Accounting for Fuels and Lubricants at the Enterprise in the Context of the Digital Transformation of the Economy

Abstract

Abstract: Fuel and lubricants represent an essential component of enterprises’ inventories, which necessitates effective control over their acquisition, movement, and utilization. Traditional accounting methods for fuel and lubricants, based on paper document flow, no longer meet modern requirements for timeliness, accuracy, and analytical reliability of accounting information. In this context, the digitalization of accounting opens up new opportunities for process automation, integration of information flows, and enhancement of managerial decision-making quality. Purpose. The study aims to theoretically generalize and improve methodological approaches to accounting for fuel and lubricant purchase operations within the framework of the digital transformation of accounting systems. Methods. To achieve this goal, a set of methods was applied, including analysis of the regulatory framework, generalization of theoretical provisions, comparative and structural-logical analysis, and modeling for the development of an integrated model of accounting for fuel and lubricant purchases. Results. The study identifies key provisions of the current regulatory and legal framework governing the acquisition, storage, and accounting of fuel and lubricants for cash transactions and with the use of corporate or personal payment cards. It systematizes the features of documenting fuel and lubricant purchases at gas stations and reveals the procedure for their reflection in accounting. The author proposes directions for improving accounting procedures in the context of digitalization, including document flow automation, the use of corporate fintech tools, creation of electronic reporting forms, implementation of BI dashboards for fuel cost monitoring, and digital control over tax implications. An integrated model of accounting for fuel and lubricant purchase operations has been developed, encompassing organizational, informational, and analytical levels. Its practical implementation ensures improved reliability of accounting data, reduced labor intensity of accounting procedures, expanded analytical capabilities of accounting systems, and strengthened financial discipline within enterprises. Conclusions. It has been proven that the digital transformation of the economy creates the prerequisites for modernizing the accounting processes of fuels and lubricants, establishing a unified information environment, and automating interactions between enterprises, banking institutions, and filling stations. This contributes to enhancing the transparency of material and financial flows, improving the timeliness of managerial decisions, and strengthening resource control. The prospects for further scientific research are related to the development of a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of accounting digitalization of fuels and lubricants, as well as the creation of algorithms for automated verification of primary documents using artificial intelligence technologies.