Is SQL Useful For Accountants?

Storing data for future use has proven to be a success in many businesses, including an accounting firm. When making crucial decisions or comparing performances, you have to rely on this data, and storing them in a database makes it easy to access and retrieve. The easiest way to access this information is through using SQL.

SQL is important to accountants since their work relies on data. SQL helps to retrieve such data instantly and from anywhere provided you have access to the database. However, SQL is not a requirement for an accountant, and learning this skill is a matter of personal choice.

That’s not all, as you still need to know how SQL is used in accounting, whether accountants need a database, and whether it’s easier for an accountant to learn SQL, which you will learn if you read on.

Do Accountants Need SQL?

They might sound different, and truly they are, but accounting and SQL have come to be used together in recent years, after an IT revolution. SQL helps a user to interact with a database where they store important information. While accounting firms have an independent IT department to handle such matters, there are some benefits for an accountant to learn SQL, such as:

Getting hired – an entry-level accountant with SQL skills has a higher chance of getting hired than one without.
Versatility – besides helping with accounting duties, you’ll be free to take on other tasks such as retrieving data conveniently.
Sets you apart – standing out from other accountants in the firm might give you a competitive advantage and rubber-stamp your effectiveness.

How Is SQL Used In Accounting?

SQL is a database query that helps you to interact and alter data based on the current needs. With SQL, you can retrieve or store data in a database remotely. Although no SQL course is geared toward accounting, you’ll still use normal queries to interact with the database. The common SQL queries for accounting include:

Create – it’s used to create a new database or a table
Alter – the query is used to modify the database and the tables by adding, changing, or removing some content.
Drop – if you want to drop a table or an entire database, this is the query to use.
Truncate – you use this query to clear the content of the table without touching the stable’s structure.
Select – allows you to select specific data, tables, or a database. The query is mostly combined with SELECT, FROM, WHERE, ORDER BY.
Insert – used to enter data into the table. You can specify the column you want to enter this data.
Update – the query is used to update the information on the table, including the columns.

Although there are more SQL queries you can use, these are the most common for accountants as they help you interact with the database to access the information needed. Accountants don’t require sophisticated SQL queries, and it’s common for them to use the SELECT, ALTER, INSERT, and UPDATE queries.

Do Accountants Require a Database?

A database is crucial to any business, but the structure of the database is one that varies. Although some accounting firms still rely on Excel databases, most of them migrate to SQL databases due to their versatility, power, and ease of use.

An SQL database can hold millions of data and still perform optimally. There’s also the issue of the queries used, with SQL codes being easier to master than the Excel commands. Even so, most accounting firms still combine the two, thanks to the technological innovations that allow cross-platform operations.

A database is effective to an accounting firm due to the following reasons:

Accessing the data remotely helps to cut down the working hours and improve efficiency.
The data is secured and backed up in the cloud
It’s easy to access the information as opposed to digging through countless files.

The risk of losing crucial data can have devastating effects on the firm’s reputation, and securing a database should be the top priority for any accounting firm.

Can An Accountant Learn SQL?

SQL is easier to learn, and an accountant is not an exception. The best way to master this database query language is to start with the basics, such as creating a database and tables. Next, you should learn how to alter the data in the tables, such as adding, deleting, altering, and moving data within the table.

SQL is considered the easiest to master since the queries are straightforward compared to other programming languages. Also, the queries are short, meaning you can write fewer codes and still execute a huge amount of data.

Can You Teach Yourself SQL As An Accountant?

Anyone can teach themselves SQL fast without needing to enroll in any classes. However, their time to master the skills would differ with individuals, their commitment, and their interest.

Learning SQL by yourself is easier given a plethora of online sources where you can get this information. While some are paid, you can still get reliable free sources to improve your SQL skills, and they include:

Udemy – paid, but the courses are worth the money.
Codeacademy – free SQL course
DataCamp – free SQL course
LearnSQL.com – it’s probably the best place to learn SQL
YouTube – you can get some decent YouTube SQL tutorials

How Long Can An Accountant Take To Learn SQL?

On average, an accountant can take six weeks to master the SQL basics. They can handle adding, altering, and creating data on a database with this knowledge. However, it can take them longer if they want to master sophisticated queries. The basic skills they acquire within the first six weeks are enough for an accountant to handle basic SQL operations.

Conclusion

SQL is very crucial for anyone who works with databases. Although many accounting firms have IT departments dedicated to working with databases and other IT-related matters, it doesn’t hurt for an accountant to learn SQL. Accountants require a stable database to store their crucial information, and many have been migrating to SQL databases. It’s also easy for an accountant to learn SQL on their own, provided they show initiative and commitment.