Unit Outline
1st Semester 1995
PRE-REQUISITES: Accounting (Communications) 142
Accounting (Managerial) 101
Information Systems 100
Unit Teaching Method
One 1 hour Lecture per week.
One 2 hour Tutorial per week.
One 1 hour Laboratory per week.
Teaching Staff
Early in the semester, you will be assigned a tutor who is responsible for your learning progress and who will assist you with any problems or difficulties you may experience with the unit. Your tutor will assess your assignments and provide feedback on your progress.
Don't be reluctant to contact your tutor, or feel that you are imposing on his or her time. Tutors are always willing to assist and you should get into the habit of regular contact. When contact with your tutor is established, fill in the details in the box below. This will be a handy reference to keep with your study materials.
Outline Of The Unit
This unit introduces the nature and operation of Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and the concepts and procedures used to assess whether the AIS and its outputs are properly controlled. Students will study the principles underlying AIS systems, features of common applications, cost/benefit analysis of hardware and software, accounting software evaluation and the accountant's role in the analysis and design of accounting information systems.
Aims Of The Course
Professional accountants operate in a dynamic and complex business world where there is widespread use of computers and a reliance upon computer based information systems. Accounting graduates therefore need to appreciate the impact of technology upon accounting systems in order that they are able to:
1. understand accounting and other data flows in the organisation;
2. appreciate the ways in which computer technology can be used in collecting and processing data to meet the information needs of management;
3. participate, with computer professionals, in all stages of the design and development of computerised accounting systems;
4. specify and advise on controls for computer systems to ensure that data is completely and accurately processed and the risk of fraud minimised; and
5. appraise future developments in Information Technology and assess the opportunities that they present for enhancing accounting systems.
Method Of Assessment
The assessment consists of 4 parts:
1. Weekly tests 15%
2. Computer Assignment 5%
3. Minor Assignment 10%
4. Final Examination 70%
100%
To obtain a pass in this subject, an essential requirement is that a student must satisfactorily complete ALL pieces of assessment AND obtain an aggregate mark of 50% or more. This is a SIGNIFICANT unit, in which failure twice may lead to termination of a student's course.
Weekly tests
The first 10 minutes of each tutorial will be assigned to a multiple choice test on the readings for that particular week. The 15 marks for this piece of assessment will be based on the average of the best 10 test results for each student.
Please note:
If you attempt less than 10 tests, then the mark out of 15 will still be based on 10 tests.
Computer Assignment
You may work on the computer assignment in groups containing a maximum of three students. Please note that done individually, the time involved in this assignment is worth approximately 15% of your assessment, but is only allocated 5%. It is therefore recommended that you form a group of up to three students. It is not, however, compulsory to form such a group, but the assessment will remain at 5%.
Due date: 12:00 noon, Friday, 12 May, 1995.
Required: A PC-based computer system has just been installed at Lewall's Lawnmowers. You will be using an accounting package in parallel with the owner, who will be continuing to use the manual books of account for this trial period. You are required to produce the following computer reports to enable a reconciliation between the two systems.
Chart of accounts
Trial Balance
Balance sheet
Profit and loss account
Inventory account (including movement of inventory)
Summary of Accounts Receivable subsidiary ledger
Summary of Accounts Payable subsidiary ledger
Audit trail
Bank reconciliation (Manually prepared)
IMPORTANT: Failure to submit an audit trail OR failure to comply with requirement (iii) below, will result in a zero mark for this assignment AND you will be required to do the assignment again until these requirements have been met.
Notes to the computer assignment
(i) Note that this is a manual practice set adapted for computer use. We DO NOT require you to fill-in the manual portion unless specified in the requirements above. Therefore DO NOT submit a worksheet etc. as required in the manual practice set instructions.
(ii) You may use ANY accounting package to complete this assignment eg. Sybiz, Dac-easy, etc. The only condition we are placing upon you is that the package you choose MUST be able to produce the above reports.
(iii) When entering the opening balances, you are required to input your student name and number instead of the description of the journal entry. (Example, writing "941111G Bevan SMITH" instead of "Opening Balance".) This is to be done ONCE ONLY for each member of the group, after that you can write a correct description of each transaction.
(iv) Each accounting package uses a slightly different coding scheme for its chart of accounts. Therefore the account numbers given in the text may not be suitable to the package you are using. It is YOUR responsibility to adapt the given chart of accounts to suit the package that you are using.
(v) Your tutor will advise you where to hand-in your completed assignment.
(vi) Any assignments submitted later than the specified time will not be awarded any marks. It is your responsibility to inform the unit controller of any extenuating circumstances which may allow an extension to the specified deadline. All requests for extensions will only be considered by the unit controller BEFORE THE ACTUAL DATE OF SUBMISSION.
(vii) Sign declaration on cover page.
Computer Assignment MARKING GUIDE
The computer assignment will be marked using a NEGATIVE marking scale. This means that the assignment, when submitted, is worth 5 marks. We then penalise for any errors or omissions, rather than starting with Zero and rewarding for the correct portions.
