The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has recently announced a proposal that will require all public companies to report their financial data in Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL). XBRL is an extension of Extensible Markup Language (XML). Moving to a standard reporting format makes it easier for organizations to report the…

In 2007 and 2008, government challenges consisted of error prone, manually intensive, and inefficient environments for financial reporting. Banking regulators worldwide faced issues with respect to transparency, timeliness, quality, and managing risks associated with accounting opacity. The general problem was the existing reporting standards and…

Although institutional researchers devote a great deal of time mining and using student data to fulfill mandatory federal and state reports and analyze institutional effectiveness, financial and personnel information is also necessary for such endeavors. In this article, the authors discuss the challenges that arise from extracting data from…

The nature, scope, and potential of electronic data processing are discussed as significant factors in the changing function and role of accountants. Decision making, not bookkeeping, is emerging as a realm of professional activity. (CH)

Since computers are universally accepted in business today, the accounting classroom is the appropriate place to teach their use. A California high school accounting committee's recommendation led to the school's development of a computer processing program within the accounting department. The program's curriculum is described. (CT)

Two useful approaches for integrating accounting principles from the manual system into the electronic computer system are the horizontal staging'' and the vertical staging'' approaches. (Author/JS)

Describes applications of microcomputers to aspects of accounting and auditing, including such areas as financial statements, recordkeeping, and operations analysis. (SK)

Points out a viable and tested alternative to the use of lengthy account numbers. This alternative uses simple numbers and appends the lengthy numbers with their various sort keys and distribution codes to the tables of account names. (Author/DN)

Examines the impact of introducing data processing in middle-level accountancy training programs in Botswana. Hardware and software considerations for the program are also examined. Since the beginning of the program, some 300 students have been trained in accounting. (JN)

This feature section contains 6 brief articles on various components of the business education program. (JS)

With a unique organizational structure, the Rockefeller University's need for administrative information systems is different from most institutions of higher education. The financial reporting needs of the many different laboratories led the university to purchase a computer-based accounting system. (MLW)

The curriculum revision of accounting and office practice programs at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology through infusion of data processing skills is described. Discusses the first-year core curriculum, and second- and third-year curricula. (CT)