Think you know accounting history? Test your knowledge!

For 140 years, CPA Australia and its members have helped shape the accounting profession through periods of economic upheaval, social change and rapid technological advancement.

From handwritten ledgers and wartime budgeting to cloud platforms, sustainability reporting and generative AI, accountants have continually adapted while upholding the profession’s core values of integrity, stewardship and accountability.

This quiz highlights some of the defining moments, people and innovations that have influenced accounting in Australia and across the Asia-Pacific region. Test your knowledge and see how well you know the profession’s journey from 1886 to today.

For clues, head to from ledgers to AI.

1. In what year was the Incorporated Institute of Accountants, Victoria (IIAV) established?

1. 1876
2. 1886
3. 1896
4. 1901

2. How many accountants attended the meeting that led to the formation of the IIAV?

1. 25
2. 35
3. 45
4. 60

3. Who was the first woman admitted to a professional accounting body in the Commonwealth?

1. Elizabeth Alexander
2. Mary Addison Hamilton
3. Edith Cowan
4. Dame Enid Lyons

4. Which global event exposed weaknesses in financial reporting and led to stronger disclosure rules?

1. World War I
2. World War II
3. The Asian financial crisis
4. The Great Depression

5. What major technological development in 1952 began transforming accounting processes such as payroll and ledgers?

1. The electronic calculator
2. The first spreadsheet
3. IBM’s first commercial computer
4. The personal computer

6. Which invention helped transform personal computers into essential business tools?

1. VisiCalc
2. Lotus 1-2-3
3. Microsoft Excel
4. QuickBooks

7. What is the earliest known evidence of accounting practice?

1. Ancient Egypt, involving gold and papyrus records
2. Ancient Mesopotamia, involving animals, livestock and crops
3. Ancient Greece, involving maritime trade ledgers
4. Ancient China, involving silk and bronze currency

8. When did CPA Australia formally adopt International Financial Reporting Standards in Australia?

1. 1997
2. 2000
3. 2005
4. 2008

9. CPA Australia today is described as having approximately how many members and offices where?

1. ~90,000 members with offices in Australia only
2. ~176,000 members with offices in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and key Asian jurisdictions
3. ~200,000 members with offices in Australia and Europe
4. ~250,000 members with offices in North America and Africa only

10. Which event highlighted accountants’ role in cash-flow management and business resilience in the 2020s?

1. The Asian financial crisis
2. The global financial crisis
3. The rise of blockchain
4. The COVID-19 pandemic

11. What skill is highlighted as increasingly important for accountants in the era of AI?

1. Manual ledger balancing
2. Prompt engineering
3. Advanced data analytics
4. Understanding automation tools and cloud-based accounting platforms

12. Which core purpose of accounting is described as remaining constant despite technological change?

1. Holding people accountable
2. Maximising shareholder wealth
3. Maximising automation
4. Eliminating human oversight