Error Negative Mark (each error)
Headings in wrong place ½
Suspense accounts 1
Used average cost instead of FIFO ½
Used periodic instead of perpetual 1
Manipulated answer 2
Each accounting error ½
Spelling errors (total) ½
MINIMUM MARK (based on above errors) 1
LESS:
No cover sheet ½
Missing reports (each) ½
No audit trail 5
No student name/number in audit trail 5
MINIMUM MARK = 0 + possibility of re-doing the assignment
Minor Assignment
Students may work in pairs on a practical question.
Due date: 9:00 am, Monday, 24th April, 1995.
Required: Chapter 9, Problems 1 and 2
Case: "The Law Firm of Dewey, Tryam & Howe."
Notes to the minor assignment
(i) Any assignments submitted later than the specified time will not be awarded any marks. It is your responsibility to inform the unit controller of any extenuating circumstances which may allow an extension to the specified deadline. All requests for extensions will only be considered by the unit controller BEFORE THE ACTUAL DATE OF SUBMISSION.
(iii) Assignments should be on A4 paper, have the declaration as a cover page and stapled in the top left-hand corner. Do not put your assignments into a folder.
(iv) Sign declaration on cover page.
Final examination
The final exam will cover the whole course and be of 2 hours duration with 10 minutes reading time. It will include a number of conceptual questions, small case studies and a theory question.
Note:
Supplementary examinations will be granted only in situations where the examiner is unable to form an opinion on whether the student should pass or fail.
Textbooks
Cuthbert, B (1993) Introduction to Computerised Accounting using Sybiz Elite, Collingwood: TAFE Publications.
Edwards, L (1990) Lewall's Mower Sales - An accounting practice set, Brisbane: Wiley.
Gelinas, U.J., Oram, A.E. and Wiggins, W.P. (1993) Accounting Information Systems Second Edition, Boston: PWS-Kent.
References
Students are expected to read beyond the prescribed textbook. Recommended journals are:
Charter,
Australian Accountant,
New Accountant and
Management Accounting (CIMA).
Feedback
To allow you to assess your progess in, and comprehension of, the content of this unit, the following tutorial questions have been set. These questions are chosen specifically to allow you to monitor your understanding of the subject matter in each chapter.
It is strongly recommended that you prepare the required questions prior to attendance at your tutorial. You may have the embarrassment of being asked to leave the tutorial if you have not prepared the recommended questions.
Policy on student academic malpractice
The Curtin University of Technology takes a stern view with student plagiarism and other practices not consistent with academic ethics. Students are encouraged to examine the following definitions of undesirable conduct and to discuss them with their tutors:
Collusion occurs when two or more individuals combine their efforts in order to deceive the tutor as to who is responsible for a particular piece of work.
Cooperation may be permitted by a tutor in certain circumstances, where a joint study effort, class presentation or group project forms an appropriate part of the overall assessment.
Plagiarism occurs when students use the ideas, word sequences, diagrams and other forms of work established prior to the particular student's submission, without acknowledging the source of the work used. This will include work done by other students on previous occasions.
STUDENTS SHOULD BE AWARE THAT PLAGIARISM IS A SERIOUS OFFENCE AND SEVERE PENALTIES MAY BE IMPOSED.
Reading and Tutorial Schedule
LEGEND
P = Problems
AQ = Additional Questions
DQ = Discussion Questions
[ ] = Answers in closed reserve
1 20 Feb 1995 No tutorials this week
2 27 Feb 1995 Chpt 1 All DQ 2, 10, 11
Chpt 2 pp 28-37 DQ [4], 7; AQ 1
3 6 Mar 1995 Chpt 3 All DQ 5, 7; P [7], 10, 11
4 13 Mar 1995 Chpt 4 All DQ 2, 4, 7, 8; P [5], 6, 7,
9
5 20 Mar 1995 Chpt 5 All DQ 4; P 2, 3, 5; AQ [2]
6 27 Mar 1995 Chpt 6 All DQ 1; P 2, [9], 10; AQ 3, 4
7 3 Apr 1995 Chpt 7 All P 3 (c, f & h), 5
Chpt 14 pp 581 - P [1] (Ignore Payroll), 8
619
8 10 Apr 1995 Chpt 9 All DQ 6, 8; P 4 (Case 1), [5]
9 17 Apr 1995 BREAK
10 24 Apr 1995 Chpt 10 All DQ 2, 3, 5; P [7]; AQ 5, 6
11 1 May 1995 Chpt 11 All DQ [6], 13; P 12, 13, 14
12 8 May 1995 Chpt 12 All DQ 5, 8; P [8], 9; AQ 7
13 15 May 1995 Chpt 16 All DQ 5; AQ [8]
Chpt 17 pp 695-707 DQ 4; AQ 9
14 22 May 1995 Chpt 18 pp 735-738 P 8; AQ 10, [11]
& 761-769
Chpt 19 pp 799-830 AQ 12
Chpt 20 pp 853-874 P 8
15 29 May 1995 Review Questions to be advised
week
Note: Students will be advised of any changes to this schedule.
ACCOUNTING (INFORMATION SYSTEMS) 252