Accounting Information Systems and Technology is an accounting specialty that requires an individual to use his or her accounting and computer knowledge to design and/or operate a computer system that can help an organization perform the accounting tasks that it has to carry out on a regular basis.

Accounting information systems and technology specialists may help design, setup, and/or use computer systems to conduct audits; establish and maintain databases; maintain inventory records; record the receipts and invoices from an organization’s financial transactions; record financial transactions related to an organization’s Internet business; track an organization’s Internet sales; and perform a number of other similar tasks as needed. Individuals who specialize in accounting information systems and technology may work in almost any industry, and there are a number of different positions that individuals in this accounting subfield can fill.

Some of the most common positions for individuals with an accounting information systems and technology specialty include:

• Accountant
• Comptroller
• Financial analyst
• Financial manager
• Internal auditor
• Tax examiner

The specific degree that an individual must have in order to obtain a job in the accounting information systems and technology subfield varies from position to position. A bachelor’s degree in either Accounting Information Systems or Management Information Systems (with an accounting certificate) is usually required. Some might require a master’s degree in Accounting Information Systems from an accredited school of accounting, or certification for the accounting specialty in which the individual is planning to work. (For example, a financial analyst may need to obtain the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) certificate for some positions.) It is also important to note that an individual may be required to have a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) License or a doctoral degree for some positions. (A CPA license is typically required for an individual who is offering financial services to customers or other individuals outside the organization in which the individual works; a doctoral degree is typically required for teaching positions, research positions, and/or positions in which an individual is regularly required to train employees in the use of accounting information systems.)