The increasingly important role that accounting software plays in maintaining the financial integrity of commercial activities across the board is highlighted by the fact that an accounting software course is now compulsory for Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Accountancy degree students at four of SA`s major Universities.
The South Africa (Unisa) and Rand Afrikaans (RAU) Universities include an accounting software course as a mandatory component of the second year of their BCom degrees, while Pretoria (Tuks) has placed the course as a mandatory component of the first year of its BCom. Witwatersrand (Wits) has Pastel as mandatory for its BAcc course and some of its BCom students also do Pastel courses on a voluntary basis.
"Accounting software is no longer merely an aid to bookkeepers. Today`s software programs include features that give management significant insight into the overall operations and state of a business and BCom graduates coming into management positions benefit from having achieved familiarity and a level of competence with such software," says Terry Kier, managing director of accounting and payroll software specialist Pastel Software, a Softline company.
"The fact that these four Universities structure their accounting software courses on Pastel products is something that we take great pride in. I also believe that stable, simple and cost-effective accounting and payroll software plays a critical role in the success of small and medium-size enterprises. SMEs are in turn a high-growth sector and vital to the overall health of our economy. It is in these companies that many BCom graduates make their mark."
Unisa`s Etienne Grobbelaar says the University selected Pastel because of its high acceptance by most trade sectors. "We strive to be on the cutting edge of distance education and to give value-added services to our 3 000 students. Our choice of Pastel is one that brings the reality in line with the education."
Kier maintains that accounting software is integral with good business practice, forming the core of the business and providing information that management needs to keep track: accounting software improves customer contact management and integrates with other business software platforms and databases. Its connectivity levels with Internet services add immense value with cost-efficiencies accruing from the streamlining of processes, productivity improvements and speed. As a result of these courses, today`s commerce graduates will be coming into business with a significant advantage in the form of accounting software knowledge."
Other tertiary institutions, including Wits Technikon, Potchefstroom University, and Technikon SA are also making use of Pastel software products in running accounting software courses.
A total of about 2 000 commerce students in SA receive lectures in accounting software as a component of their degree.
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