Use of an expert system as decision support for GAAP compliance

The increasing complexity and volume of accounting standards warrants a solution model that will assist in categorizing accounting transactions and evaluating proper treatment of each transaction according to authoritative accounting pronouncements. Expert system technology can be effectively applied to this type of accounting problem. This paper explores the feasibility of an accounting expert system to provide decision support for compliance with generally accepted accounting principles. The study examines basic components and development issues related to expert systems, summarizes the history and development of accounting standards, and explores existing accounting expert systems. The development of an accounting compliance expert system model is described along with a detailed description of the model and its contributions to the field.