Data management new top IT concern for accounting pros.

• Position: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

According to a recent study, managing and retaining data rose to the op of the list of IT concerns for accounting professionals in the United States and Canada. Second on the list for both countries is securing the IT environment, which had been the primary concern cited for the previous nine years.

These were the key findings of the 2013 North America Top Technology Initiatives Survey conducted by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Charter Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA Canada). Nearly 2,000 accounting professionals participated in the survey, which was designed to "dive further into the core concerns and priorities" that AICPA members have regarding IT. This was the first year the survey was conducted jointly in the United States and Canada.

"While survey respondents see data as a key differentiator for businesses, they are less confident in their organizations' ability to successfully address several underlying technology priorities than they were a year ago," according to AICPA's press release announcing the results of the study. Last year, the majority of U.S. respondents reported they were successfully meeting goals in eight of 10 top initiatives; this year, it was only two initiatives--data management and security.

"The good news is that accounting professionals in both the United States and Canada feel comfortable in handling what they view as their two top priorities for [2013]--data management and IT security," said Jeannette Koger, director of member specialization and credentialing for the AICPA.

Ranking of Top Technology Initiatives, U.S. and Canada

(Percentage shown is respondents' confidence level for successfully addressing this priority)

United States

1. Managing and Retaining Data (55%)

2. Securing the IT Environment (51%)

3. Managing IT Risks and Compliance (47%)

4. Ensuring Privacy (45%)

5. Managing System...