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Digitalisation in accounting: a systematic literature review of activities and

implications for competences
Article in Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training · April 2023

DOI: 10.1186/s40461-023-00141-1
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Pargmann et al. Empirical Res Voc Ed Train (2023) 15:1 Empirical Research in
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40461-023-00141-1
Vocational Education and Training
REVIEW Open Access
Digitalisation in accounting: a systematic

literature review of activities and implications
for competences
Julia Pargmann1* , Elisabeth Riebenbauer2, Doreen Flick‑Holtsch3 and Florian Berding1
*Correspondence:
[email protected] Abstract
1
Institute for Vocational The digitalisation of processes is a current topic in accounting. New technologies can
and Business Education, change activities which in turn may require different skills from accounting graduates.
University of Hamburg, This paper aims to shed light on the changes that digitalisation brings about in vari‑
Sedanstraße 19, 20146 Hamburg,
Germany ous areas of accounting by assessing the types of activities (non-routine and routine)
2
Institute of Business Education, and corresponding competences in the context of progressing stages of digitalisa‑
University of Graz, Graz, Austria tion. In addition, it is analysed how different technologies are used in these activities
3
Institute of Education,
University of Zurich, Zurich, and where their execution is placed within the supply chain. The systematic literature
Switzerland review shows a lack of expertise in the field of digitalisation that enables graduates
and employees to successfully manage respective processes in the workplace. While
routine activities are continuously being automated or digitalised, non-routine activi‑
ties and the corresponding skills have a similarly increasing importance for employees
in accounting as the acquisition of general digital competences.
Keywords: Digitalisation, Expertise, Accounting education, Competences, Activities
Introduction
In the context of digitalisation, it is part of everyday life for customers to purchase
products and services with the aid of an application online and in physical stores.
The streams of products and finances within and between companies are also highly
interconnected when they are based on digitalised processes (Appelfeller and Feld-
mann 2018). Digitalisation thus encompasses the entire supply chain of a product or
service. Accounting is one area of the company that documents these processes with
customers and other companies, enables these processes, supports them technically,
and connects them with internal and external interfaces (Bleiber 2019; Klein and Küst
2020). In this context, companies nowadays face the challenge to make decisions on
the introduction of new technologies and digitalised business processes into the area
of accounting, among others (Appelfeller and Feldmann 2018). Digitalisation can
address various stages, from substitution (e.g., self-check-out counters in retail shops)
to business process innovation (e.g. automated storage and payment with RFID chips;
see for these examples e.g. Litfin and Wolfram 2010). It is expected that not only costs
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Pargmann et al. Empirical Res Voc Ed Train (2023) 15:1 Page 2 of 37
and productivity are essential decision criteria for the introduction of technologies
and digitalised business processes (Ashoka et al. 2019; Chen et al. 2012) but also the
extent to which employees can master and employ technologies and possess the com-
petence to fulfil new or evolving tasks (Aepli et al. 2017; Bonin et al. 2015; Cong et al.
2018; Egle and Keimer 2017; Seeber and Seifried 2019).
In this context, it is necessary to describe how digitalisation affects the requirement
profile regarding the competences of employees in accounting. On the general level,
the concept of competence is discussed in many ways and often focused on mastering
domain-specific tasks and requirements (Hartig et al. 2008; Weinert 2001). The types
of activities themselves range from manual routine tasks (e.g. paper-based bookkeep-
ing) to interactive activities (e.g. solving problems with automated digital bookkeep-
ing) (Seeber et al. 2019; Seeber and Seifried 2019). Hence, in order to learn more
about relevant competences in accounting in a digitalised world, we have to analyse
the different tasks and actual accounting activities that result in changing competence
requirements as a basis. There are insightful studies available that analyse changes
and developments of domain-specific requirements and competences as well as types
of activities in the context of digitalisation (Aepli et al. 2017; Iten et al. 2016; Sachs
et al. 2016; Seeber et al. 2019). However, rather little information is offered by these
reports when it comes to accounting and its specific activities as well as technologies
as tools for these activities. Thus, we assume that knowledge about these (new) activi-
ties in accounting and the corresponding digital technologies provide a good starting
point to infer possible changes in necessary competences for acting in professional
situations. Thus, our research questions are:
• RQ1:Which activities are concerned with digitalisation in which areas of account-

ing?
• RQ2:How do accounting activities differ in their respective stages of digitalisation?
• RQ3:Where are these activities placed within the supply chain?
• RQ4:Which technologies are used to perform these activities?
• RQ5:Which advantages and disadvantages are connected to these activities?
The results aim to provoke further curricular and didactic discussions about learn-
ing and teaching accounting in vocational education and training on the one hand
and higher education on the other.
Starting from a specification of digitalisation along its stages and types of activities,
we explain in the following the approach for the systematic analysis based on a review
of relevant literature. To actually gain insight into concrete developments of activi-
ties in accounting, we provide a systematic overview of the types of activities and the
stages of digitalisation. Moreover, we consider the specific stages of digitalisation in
combination with the different types of activities, as we expect differences between
certain types of activities (e.g. interactive activities) and specific stages of digitalisa-
tion (e.g. innovation). In modern accounting, technologies are the main set of tools
accountants use to execute their tasks, much like the tools of a craft. When tech-
nologies change, so do activities. Therefore, technologies need to be considered in
this review as well. In addition, the placement of activities within the supply chain is
included, as different departments require different competences and develop differ-

ent digitalisation projects since the stakeholders differ. Furthermore, the advantages
and disadvantages of digitalisation are to be surveyed since they offer insights why
activities are digitalized.
In the German-speaking countries, one’s ability to follow an occupation successfully
is described by the concept of vocational action competence. Established competence
frameworks usually differentiate between professional, social, and self-competences
as major dimensions with methodological and technological competences anchored
horizontally across all major dimensions. To decide which competences are needed for
which occupation, activities are analysed that allow these competences to be fostered.
Thus, it is relevant to analyse activities in accounting to derive necessary changes in cur-
ricula. Our research systematises digitalised activities that we employ to draw conclu-
sions for the competence development of future accountants.
Framework for categorising digitalisation and types of activities

