Upfront: 2004 IT Watch List

For the second consecutive year, information security systems captured the top spot on the AICPA's list of the 10 technologies it expects to have the most far-reaching effects on the accounting profession in the near future. Software for controlling unwanted e-mail took second place. "Protecting data and ensuring the privacy of our clients' and customers' information are top priorities for the profession, and we're not surprised to see information security and spam technology at the top of the list," says Roman H. Kepczyk, chair of the AICPA's information technology executive committee in New York City.

Some items on the top 10 list -- wireless technologies and disaster recovery tools, for example -- are familiar from previous years, but this year seven technologies made their debut appearance, including:

• Database and application integration. These systems automatically transfer user input to multiple databases.

•Data mining. These applications analyze large databases to identify patterns that enable users to predict customer behavior.

•Business exchange. These technologies include data formats -- such as extensible business reporting language (XBRL) -- that make it easier for companies to publish and analyze financial information and distribute it among disparate software systems and technologies.