Abstract: The 21st century is an information age centered on network technology. Network economy is growing at a speed beyond people's expectation, and e-commerce, as its main component, has fostered an automated, digitized, and paperless socio-economic environment. This is not only a technical change but also brings about a fundamental revolution in business activities themselves. Accounting models existing in this environment will inevitably be affected. This article intends to discuss the development trend of accounting information in the information age starting from the impact on traditional accounting data.
Keywords: E-commerce; Traditional accounting data; Electronic accounting data; Impact
E-commerce, in a narrow sense, refers to comprehensive trade activities conducted over the Internet, including electronic transactions. When enterprises connect their major businesses through Intranet, Extranet, and the Internet with personnel, customers, suppliers, and partners, the various activities generated are considered e-commerce. Currently, most Chinese enterprises actively participate in e-commerce activities to enhance market competitiveness, which will make most of the business data and accounting data of enterprises completely or partially electronic and paperless. This will undoubtedly have a significant impact on traditional accounting information.
I. Electronic accounting data changes the existence form of traditional written data
In a traditional accounting environment, all economic transactions of enterprises are recorded on paper and categorized into original vouchers, bookkeeping vouchers, accounting ledgers, and financial statements according to different stages of accounting data processing. These paper documents, due to differing handwriting, possess identifiability and mutual constraints due to multi-part carbon copies. Additionally, strict amendment methods are specified for written materials. These are the basic characteristics of traditional paper-based data.
Electronic accounting data differs significantly from traditional written data in terms of generation, storage, transmission, signing confirmation, and modification. 1. The carrier of accounting data has changed from paper to magnetic and optical media carriers. Hard disks, memory, floppy disks, magnetic tapes, and CDs have become new carriers for financial data. This substitution transforms data recording, storage, and transmission from "mechanical forms" to "electromagnetic forms." Accounting data processing tools have evolved from abacuses, calculators, and scratch papers to high-speed computers capable of remote calculations. Accounting information input-output modes have transitioned from slow, one-way processes to fast, two-way operations. 2. Once traditional accounting data is formed, unless encountering irresistible forces, its tangible substance and content are secure during the accounting archive retention period. However, electronic accounting data and its carriers face risks such as disasters, equipment failures, mistaken operations, and viruses. 3. Since electronic accounting data uses magnetic (optical) media as an information carrier, any additions, modifications, or deletions cannot leave traces on the magnetic (optical) media. This poses potential hazards for the verification of traditional original vouchers. 4. To ensure reliability, security, completeness, and verifiability, electronic accounting data must rely on advanced technological means. Moreover, to counter continuously evolving online fraud and criminal issues, the technical foundation of electronic accounting data must keep improving.
II. Generation and Confirmation of Electronic Accounting Data
We know that original data is the most critical component of accounting data. The recognizability of original data is fundamental, usually based on paper records made at the time of transaction, such as invoices, contracts, payment receipts, etc. Different types of original vouchers related to a single transaction are compared and verified, and the validity of signatures of relevant responsible persons on the vouchers must be confirmed. All these are easily identifiable by accounting personnel.
In the context of e-commerce, original data takes the form of electronic accounting data accompanied by the sender's digital signature. Electronic "original" data is directly sent into the receiver's computer information system when a transaction occurs. The receiving staff first reviews the electronic accounting data, including reviewing the content of the electronic data message, digital signature, and identity authentication. After the staff reviews and signs (digital signature), the data is officially entered into the computerized accounting information system. After being reviewed and confirmed by accounting personnel, the computer system automatically generates electronic bookkeeping vouchers. Once automatically generated, no one can modify these electronic bookkeeping vouchers, and they can directly generate ledger data and financial statements.
For the review of electronic data generated in e-commerce transactions, apart from verifying different data records of a single transaction, attention should also be paid to the electronic signatures of relevant responsible personnel such as transaction handlers, approvers, and signatories, ensuring the completeness, authenticity, and legality of transactions and corresponding records. The use of electronic signature technology primarily based on asymmetric key systems can basically solve issues regarding the validity, security, and non-repudiation of transactions and information transmission, providing assurance for the generation and confirmation of electronic accounting data.
III. Legal Effectiveness of Electronic Accounting Data
In various legal systems, written materials serve as primary valid evidence for proving economic matters. Whether paperless electronic accounting data can be accepted as valid evidence under the law is an urgent issue facing accounting and is also a topic of international concern. For electronic accounting data to gain social recognition, it must first receive legal approval and possess legal effectiveness.
The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law passed the official legal model "Model Law on Electronic Commerce" in 1996. Article 8 clearly stipulates that if a data message can reliably guarantee that the information remains intact from the time it was first generated in its final form as a data message or for another purpose, and when required to present the information, it can display the information to the viewer, then the data message satisfies the requirements of an original. This new definition undoubtedly provides strong legal grounds for the validity of electronic original vouchers. It signifies that logistics vouchers and circulation documents can be determined through data messages without being limited to written vouchers.
China's Contract Law also extends the written contract form to include data messages. Article Eleven states: "Written form refers to contract books, letters, and data messages (including telegrams, telexes, faxes, electronic data interchange, and emails) that can tangibly represent the content they carry." In other words, regardless of the medium used for the contract, as long as it can tangibly represent the content, it is considered to meet the legal requirement for "written." Electronic contracts can be confirmed in this way, and other electronic original vouchers can also be recognized accordingly.
Since 1995, more than 30 countries, regions, and international organizations have successively enacted electronic signature laws to establish the legal status of electronic signatures as a core aspect of e-commerce law. On August 28, 2004, the Eleventh Session of the Standing Committee of the Tenth National People's Congress passed the "People's Republic of China Electronic Signature Law," which for the first time granted reliable electronic signatures the same legal effect as handwritten signatures or seals.
Of course, the electronic representation of accounting data does not deny the necessity of the continued existence of traditional accounting data formats. Accounting, as an economic information system mainly providing financial information, must adopt diversified and modernized means to serve enterprises and break free from the shackles that previously constrained the free development of accounting.
Reference:
Ge Zhiyuan: "Application and Technology of E-commerce". Tsinghua University Press, 2004.