When discussing the consequences of digitalisation for accounting activities, at least two
aspects must be considered in depth: first, the specific stages of digitalisation and, sec-
ond, the types of activities.
Figure 1 shows an overview of three different stages of digitalisation in the context of
accounting, each of which is disruptive to a different degree for activities and thus com-
petences (Bleiber 2019; Hübl 2020): substitution, process change, and innovation. While
in stage 1 analogue data or activities are substituted by digital ones, new technologies
lead to changes in processes in stage 2. Stage 3 addresses innovation, both processes and
their respective outcomes are changed.
An insightful framework of digitalised activities is suggested by Aepli et al. (2017), who
adopted the classification from Spitz‐Oener (2006) and validated it in expert interviews.
The framework was chosen because digitalisation is more likely to change activities in a
profession rather than erase it in their entirety (Aepli et al. 2017; Arntz et al. 2016; Autor
2015; Seeber and Seifried 2019; World Economic Forum 2018). In addition, some activi-
ties are more prone to digitalisation than others.
Fig. 1 Stages of digitalisation in accounting

Table 1 Types of activities (Aepli et al. 2017, 41, examples freely translated and supplemented)
Types of activities Generic application for different Application in accounting
professions
Manual routine activities Sort, pack, and ship products and Physically sort and scan invoices and
goods receipts, enter standard invoices and
receipts in an accounting program,
print analyses
Cognitive routine activities Data management, check invoices, Book incoming invoices, check
process transactions recorded invoices online, complete
incomplete bookings
Analytical non-routine activities Preparation of teaching and learning Analyse monthly and year-end finan‑
processes; planning activities; data cial reports, develop a plan to improve
preparation, interpretation, and the dunning process
presentation
Manual non-routine activities Maintain and service machines and Set up interfaces to customer systems,
equipment solve problems with the automatic
paper feed of the scanner for the
invoices
Interactive non-routine activities Provide information, teach, advise, Explain the annual statement to
instruct stakeholders, renegotiate payment
conditions, internal exchange with the
tax advisor
Table 1 illustrates this approach using types of activities (left column) which are
intended to provide deeper insight into the facets of potentially digitalised activities
with generic examples (middle column) and specific accounting-related examples (right
column).
Based on Dengler et al. (2014), we suggest to include automated routine activities,
even though they are not performed by professionals (e.g. the automatic import of out-
going invoices from invoicing to accounting). Due to the increasing number of auto-
mated workflows in accounting, this adaptation provides the ability to better record and
illustrate these changes as they reflect all activities that take place in the different areas
of accounting. Thus, the six types of activities provide a comprehensive and differenti-
ated range of activities. This categorization of activities will serve as a framework for our
literature review in order to establish comparability and transferability to other (com-
mercial) fields and professions as well.
Research design and methodology

A systematic literature review was conducted to find out how the accounting activities
of future accounting professionals have changed due to digitalisation. The four-step pro-
cess (Fig. 2) started with (1) the definition of up to fourteen keyword groups consisting
of technical search terms in both English and German, which for example include “com-
puter-assisted,” “data processing,” “technological speed of change,” “digitalisation rate,”
“ERP,” “enterprise-resource-planning,” “accounting software,” “OCR,” “optical character
recognition,” “big data,” “blockchain,” or “process mining.” Since the choice of keywords
directly impacts the search hits, we used four strategies to ensure that we were able to
use as many relevant terms as possible: (a) We conversed with an accounting profes-
sor about trends and current developments regarding digitalisation in the field, (b) we
scoped the databases that we used for our full search and analysed the most frequently
Fig. 2 Flow chart of research design
occurring trends and technologies, (c) we analysed accounting curricula from vocational
education and higher education institutions to adjust our concepts of different compe-
tence frameworks, and (d) we used a synopsis from different curricula and textbooks
to systematise activities. The keywords were grouped because of technical limitations
regarding the valid number of connectors, particularly in Google Scholar. To ensure
comparability between databases, we used these groups throughout our search.
After the definition of suitable terms, (2) a search was performed in the Google
Scholar, ERIC, EBSCO, and Web of Science databases and complemented by specific rel-
evant international journals (“Journal of Accounting Education,” “Journal of Emerging
Technologies in Accounting,” “Journal of Information Systems”) which were chosen due
to their topicality regarding the research questions. They were selected based on their
impact and the number of search hits. Due to the increasing speed of digitalisation, the
period between 2000 and 2020 was selected. In the later stages of the study, the research
group also decided to include a 2021 article due to its topical suitability.
While performing the content analysis, we applied a strategy that limited the number
of hits. Only the first 30 pages of search hits for each keyword group were scoped for rel-
evance. This was necessary because of the broad scope of the search terms. This specific
cut-off point was chosen because, in a preliminary scope, the number of potentially use-
ful search hits declined drastically. On average, no more (potentially) relevant hits were
identified after 29 to 30 pages, thus setting this number for the full search as well. This
process yielded a total of 9,553 potentially relevant hits across all media. A scan of both
titles and abstracts resulted in (3) a total of 190 potentially suitable sources of which 72
articles proved relevant to the research questions. Irrelevant publications either referred
only to accounting or digitalisation, were purely didactic, or had a general IT-orienta-
tion without an accounting focus. If the relevance could not be decided, the full text was
scanned for the connection between accounting and digitalisation. The last step (4) was
the content analysis. A total of 70 articles were retrievable and thus used in the cod-
ing process. The coding manual was developed and completed with appropriate anchor
examples to illustrate the variety of possible accounting activities and to align our gen-
eral understanding of the categories. The coding ensued in pairs to promote discussion.
Analytical framework
The coding tree (Fig. 3) consists of (a) publication information, (b) the publication’s main
foci and (c) types of activities (automated, manual and cognitive routine activities, man-
ual and analytical and interactive non-routine activities) in different areas of accounting
(financial accounting, controlling, balancing, financial forecasting, managerial account-
ing, ‘other’). Moreover, the coding tree included (d) respective digitalisation stages of
the activity (substitution, process change, innovation) as well as (e) advantages and dis-
advantages of digitalisation in context of the activities (e.g. financial and time-specific
aspects, complexity, required expertise, transparency, data protection).
As a starting point, a few base publications were chosen to be scanned for relevant
aspects regarding the research questions. From these notes and discussions, the cod-
ing tree was further developed and adapted after the first publications were coded.
Advantages and disadvantages were developed inductively while doing the first base
Fig. 3 Coding tree with sample sub-categories

