DIGITAL ACCOUNTING LITERACY

With the advancements seen in digitalization and technology, the individuals have started to reconstruct and redesign many areas like the social life and the functioning of occupations. Adaptance to technology and digital systems have become inevitable in our age. Just like any other profession, the accounting profession has also taken its own share of this process of change and transformation. In parallel with these changes, several e-systems with brand new rules have emerged in the accounting profession. The purpose of this study is to reveal out the need for “Digital Accounting Literacy” to ensure that accounting staff use digital systems in an accurate, effective and efficient manner.

Phenomenology research pattern was used in this qualitative research. The data were collected by observations and document reviews. A SWOT analysis was made based on the literature and the developments experienced in the profession. Emphasis was given to need for digital accounting literacy, its benefits and potential risks to help particularly the accounting staff to use digital systems in a rational and proper manner.

Digital accounting literacy means that; "The members of the accounting profession have acquired technological competency to be able to use their accounting knowledge in digital systems in a proper, effective and efficient manner".  Pieces of training on digital accounting literacy aim to help the accounting staff acquire technological competency to be able to use digital systems properly, to access accurate information and to use technology in management and learning-teaching processes.

Some of the potential benefits and threats of Digital Accounting Literacy are as follows:

·         It helps the accounting staff acquire the ability to solve problems, to use the data, to inquire, manage and make a critical analysis of digital systems.

·         It provides the opportunity to train accounting staff who use digital systems properly, solve digital system problems and make rational evaluations in this regard

·         It helps the accounting staff acquire the ability to read, understand, use and manage the data on digital systems

·         Inadequacy of infrastructure and resources in application and training

In conclusion, digital accounting literacy will help the accounting staff get more easily adapted to digital systems. It will help elimination of the risks that accounting staff will suffer from incompatibility in terms of the e-transformation experienced in the accounting profession, fear making mistakes or use digital systems in an inefficient manner.