From Traditional Bookkeeping to Digital Accounting: A Literature Review on the Evolution of Introductory Accounting Practices

Rivaldo Tan; Alexander Setiawan

doi:10.63922/ijebir.v5i05.6544

Rivaldo Tan Petra Christian University
Alexander Setiawan Petra Christian University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.63922/ijebir.v5i05.6544

Keywords: Accounting Education, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Accounting, Digital Accounting, Traditional Bookkeeping

Abstract

Digitalization has substantially transformed accounting practices by shifting traditional manual bookkeeping toward computerized, cloud-based, automated, data-driven, and artificial intelligence-supported systems. This study aimed to examine the evolution of introductory accounting practices, identify the major technologies driving this transformation, and analyze their implications for accounting knowledge and education. A qualitative approach using a structured narrative literature review was employed. The population comprised scholarly publications on bookkeeping, digital accounting, accounting technology, automation, artificial intelligence, and accounting education published between 2021 and 2025, from which 51 eligible articles were selected through purposive document sampling. Data were collected using a structured literature review matrix and analyzed through qualitative thematic synthesis involving descriptive classification, thematic coding, constant comparison, and interpretive synthesis. The findings revealed five interconnected stages of accounting evolution: manual bookkeeping, computerized accounting, cloud-based accounting, automated and data-driven accounting, and artificial intelligence-supported accounting. Although technological developments increasingly automated routine procedures, fundamental accounting principles remained essential. Introductory accounting consequently shifted from a predominantly procedural orientation toward an integrated framework combining conceptual knowledge, digital competence, analytical reasoning, information evaluation, and professional judgment. The study concludes that digital transformation should complement rather than replace foundational accounting knowledge.

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