coding. The framework was developed further by using the basic principles of content
analysis (Kuckartz 2018).
In the course of a special coding training, the final coding tree in the software Max-
QDA was then distributed to two coding teams (three and two people each) along
with the coding manual (Fig. 4). The sub-categories in the main category “Activities
in Accounting” were further distinguished according to the aforementioned types of
activities (Table 1), reaching from automated routine to interactive non-routine activ-
ities (Fig. 9). This more detailed structure allowed interpretations about the manners
in which activities might have changed due to digitalisation.
To help the coding process, anchor examples were selected for all categories. As
this paper is centred around activities, we are going to illustrate this process for the
activity-related categories. For example, an automatic activity in accounting is char-
acterised by a fully automated workflow like an automated deduction of worst-case
scenarios with algorithms. A manual routine task does not require cognitive activa-
tion as its execution is part of the employee’s regular working routine, for example
sorting accounting documents by date or verifying by hand if the positions on an
invoice are complete and filled in correctly by the software. In contrast to this, a cog-
nitive routine activity is constituted by a cognitive activation as it would be needed
for manual corrections in bookkeeping or the adjustment of false journal entries. An
analytical non-routine task could, for example, be the preparation and analysis of
various financial statements, while manual non-routine activities encompass all tasks
that are not part of everyday tasks, like solving technical problems or handling issues
regarding hardware maintenance. Lastly, interactive non-routine tasks require a com-
municative element, like onboarding processes in the division or consultation with
management. Thus, there are different levels of activities that need further specifica-
tion and presumably undergo different changes through digitalisation.
To identify the extent of changes in the field, activities were assigned to a digitalisa-
tion stage. Hence, we applied the three aforementioned stages of digitalisation based
on Bleiber (2019) and Hübl (2020) to identify the scope of changes in accounting: sub-
stitution, process change, and innovation (Fig. 1).
Fig. 4 Overview of the coding manual for accounting activities

• Stage 1, substitution, is completed whenever analogue data or activities are

exchanged for automated or digital ones. Neither process nor output is changed,
however. This stage applies to activities using, for example, OCR or robotic process
automation (RPA) or whenever the publication implies that a manual activity was
exchanged for automation.
• In stage 2, process change, workflows, and processes are altered by the use of tech-
nology while the output of the process remains the same. This stage applies to all
activities that use improved RPA technologies as well as process optimising or min-
ing tools, such as partially automated bookkeeping.
• Stage 3, innovation, implies that both processes and their respective outputs are
transformed through the use of technology, like artificial intelligence (AI), (deep)
learning systems, machine learning, and neural networks. An example of this stage is
a fully autonomous bookkeeping workflow.
Results
Bibliographic information and main foci of publications
The majority of publications are in German (n = 51) and in English (n = 19). The domi-
nance of German publications occurred due to the exclusion criteria. In our original set
of 190 possibly relevant publications (Fig. 2), the distribution was fairly balanced with
98 publications in German and 92 in English. However, we excluded those publications
which dealt with IT in a general manner (missing a direct link to accounting) and those
which focused on other aspects of accounting but did not explicitly mention account-
ing activities. Most of these publications were in English, hence the large difference in
the final data set. While most publications are either book chapters (n = 22) or journal
articles (n = 21), whitepapers (n = 17), books (n = 5), and university publications (n = 5)
constitute the minority. Looking at the year of publication, most sources were pub-
lished between 2015 and 2020 (Fig. 5), fewer sources between 2000 and 2005. This rapid
increase in publications indicates that digitalisation in accounting has gained popularity
within the past five years and is now a leading topic in accounting publications.
The sub-categories in “main focus” could be coded multiple times within the same
publication. Besides the technologies and software systems in use, the two most fre-
quently mentioned aspects regarding the main foci are developments in accounting/
accounting 4.0 (n = 144) and implications for accounting education (n = 108), a category
that describes possible changes in the configuration of activities. (Fig. 6). These two cate-
gories are future-oriented and involve both the (technical) developments and the indus-
try’s dynamic requirements for accounting graduates and implications for education.
Regarding the developments in accounting, authors primarily describe processes that
are improved and standardised to maximise productivity and the accountant’s value to
the company (Baier 2019; Müller and Reichmann 2010). Especially technologies like
advanced analytics and RPA are becoming increasingly important in accounting 4.0
(Egle et al. 2020; Koch 2017; Losbichler and Gänßlen 2018; Satzger et al. 2018).
Special aspects that were not mentioned in an educational context, such as the
related legal requirements (n = 75) or the generally increasing data availability (n = 39),
are shown in separate categories. Several publications also deal with the concrete
Pargmann et al. Empirical Res Voc Ed Train
(2023) 15:1
Fig. 5 Bibliographic information (year of publication, kind of publication and language of publication
Page 9 of 37
Fig. 6 Main foci of publications (number of codes, multiple codes per paper possible)
Fig. 7 Areas of activities in accounting divisions
implementation and procedure of electronic invoices (n = 34). The categories defini-

tion of automation (n = 4) and definition of digitalisation (n = 8) are mentioned the least
frequently.
RQ 1: Activities concerned with digitalisation in the different areas of accounting

