December 2000

Emerging Technologies Conference Encourages CPA Involvement

The Foundation for Accounting Education presented its fourth annual Emerging Technologies Conference in New York City on November 21.

The conference, sponsored by the NYSSCPA Emerging Technologies Committee, explored the latest technologies and their affect on the profession, now and in the near future.

“The question no longer is whether CPAs should involve themselves in technology, but how much they can learn as quickly and efficiently as possible in order to be of service to their clients, their employers, and themselves,” said conference Co-Chair William W. Oliver.

The rate of change and number of applications of technology are phenomenal, according to the conference’s planners, but the conference presented the developments in an easily digestible manner. Because technology is becoming thoroughly ingrained in every aspect of business operations, the conference focused on the latest ways technology is facilitating the conduct of business and commerce over the Internet.

XML (Extensible Markup Language) and XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language) were related subjects discussed at the conference that promise to have a major impact on CPAs and the manner in which financial reporting and e-commerce are performed.

Keynote speaker Miklos Vasarhelyi of Rutgers University, a popular FAE discussion leader on Internet technology issues, addressed current and future trends. Eric Cohen, the conference’s former chair and an entertaining and knowledgeable speaker, led the presentations in two sessions and served as the conference’s master of ceremonies.

Internet security, firewalls, Windows and Linux developments, and the latest systems technology for the office were covered, along with the American Institute of CPA’s latest list of top technologies and recent initiatives taken by the AICPA and New York State Society of CPAs to support CPAs in the technology sector.

Participants also got the latest word on tax and accounting software, particularly the ways in which the various packages utilize the Internet.

Other topics covered included remote operation of software through application service providers on the Internet and the latest features of software that facilitates efficient collaboration between individuals and groups.

The equally important topic of the emergence of wireless technology was threaded among several presentations, including one on personal productivity tools.