Definition: An output device in an accounting system is something that exports data from the system, so it can be used. In other words, an output devices is anything that gets information from the accounting system to the end users.
What Does Output Device Mean?
The output device is the last part of any accounting system. After the source documents are used to gather information and input into the system by input devices are, the information processors create usable reports and store them in the info storage area for recall later. The output device is then used to export the info in the storage area for use inside the business.
Sounds like a pretty simple concept, right? It is!
Example
A great example of an output device is a printer. The printer takes reports that are generated by the accounting system or software and exports it to a usable form for management and accountants.
Taking this example a step farther, monitors or projectors are also considered output devices because they display the information in accounting software to the end user. Even though the display isn’t producing a physical copy of the report, like a print, it is still making the information available to the people who need to use it for decision-making purposes.
Output devices can also be used to transfer data to end-users. Think about a bank account and payroll for example. The business checking account uses electronic funds transfer to automatically deposit money in its employees’ accounts every pay period. In essence, the checking account is exporting a finished payroll report that the bank can then use to deposit the money in the employees’ accounts.