Areas and types of activities in accounting
A total of n = 285 activities are distributed across six accounting areas including “other”
activities (Fig. 7). Most frequently mentioned are activities concerning financial account-
ing (n = 131) and controlling (n = 103). In contrast, all other divisions together make
up roughly 25% of the activities described in the publications. The financial accounting
code is given to all activities that are rooted in the accounts payable, accounts receivable,
banking, payroll, and asset accounting areas (Fig. 8). The activities in the area of financial
accounting are dominated by accounts payable accounting (n = 98). Many publications
focus on e-invoicing, a technology employed to increase productivity in both accounts
payable and accounts receivable accounting, the second most mentioned sub-division
Fig. 8 Areas of activities in financial accounting sub-divisions
(n = 23). In addition, OCR and RPA technologies are often used to increase efficiency in
both divisions.
The second most frequently mentioned category regarding activities, controlling,
mainly encompasses aspects such as reporting, communication, and interpretation of
data (Bär et al. 2019; Egle and Keimer 2017; Heupel and Lange 2019). In contrast to
financial accounting, the category of controlling does not focus as much on technolo-
gies but rather on specific changes in the job profile (Becker et al. 2020; Losbichler and
Gänßlen 2018; Schindera et al. 2018).
The types of activities in the different areas of accounting (Fig. 9A) are differentiated
by their mean of action. More specifically, Fig. 9A describes what kinds of activities typi-
cally occur in the different areas of accounting according to our analyses. In Fig. 9, those
numbers are given as relative numbers because a publication had sometimes multiple
codes of the same activity. To account for these duplicates and to maintain proportions,
the absolute frequencies are divided by the respective totals per sub-category. As an
example, the category financial accounting is mentioned 131 times of which 58 men-
tions are for automatic activities. Thus, there are automatic activities without manual
dimensions and others that are routine activities (manual and cognitive) and non-routine
activities (manual, interactive and analytical).
In the area of financial accounting, most reported activities are either automatic or
manual routine activities. Automatic activities are mentioned frequently, for example
the automatic recognition of invoices via RPA or their generation directly from the ERP
system, although a fully automated process is not common practice yet (Appelfeller and
Feldmann 2018; Jordanski 2020; Kreher 2021; Schömburg and Breitner 2010; Tanner
2016). Instead, some parts of the process are automated and some remain manual. This
explains the ratio of manual routine activities, as publications often address the manual
Fig. 9 A–C Types of activities in different accounting areas

Fig. 9 (continued)
correction or computation of invoices (Bernius and Kreuzer 2014; Koch 2017; Menges
2012; Wilczek 2014). Other areas of accounting like balancing or controlling display a
similar amount of automatic activities that primarily include the use of AI in balancing
(Kink 2007; Le Guyader 2020). Another aspect is the automated detection of variances
and automated reporting through machine learning in controlling (Alexander et al.
2019; Ashoka et al. 2019; Jonen 2020). In contrast to publications that focus on financial
accounting, authors who address managerial accounting topics identify a high propor-
tion of analytical non-routine activities that primarily include the use of RPA to distrib-
ute reports and allocate resources which then have to be analysed by human employees
(Langmann and Turi 2020).
RQ 2: Accounting activities in different stages of digitalisation

The codes regarding areas of activities in accounting alone, however, do not provide any
information regarding the quality of the activities or the respective stages of digitalisa-
tion that were presented earlier in this paper. To formulate statements about the qual-
ity of accounting activities, it is necessary to analyse the stage of digitalisation and the
respective frequencies in publications (Fig. 9B–C).
Stages of digitalisation in the different areas of accounting

Regarding the stages of digitalisation, the first stage (substitution) is assigned the most
across all accounting divisions (Fig. 9B). Especially activities that remain in the first stage
of substitution are attributed to financial accounting. In contrast to this area of account-
ing, both financial forecasting and managerial accounting areas show a larger proportion
of digitalisation that has progressed to stages 2 and 3, process change and innovation. As
to managerial accounting, this extends to the integration of a controlling software that
introduces innovations in processes in the respective divisions and the implementation
of new processes (Kink 2007; Raschig and Schulze 2020; Selb 2020). In financial forecast-
ing, most processes are still in the substitution stage (Klein and Küst 2020), but some
have progressed to integrate process change or innovation, such as the software-based
analysis of reporting data for a proactive controlling approach as shorter product lifecy-
cles necessitate shorter planning horizons (Kink 2007; Sledgianowski et al. 2017).
Stages of digitalisation in the different activities

