Energized Accounting

My Software is Better Than Yours

Energized Accounting — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:02:00 GMT

The software business is full of people trumpeting their software as being the best. At a conference I attended last week, someone waxed poetic about how much better Navision (Microsoft Dynamics NAV) is than Great Plains (Microsoft Dynamics GP). This...(read more)

When You Need a Lawyer

Energized Accounting — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 12:47:00 GMT

It's the monthly church roast beef dinner fundraiser, only this time a health inspector has come and is asking probing questions. What do you do? The insurance on your building is about to renew and the valuation is out of date. Why not save a few...(read more)

New From Microsoft (NOT Software!)

Energized Accounting — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 11:51:00 GMT

There's something new from Microsoft, and it's not software. It's a methodology called Sure Step . Why am I excited about a methodology? Because Microsoft has recognized that the reasons that projects fail or customers are unhappy with their...(read more)

Sudoku & Mental Agility

Energized Accounting — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:14:00 GMT

Kevin was huddled over his handheld computer at the restaurant. My wife and I were joining him and had picked up his wife Joanne on the way. As we approached the table, she said, “He’s probably doing Su-do-ku. He says it helps with his mentally agility...(read more)

Professional Development: The Trick

Energized Accounting — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:41:00 GMT

Most professional accountants remember their final exam. Even people in their eighties can tell you about the question they aced or totally blew. One memory that stuck with me was my friend Jim remarking to me as we exited the exam center, "If I...(read more)

Software Implementation 101

Energized Accounting — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:46:00 GMT

RSM Richter , a Canadian accounting firm, addressed software implementation in two recent issues of its midsized companies publication, Advantage . They are short, balanced and well worth reading. In Part 1 , they do a good job of setting realistic expectations...(read more)

Getting to Phase 2

Energized Accounting — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:06:00 GMT

How much of Excel do you use? If you spent a little more time designing your key spreadsheets so that all of the calculations were consistent and the data flowed in a logical way, could you produce more effective reports? If you learned a little more...(read more)

What Makes You Proud of Your Company?

Energized Accounting — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 19:53:00 GMT

This blog is all about energizing accounting staff by providing them with the best use of their accounting system. You will be a more productive, more effective team member if your tools save you time rather than getting in the way. But, on a deeper level...(read more)

Practical Tips for Requests For Proposals (RFP's)

Energized Accounting — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:20:00 GMT

Elizabeth Engel at Beaconfire Consulting has some practical advice for companies issuing Requests For Proposals (RFP's). In an earlier post , I argued for reducing the boilerplate that typically goes into RFP's and their responses, but Elizabeth...(read more)

Energizing the Staff

Energized Accounting — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:20:00 GMT

If I were to create an EnergizedAccounting award, the first recipient would have to be Julie Kincaid, a staff member of the Stewardship unit in the United Church of Canada. Charities typically have more worthy projects than funds, so staff have to "do...(read more)

WOW! Free Microsoft Software

Energized Accounting — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 20:31:00 GMT

My client was a small association. Their "books" consisted of wide green sheets that recorded all of the transactions. At the end of the year, an external accountant would turn the sheets into financial statements, which would be presented to...(read more)

Top 50 Accounting Blogs

Energized Accounting — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:59:00 GMT

When I first read the Top 50 Accounting Blogs , I was surprised and delighted that there are enough accounting blogs to merit a top 50 list. To be included in the list was an honour. My thanks to MBA Explorer for taking the time to do the research. MBA...(read more)

Geek Anniversary Gifts

Energized Accounting — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:03:00 GMT

Stuck on what to give your favourite geek for his/her anniversary? Fear not! The internet has the answer: http://www.socialsignal.com/blog/alexandra-samuel/halfway-to-hex A big thank you to Beth's Blog: How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media for the...(read more)

Encouraging Technology Users

Energized Accounting — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:04:00 GMT

Stephen Covey has a wonderful story about teaching his son to take care of the lawn, which I won't spoil here except to say that it was a difficult process and he has to remind himself constantly that the goal was to raise children not grass. That...(read more)

Less Numbers, More Story

Energized Accounting — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:11:00 GMT

Harry is one of our unit managers. His normally calm, diplomatic voice takes on a sudden energy as he leans across the table and says, "People seem to think that any mission will do. That's just not true." Harry has a point. Missions have...(read more)

We're All In This Together

Energized Accounting — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 18:53:00 GMT

The first accounting system I had to supervise was an IBM product called MAPICS. I was an inexperienced newbie and knew nothing, so I joined a user group. Every couple of months we would meet at someone's office and someone would bring donuts. We...(read more)

Exploding Conventional Wisdom

Energized Accounting — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 13:46:00 GMT

The accountant usually has a feel for what's really going on. My grandfather's accountant, Lloyd Smith, had a client in the construction business. While doing the financial statements, Lloyd realized that some of the projects were losing money...(read more)

The Most Advanced Accounting Software on the Planet

Energized Accounting — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 13:51:00 GMT

" Tally 9.0 has been dubbed the most advanced accounting software on the planet ." That claim is obviously more marketing spin than carefully researched fact, but it points to a trap that we so frequently fall into: comparing accounting software...(read more)

You're Teaching - But Are They Learning?

Energized Accounting — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 13:24:00 GMT

Last night, at the dojo , John was teaching. John has a radically different way of teaching martial arts. He smiles. He cracks jokes. He took a serious Aikido exercise and called it the "Weeble Wobble" (as in " weebles wobble but they don't...(read more)

TEST [FM82578-97]

Energized Accounting — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 17:34:00 GMT

[FM82578-97]...(read more)

Brag Bag Now Open!

Energized Accounting — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:57:00 GMT

Chris Brogan , a social media expert, has a great concept he calls the Brag Bag. Every Friday he posts an article encouraging people to add a comment about something they're proud of. Some people talk about personal accomplishments. Some people brag...(read more)

Security Officer Goes Postal

Energized Accounting — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:24:00 GMT

Today's Toronto Globe and Mail newspaper had this article about a city of San Francisco computer engineer who changed the security passwords on his employer's system. The system still works, but nobody can get in to set up new users, change passwords...(read more)

Accounting 501: Be Nimble

Energized Accounting — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:44:00 GMT

The only time my father's employer changed was when his firm merged with another, whereas I have had several employers, including myself. I didn't plan it that way. In fact, I had every intention of staying with my first employer until I retired...(read more)

It's MY Data, dammit!

Energized Accounting — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 13:50:00 GMT

The story you are about to read is true. The names have been changed to protect the innocent. It was Tuesday, July 8, a smoggy day in the metropolis. My name is Joe Friday, and I implement business systems. Normally accountants are quiet, orderly people...(read more)

Motivate Your Team

Energized Accounting — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:45:00 GMT

“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth.” In how many MBA classes, inspirational business speeches and management books has this...(read more)