, these envelopes are scanned to
output provides a control procedure against theft.
To understand files, you must consider the Machines are open the envelopes, scan
record design and layout. remittance advices and checks, and separate
The documents and the files used as input the checks.
sources must contain the data necessary to Artificial intelligence may be used to read
generate the output reports. handwriting, such as remittance amounts and
signatures.
Point-of-Sale Systems o Programmed decision rules must be
Point of sale systems are used extensively in closely monitored.
retail establishments. Segregation of Functions - consolidation of tasks
o Customers pick the inventory from the by the computer is common
shelves and take them to a cashier. o Protect the computer programs
The clerk scans the universal product code o Coding, processing, and maintenance
(UPC). The POS system is connected to an should be separated.
inventory file, where the price and description Supervision - in POS systems, the cash register’s
are retrieved. internal tape or database is an added form of
o The inventory levels are updated and supervision
reorder needs can immediately be Access Control - magnetic records are
detected. vulnerable to
The system computes the amount due. both authorized and unauthorized exposure
Payment is either cash, check, ATM or credit and should be protected
card in most cases. o Must have limited file accessibility
o No accounts receivables o Must safeguard and monitor computer
If checks, ATM or credit cards are used, an on- programs
line link to receive approval is necessary. Accounting Records - rest on reliability and
At the end of the day or a cashier’s shift, the security of stored digitalized data
money and receipts in the drawer are o Accountants should be skeptical about
reconciled to the internal cash register tape or a the accuracy of hard-copy printouts.
printout from the computer’s database. o Backups - the system needs to ensure
o Cash over and under must be recorded that backups of all files are continuously
kept
Reengineering Using EDI Independent Verification – consolidating
EDI helps to expedite transactions. accounting tasks under one computer program
The customer’s computer: can remove traditional independent verification
o determines that inventory is needed controls. To counter this problem:
o selects a supplier with whom the o perform batch control balancing after
business has a formal business each run
agreement o produce management reports and
o dials the supplier’s computer and places summaries for end users to review
the order
The exchange is completely automated. PC-Based Accounting Systems
o No human intervention or management Used by small firms and some large
Reengineering Using the Internet decentralized firms
Typically, no formal business agreements exist Allow one or few individuals to perform entire
as they do in EDI. accounting function
Most orders are made with credit cards. Most systems are divided into modules
Mainly done with e-mail systems, and thus a controlled by a menu-driven program:
turnaround time is necessary o general ledger
o Intelligent agents are needed to o inventory control
eliminate this time lag. o payroll
Security and control over data is a concern with o cash disbursements
Internet transactions. o purchases and accounts payable
o cash receipts
CBAS Control Considerations o sales order
Authorization - in real-time systems,
authorizations are automated
PC Control Issues
Segregation of Duties - tend to be inadequate
and should be compensated for with increased
supervision, detailed management reports, and
frequent independent verification
Access Control - access controls to the data
stored on the computer tends to be weak;
methods such as encryption and disk locking
devices should be used
Accounting Records - computer disk failures
cause data losses; external backup methods
need to be implemented to allow data recovery