In extent to the types of activities (Fig. 9C), most routine tasks (see Table 1 for these
categories) are still mainly in the substitution stage. For instance, RPA technologies are
used regularly to substitute manual with automated processes (Gadatsch 2020) or elec-
tronic invoicing is integrated (Jordanski 2020; Klein and Küst 2020; Pagel 2019; Schöm-
burg and Breitner 2010). Approximately one third of automated activities are in the stage
2 of process change, for example when the invoicing process is adapted to a digital for-
mat for both incoming and outgoing transactions (Kreher 2021).
For non-routine activities, the trend is mostly different. Interactive non-routine activi-
ties consist of a larger proportion of stage 2 digitalisation. Those process changes estab-
lished in the publications include vendor inquiries through automated online portals
(Binkow 2015) or the supervision of RPA systems or AI algorithms (Hmyzo and Muzzu
2020; Klein and Küst 2020). Processes need to be standardised to allocate controllers
more resources to handle more detailed analyses, interpretations, and communications

of results and to minimise their routine activities (Keimer and Egle 2020). Schindera
et al. (2018) express that, while the chief financial officer slowly transforms into a chief
performance officer, employees in the controlling division are confronted with a chang-
ing of roles, too—into that of a business partner. This change is conditioned by the use of
big data analytics. Thus, analytical non-routine activities gain in importance. Across the
areas of accounting, there is a connection between the kind of activity and its respective
stage of digitalisation that has not yet been quantified. While the majority of automatic
and routine activities remain in stage 1 digitalisation, interactive non-routine activities
predominantly are assigned to stage 2. This finding can be explained by the successful
implementation of software solutions and technologies such as AI leading to more activ-
ities involving it in the second stage (Chen et al. 2012; Heupel and Lange 2019; Le Guy-
ader 2020; Losbichler and Gänßlen 2018).
Analytical non-routine activities, however, show a contrasting result with most activi-
ties in stage 1 as employees need to make manual corrections (Jordanski 2020). Thus, a
human component is required in most processes. However, technologies such as block-
chain or AI provide the chance to increase the stage of digitalisation in the future (Chen
et al. 2012; Grönke and Heimel 2015; Trachsel and Bitterli 2020). In contrast to manual
routine activities (e.g. e-invoicing), the integration of software solutions for analytical
non-routine activities requires more resources, hence the lower threshold (Arbeitskreis
Externe Unternehmensrechnung der Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft für Betriebswirtschaft
e. V. 2018; Egle et al. 2020; Pagel 2019; Weiber et al. 2002).
RQ 3: Placement of activities within the supply chain

Different types of the described activities in different accounting areas can be estab-
lished and interlinked within a company with the aid of interfaces (Fig. 10). Within a
single company, there can be a multitude of interfaces across divisions and along the
supply chain. These interfaces are often connected to the activities, for example internal
and external financial accounting, which process inbound and outbound invoices or to
the procurement division that interacts with vendors. Most papers address one or more
relevant interfaces. Most frequently mentioned are internal interfaces (n = 46), espe-
cially regarding the adaptation of accounting and controlling division structures to new
business processes or ERP implementation (Binkow 2015; Gadatsch 2020; Heupel and
Fig. 10 Interfaces (placement of activities within the supply chain) addressed in the publications
Lange 2019; Najderek 2020; Suden 2010). The rising focus on process management to
increase productivity is depicted in the interfaces; more extensive cooperation between
financial divisions due to cross-sectional processes gains in importance (Arbeitskreis
Externe Unternehmensrechnung der Schmalenbach-Gesellschaft für Betriebswirtschaft
e. V. 2018; Bayerl et al. 2020). A functioning flow of information and close cooperation
between divisions can aid the success of digitalisation projects. Implementing standard-
ised software across the company is identified as a suitable approach to minimise inter-
face issues (Becker et al. 2020; Gadatsch 2020; Hecht and Scherrer 2020).
Interfaces with vendors (n = 29) or customers (n = 31) are also mentioned. The main
context of vendor interfaces lies in the dimension of electronic invoicing and the condi-
tions for successful implementation as well as specific processes (Appelfeller and Feld-
mann 2018; Klein and Küst 2020; Menges 2012; Najderek 2020; Pagel 2019; Suden 2010;
Tanner 2016). It is necessary to harmonise the vendor’s system requirements with the
company’s system requirements (Tanner 2016). Sometimes, companies establish a sup-
plier self-service that enables the vendors to manage processes such as invoicing or the
placement of orders within the company’s interface (Appelfeller and Feldmann 2018).
At the same time, interfaces with customers are mostly focused on improving their
experience by distributing invoices digitally or implementing customer self-service (e.g.
checkout via smartphone), thus optimising the company’s commodity, liquidity, or infor-
mation flows (Appelfeller and Feldmann 2018; Binkow 2015; Cong et al. 2018; Egle and
Keimer 2017; Jonen 2020; Klein and Küst 2020; Nagel 2018).
RQ 4: Technologies used to perform the accounting activities

Most publications address one or more technologies in the context of accounting
(Fig. 11). The specific technologies mentioned most frequently are big data analytics
(n = 32), RPA (n = 26) and AI (n = 26). Process mining, which allows companies to ana-
lyse their processes through digital technology, is mentioned least frequently (n = 8).
This result supports the perception of those technologies as the main disruptors in the
industry. Other technologies are mentioned in 44 publications. These are mostly gener-
alised statements that refer to basic technologies and software like ERP systems or tech-
nology that can be used to process e-invoices (Gadatsch 2020; Koch 2017; Schindera
et al. 2018; Schömburg and Breitner 2010; Tanner and Wölfle 2005; Wilczek 2014).
Ashoka et al. (2019) suggest that the use of AI in accounting will free up employees’
time capacities and reduce repetitive activities. They also predict a shift towards inter-
net-based reporting. Egle and Keimer (2017) add that the number of repetitive activities
will likely be reduced through AI and big data analytic tools, primarily by minimising
the number of manual decisions accountants and auditors have to make in their routine
activities. These internal factors are supplemented by external aspects that address the
customer journey. Especially, AI is used to improve the customer experience (Appelfeller
and Feldmann 2018; Bayerl et al. 2020; Egle et al. 2020). In addition, big data is often
mentioned in the context of customers (Gadatsch 2020; Losbichler and Gänßlen 2018;
Schindera et al. 2018). Yet, certain advantages for other areas of accounting are made
visible as analysis tools may aid, for example, auditors in data management or control-
lers in forecasting (Pan and Seow 2016). This may be the first indication of a shift in the
scope of activities in accounting and controlling towards increasing digitalisation.
Fig. 11 Frequency of mentioned technologies

