Finance Articles

March 2007 - Posts

• 0 Comments 4,675 Views

  Using ROI analysis to prioritize technology purchases Before your organization makes a costly investment in hardware or software, use return-on-investment (ROI) analysis to guide your decision process. ROI analysis, when used as part of a well-rounded business... Read More... Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007, 02:57 PM Tags: technology purchases, software purchases, ROI analysis, capital budgeting

• 0 Comments 3,872 Views

  Using PivotTable reports to evaluate business data You've collected reams of financial data from your business onto Microsoft Office Excel 2003 worksheets. Now you need to draw meaningful conclusions about your company's current status and future health... Read More... Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007, 02:54 PM Tags: PivotTable reports, evaluate business data, Excel, data analysis

• 10 Comments 8,845 Views

  Performing financial analysis An accountant's job rarely stops with the preparation of a company's financial statements and tax return. These documents are required, but they often don't provide enough information to reach a reasonable... Read More... Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007, 02:51 PM Tags: tax return, ratio analysis, financial analysis, financial statements, profitability analysis, analyze profit, accountant, cost of goods sold

• 3 Comments 8,094 Views

  Performing capital budgeting analysis Capital budgeting is a tool that financial analysts can use to support business decision-making by using thorough, contextual information about potential capital investments. Capital budgeting can be complex... Read More... Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007, 02:47 PM Tags: capital budgeting, capital budgeting techniques, financial analyst, Excel, budget analysis, budgeting templates

• 0 Comments 5,486 Views

  Forecasting Accurate forecasting is vital to day-to-day business operations, as well as to long-term planning. Inaccurate forecasting can quickly lead to trouble. And it's important to use the right forecasting technique... Read More... Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007, 02:43 PM Tags: forecast inventory levels, forecasting, pro forma forecast, what-if scenarios, cash flows, Excel, long-term sales forecast, moving average analysis

• 2 Comments 13,615 Views

  Conducting financial forecasting Proper financial forecasting relies on methods and tools that bring rigor to the forecasting process. Oversimplifying the forecasting process can create forecasts that ignore business cycles and lead to... Read More... Published: Wednesday, March 07, 2007, 02:35 PM Tags: forecasting pitfalls, triangulated forecasting, financial forecasting, Management, budgeting process, waterfall forecasting

• 0 Comments 2,945 Views

  Communicating Budget Data to Management Do your monthly budget reviews get bogged down with extraneous details? Do senior managers find it difficult to evaluate the financial health of your organization from month to month? Transform your budget... Read More... Published: Monday, March 05, 2007, 06:05 PM Tags: Senior Managers, financial Health, Financial Performance, Analysis and reporting, Management, Budget Data, Budget Reviews

• 0 Comments 7,984 Views

  Analyzing Profitability Whether you are starting a new business, adding a new product, or just seeking to improve your company's bottom line, it's important to perform basic profitability analysis on a regular basis. First, estimate... Read More... Published: Monday, March 05, 2007, 05:47 PM Tags: Profit, profit analysis, profitability analysis, Expense estimates, Analysis and reporting

• 0 Comments 3,045 Views

  Preparing for an IRS Audit A field audit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) can be a controller's nightmare. But don't let an audit unnerve you. Your field audit will run smoothly if you assemble a competent audit team, approach... Read More... Published: Monday, March 05, 2007, 05:42 PM Tags: Compliance, IRS Audit, auditor, Field Audit, Controller

• 0 Comments 3,550 Views

  Planning the Audit Process Recent corporate accounting and financial scandals have led to sweeping regulatory changes — and dramatically increased audit requirements. Whether you are an outside auditor or part of the internal audit... Read More... Published: Monday, March 05, 2007, 05:33 PM Tags: Compliance, audit, audit process, audit requirements, staying accountable