2. Challenges derived from the IFRS implementation process:
The impact of the migration to the IFRS goes beyond the accounting area and will result in changes in the entire organization that must be taken into account duly in advance.
The conversion to IFRS shall be a project that shall affect different functional areas of the companies, with multiple actors and related knowledge areas, and with dates to be complied with. In the current economic context, the entities listed in the stock exchange must face implementation costs brought about by the adoption of the international accounting standards.
They shall be required to:
A) Prepare a working plan enabling them to reach the application time in adequate conditions. In this line, the proposals come from the implementation plan of the FACPCE’s Special Commission and the assembly of a schedule incorporating the requirements of technical resolution 26 is essential.
B) Start with the adaptation of the accounting reporting systems to the new requirements. Professionals trained in the new standards in the financial area must interact with those who develop and update the accounting reporting systems in order to face the task on a joint basis and thus avoid the dispersion of efforts. The identification and evaluation of the accounting impacts must be adequately shown and disclosed within the company and towards third parties.
Counting on a well-planned project from the very beginning is essential to minimize surprises, attain a successful conversion and avoid the risk of not adequately complying with the terms required.
3. Training
Among the major challenges derived from the foregoing we see the training need as fundamental in order to undertake the necessary actions to implement the transition and dissemination to be made for the different interested parties.
The entities affected are confronted with the need to start a strong training of their staff within the plans to be carried out, even in the middle of the current recessive context, with an appropriate monitoring.
Both the FACPCE (Argentine Federation of Economic Sciences Professional Boards) and the Boards that integrate it, such as the Universities and auditing firms that form part of the Forum of Firms of IFAC (International Federation of Accountants) have implemented courses and seminars for this purpose (http://web.ifac.org/download/Forum_of_Firms_Register.pdf). SMS is the only firm that integrates the Forum of Firms with headquarters in Argentina.