Especially, repetitive and physical activities such as monthly reporting or e-invoicing

profit from the implementation of RPA (Bowles et al. 2020; Sandner et al. 2020). How-
ever, controlling and accounting divisions can be further improved, too (Bayerl et al.
2020; Koch 2017; Langmann and Turi 2020). Through RPA solutions, up to 50% of all
back-office tasks—like the synchronisation of supplier and customer accounts—could
be automated in the upcoming years (Koch 2017). Additionally, the number of employ-
ees necessary to manage the workload can be reduced or shifted to new tasks (Kirch-
berg 2017). Up to 36% of companies already use RPA or AI for individual tasks in their
accounting department (Kreher 2021).
RQ 5: The advantages and disadvantages of digitalised accounting activities

In the review, a variety of advantages and disadvantages of digital technologies in
accounting became apparent (Fig. 12). In total, we found almost three times as many
advantages (n = 618) named than disadvantages (n = 249).
The advantages mentioned most frequently were saving costs (n = 90), increasing effi-
ciency (n = 76), and saving time (n = 73). One example is that digital tools help account-
ants to manage their workload better and at lower costs (Pan and Seow 2016). Keimer
and Egle (2020) state that technologies such as big data analytics or cloud solutions are
useful to reduce the susceptibility to errors while simultaneously increasing efficiency in
the controlling division. In addition, process automation is perceived as a key aspect of
efficiency enhancement in the auditing sector (Werner and Gehrke 2011). The advantage
of saving time is connected to two time-related opportunities. Firstly, Pagel (2019) men-
tions the aspect of processes optimised by digital technologies; lead time for invoices was
reduced by up to 15 days, leveraging liquidity on the biller’s side. The freed-up worktime
indicates the second perceived opportunity: The specialised workforce in the controlling
division can shift their responsibilities to less administrative tasks, thus extending cur-
rent activities to strategy-oriented areas (Egle and Keimer 2017).
These productivity-related factors are mentioned in half of the publications. The
advantages of economies of scale (n = 7) and productivity (n = 11) are only rarely men-
tioned. For example, Egle and Keimer (2017) discuss productivity as an advantage that
results from saved time and error reduction.
“Other” advantages (n = 57) range from employee engagement and motivation (Lang-
mann and Turi 2020) to simplified auditing processes (Sledgianowski et al. 2017) or
improved understanding of financial events (Ashoka et al. 2019). But customer satisfac-
tion (Binkow 2015) and sustainability-driven aspects such as CO2 reductions (Bernius
and Kreuzer 2014) were mentioned as additional aspects as well.
Regarding the disadvantages, content analysis shows the highest risks with digital tech-
nologies in accounting in the areas of interface management (n = 40), financial invest-
ments (n = 42), and missing expertise (n = 31), mainly with new technologies (Fig. 12).
Gadatsch (2020) appoints the central issue of interface management to the complex
implementation and its extensive time frame. In addition, data redundancies created by
the parallel upkeeping of former and new ERP systems might further increase interface
issues, effectively increasing the workload. Thus, there is a need for technological and
methodological skills for successful interface management. Schömburg and Breitner’s
(2010) explanations support this result. They identify the main reasons for companies to
Pargmann et al. Empirical Res Voc Ed Train
(2023) 15:1
Fig. 12 Advantages and disadvantages of digitalisation in accounting (number of publications)

Page 19 of 37
defer process digitalisation as a lack of expertise, necessary investments, and implement-

ing suitable software. This finding primarily connects to electronic invoicing (Jordan-
ski 2020; Koch 2017; Nagel 2018; Najderek 2020; Schömburg and Breitner 2010; Tanner
2016; Tanner and Wölfle 2005) and ERP-specific areas (Appelfeller and Feldmann 2018;
Binkow 2015; Chen et al. 2012; Cong et al. 2018; Fuller and Markelevich 2020; Gadatsch
2020; Jonen 2020; Wilczek 2014). The “other” disadvantages (n = 32) focus on the risks
of decentralised innovations that are not implemented company-wide (Schindera et al.
2018) as well as the amount of time needed for software maintenance or to train employ-
ees (Gadatsch 2020). In addition, a few technology-specific disadvantages are men-
tioned: On the one hand, the implementation of RPA does not require the innovation
of new processes, thus old, ineffective processes could stall future changes (Gadatsch
2020). On the other hand, blockchain could hinder scalability due to slow transaction
speeds and challenging error corrections (Fuller and Markelevich 2020).
Discussion and summary

Summary
Digitalisation is changing numerous processes in the working lives of accounting pro-
fessionals. This also applies to processes associated with accounting. Against the back-
ground of the question of how accounting graduates will have to be trained in the future,
we have identified requirements and activities with the help of a systematic literature
review. The literature review was conducted based on a conceptual framework of six
types of activities and three stages of digitalisation. Figure 13 gives a condensed over-
view of the most important findings:
Regarding the foci of publications dealing with digitalisation in the field of account-
ing, we found that developments in accounting and implications for accounting
Fig. 13 Overview of findings

education dominate. These findings indicate that the discourse in the field has moved
beyond the definitory stages and towards the identification of needs of action, includ-
ing, among others, the advancement of accounting education and adjustments of
curricula.
Results for RQ (1) which deals with activities in the areas of accounting that are sub-
ject to digitalisation hint at financial accounting and controlling divisions being the main
areas of change. While in financial accounting, there is a focus on technology-based
change, the area of controlling mostly encompasses changes in the controller’s job profile
that are ensuing due to the increasing digitalisation of current tasks. As most activities
in financial accounting are based in the area of accounts payable, the focus on technolo-
gies could be connected to efficiency-related opportunities that technological updates
may implicate. Out of the six types of activities, analytical non-routine, automatic, and
manual routine activities are the predominant categories (see Table 1 for an overview
of definitions). This finding can be linked to the different degrees of automation in the
different areas: In financial accounting and balancing, a large share of tasks has been
automated, for example by RPA. In controlling, financial forecasting, and managerial
accounting, however, the leading tasks are data analysis (cognitive routine) and consul-
tancy (analytical and interactive non-routine). These results also provide first hints at the
stages of digitalisation in the different areas of accounting (RQ 2).
In RQ (2), we identified different stages of digitalisation in the different areas. The
results show that the proportion of digitalised activities is largely dependent on the area,
yet most activities currently remain in the substitution stage. This indicates that the inte-
gration of technologies and process changes is still underway. The combined analysis of
areas, activities, and stages was particularly revealing because it allowed differentiated
interpretations. The analysis showed, among other things, that types of activities and dif-
ferent accounting areas are digitalised at different stages. Stage 1 (substitution) is to be
expected, for example, in financial accounting and analytical non-routine activities. In
contrast, interactive non-routine activities can be found more often in the second stage
of digitalisation because current processes are supplemented by new technologies. This
finding matches the results from a study by Sachs et al (2016) who focused on changing
job descriptions in the commercial field. Interaction is required to communicate results
and consult with management. This leads to expanding job profiles and further required
competences that trace back to updates in accounting education.
All the activities we identified require different skill sets and are placed at different
interfaces along the entire supply chain (RQ 3). This implies the supply chain’s contin-
uous digitalisation requiring new technical standards and agreements. For example,
the increasing popularity of e-invoicing has motivated efforts regarding the standard-
isation of software and workflows.
Another aspect that shifts competence requirements is the implementation of
major technologic trends such as AI and big data analytics in the industry (RQ 4).
Frequently mentioned technologies and corresponding business processes need to be
integrated into accounting curricula to meet industry needs. On the one hand, tech-
nology itself and its evaluation could be addressed. On the other hand, the handling
of technology could be prepared when it is integrated into industry practice. Learning
materials need to reflect these changes and thus become more digitalised as well.
With RQ (5), we analysed the advantages and disadvantages that the publications
under analysis identified during the process of digitalisation in the field of account-
ing. Even if the advantages mentioned in the publications, such as efficiency reasons,
outweighed the disadvantages, risks such as interface management and accounting
professionals’ lack of skills and competences must still be considered. In consequence,
companies lack the expertise to successfully manage digital transformation processes,
underlining the importance of specific competence development. Other factors that
are main motivators are of a classic economic nature, such as an increase in over-
all productivity by saving time and financial resources. Both technologies’ specific
disadvantages and the process of digitalisation in accounting more generally suggest
the need for improved accounting graduate education and further training or at least
for more guidance for both employers and employees. This need applies to concise
abilities, such as the assessment of digital technologies and processes, and the cri-
teria-based evaluation of the potential of software implementation. Depending on
how quickly corresponding competences can be developed in the company’s work-
force, flexibility in competence acquisition for varying technologies and the successful
implementation as well as maintenance of technological interfaces is needed. Thus,
the field of accounting has reached a level of digitalisation that entails changes in
competence profiles to enable both accounting professionals and graduates to manage
new demands.
Limitations
Methodological limitations
Concerning limitations, our paper focuses primarily on results from a literature
review and not on the analysis of real company situations or accounting professionals’
reports. The activities, stages, and combinations described in the articles were evalu-
ated according to the number of codes. Whenever a publication mentioned the same
code in a different context, it was coded as a new mention. This could potentially dis-
tort results. In addition, we did not analyse the extent to which technologies have
actually been established in companies and in particularly in accounting. The papers
might reflect the past and current states of the discussion.
The next limitations stem from the selection process of publications and their
respective language of publication. While there were specific journals in English
selected as relevant, we did not select specific German journals. Regarding the domi-
nance of German-speaking publications, it is possible that the databases we used, par-
ticularly Google Scholar, produced a bias due to their search algorithms that might
include geolocation. To balance this out, we searched for our keywords in both Eng-
lish and German. However, we cannot ignore that this might have implications for the
results of our study. In German-speaking countries, accounting methods are rather
defensive compared to English-speaking countries, where future-oriented perspec-
tives are more common. In consequence, it is possible that some of our results only
pertain to Germany and other German-speaking countries as well as to some to other
countries, especially those results that are connected to the flexibility and design of
accounting curricula or the stage of digitalisation in the industry.
Content‑related limitations
Another limitation is the focus on controlling and financial accounting in the key-
word groups as other areas of accounting might have been underrepresented. As for
the integration of digitalisation into accounting curricula and learning materials, our
paper does not consider external factors that might influence the creation and adapta-
tion of accounting curricula like accountancy professional bodies and other accredit-
ing organisations.
Implications for accounting education and professional practice

The lack of expertise takes a prominent position in our analysis, which is mainly
reflected by the prevention of digitalisation processes and innovation of accounting
activities. Particularly, technological and methodological skills are needed to inte-
grate new technologies, innovate processes, and, in consequence, produce a shift in
activities. The following key implications can be deducted for accounting education
and professional practice (see for more details Berding et al. 2022):
• Adaptation of curricula to reflect the change of focus from financial accounting

and routine activities to the area of controlling and non-routine activities ("RQ 1:
Activities concerned with digitalisation in the different areas of accounting" and
"RQ 2: Accounting activities in different stages of digitalisation" section).
• Intensification of the use of technological and analytical tools in accounting educa-
tion curricula to motivate early contact and contribute to the holistic understand-
ing of processes as the importance of independent reporting and interpretation
of financial key figures increases ("RQ 1: Activities concerned with digitalisation
in the different areas of accounting" and "RQ 4: Technologies used to perform the
accounting activities" section).
• Combined focus on technical and professional competences in the different areas
of accounting that recognises the increasing importance of meta-competences
such as proactive thinking, self-control, creativity, and interdisciplinary action.
This is particularly important to ensure that graduates and employees stay capable
to navigate the field of accounting and adapt to the changing parameters flexibly
("RQ 2: Accounting activities in different stages of digitalisation" section).
• Integration of data and process management and new technologies into compul-
sory curricula and professional development courses to generate a holistic under-
standing of processes and manage change across the entire supply chain ("RQ 3:
Placement of activities within the supply chain" and "RQ 4: Technologies used to
perform the accounting activities" section).
• Employees in the areas of accounting and controlling need improved communica-
tive and entrepreneurial skills to market the added value of digitalisation to com-
panies ("RQ 5: The advantages and disadvantages of digitalised accounting activi-
ties" section).
Overall, the analysis provides valuable hints for future-oriented accounting educa-
tion that supports companies in realising a maximum of expertise to manage their
digital transformation. This extends to the opportunity to think about implications

for professional practices (How digitalised can the field be and how can digitalisa-
tion change job profiles?), for accounting students/employees (Am I willing to engage
with changing technologies to improve my skill set and potentially work on entirely
different activities within the next few years?), and even for society (How can these
changes and their implications on competences help in finding creative solutions to
21st-century challenges?). This review can serve as a starting point for these and simi-
lar considerations.
This paper was intended to contribute to the discussion of future (competence)
requirements for graduates in accounting. The detailed analyses provide an in-depth
insight into six types of activities and the different stages of digitalisation for specific
areas of accounting. This systematic and detailed analysis was necessary to gain knowl-
edge on how to initiate concrete improvements in the content and methodology of the
education and training of accountants (see for example Author 1 et al. 2022). It became
clear, for example, that a deeper look into these areas is valuable as the same technolo-
gies are not likely to prevail in all areas at the same stage and for the same types of activi-
ties. In the area of financial accounting, for example, the duration of tasks decreases due
to the large proportion of routine activities that can be automated or substituted, freeing
up time for other activities or areas of accounting. One of these is controlling, where
there are more non-routine activities that require new skills. However, it also became
clear that interface management in particular is essential for linking the numerous tech-
nologies. Against this background, the didactics of accounting are also challenged to
educate and train graduates in a differentiated manner.
Appendix I: List of coded publications
Author Year Title and publication Type Language

information
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mens: Systematischer Leitfaden
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mensrechnung der Schmalen‑ der Digitalisierung für die Effek‑
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Conway E, Byrne, D (eds) Con‑
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P, Reichmann T, Baumöl U,
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ling-Funktion: Anwendungs‑
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Abbreviations
AI Artificial intelligence
ERP Enterprise resource planning
OCR Optical character recognition
RPA Robotic process automation
RQ Research question
Acknowledgements
Not applicable.
Author contributions
JP analysed and interpreted the data and was a major contributor in writing the manuscript. ER, DFH and FB initiated the
project, drafted the theoretical background and methodology and were contributors in writing and editing the manu‑
script. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Funding
No funding has been received for this research.
Availability of data and materials

The datasets used and/or analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable
request.
Declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare that they have no competing interests.
Received: 24 October 2022 Accepted: 27 March 2023
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Digitalisation in accounting: a systematic literature review of activities and

Article in Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training · April 2023

Julia Pargmann Elisabeth Riebenbauer

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Digitalisation in accounting: a systematic

• RQ1:Which activities are concerned with digitalisation in which areas of account-

included, as different departments require different competences and develop differ-

Framework for categorising digitalisation and types of activities

Fig. 1 Stages of digitalisation in accounting

Research design and methodology

Fig. 2 Flow chart of research design

Fig. 3 Coding tree with sample sub-categories

Fig. 4 Overview of the coding manual for accounting activities

• Stage 1, substitution, is completed whenever analogue data or activities are

Fig. 7 Areas of activities in accounting divisions

implementation and procedure of electronic invoices (n = 34). The categories defini-

RQ 1: Activities concerned with digitalisation in the different areas of accounting

Fig. 8 Areas of activities in financial accounting sub-divisions

Fig. 9 A–C Types of activities in different accounting areas

RQ 2: Accounting activities in different stages of digitalisation

Stages of digitalisation in the different areas of accounting

Stages of digitalisation in the different activities

more resources to handle more detailed analyses, interpretations, and communications

RQ 3: Placement of activities within the supply chain

RQ 4: Technologies used to perform the accounting activities

Fig. 11 Frequency of mentioned technologies

Especially, repetitive and physical activities such as monthly reporting or e-invoicing

RQ 5: The advantages and disadvantages of digitalised accounting activities

Fig. 12 Advantages and disadvantages of digitalisation in accounting (number of publications)

defer process digitalisation as a lack of expertise, necessary investments, and implement-

Discussion and summary

Fig. 13 Overview of findings

Implications for accounting education and professional practice

• Adaptation of curricula to reflect the change of focus from financial accounting

digital transformation. This extends to the opportunity to think about implications

Appendix I: List of coded publications

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Author Year Title and publication Type Language

Availability of data and materials

Received: 24 October 2022 Accepted: 27 March 2023

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