Cost Reduction and Control Best Practices

The only practices worth following are the best practices «Accounting Control Best Practices is succinctly described in one word-thorough. Organizations from manufacturing to hospitals can use this-easily understood by everyone from the data entry clerk in accounting to the CFO.» -Melody Troesser Accountant Cole County Residential Services, Inc. «There is no authority on accounting or accounting control best practices like Steven Bragg. This guy does the hard stuff-he sees the big picture perfectly yet can also get down in the trenches and dig into difficult and complex areas. His writing is clear and his explanations are simple and sensible.» -Jack W. Boyer, CPA, MCP Boyer & Associates «Accountants, analysts, and system designers will find this an excellent tool. Real examples define and demonstrate effective control points, while keeping practicality and efficiency in mind. A great addition to my library.» -Clint Davies Principal Berry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker «A cornucopia of control ideas organized by process and explained in simple terms to ensure quick implementation.» -Richard B. Lanza, CPA/CITP, CFE, PMP President Cash Recovery Partners, LLC Destined to become an essential desktop tool in helping professionals tailor a controls system to the needs of their company, Accounting Control Best Practices introduces all of the major accounting and operational processes with hundreds of controls presented in basic, intermediate, and advanced layers-from a basic paper-based system, to computerized systems, to the advanced best practice enhancements in computerized systems.

Praise for Accounting Control Best Practices, Second Edition «A comprehensive, well-organized reference manual that is perfect for managers and auditors of public and private companies. Whether you wish to comply with the rigors of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act or take your company to the next level, Accounting Control Best Practices, Second Edition contains virtually everything you'll need to design, challenge, and improve your company's internal control environment.» —Matthew T. Posta, Esq., CPA «Steven Bragg continues to improve the accounting field by providing thorough, step-by-step instruction in accounting best practices. During a recent software conversion, his book was my expert guide ensuring that the previous manual controls were replaced with the now automated process. It provides practical steps for both small and large organizations.» —Melody TroesserDirector of Accounting ServicesCole County Residential Services, Inc. «This updated reference is a comprehensive source for those who design, implement, or evaluate controls. Guidance is focused on understanding and mitigating risks, while also acknowledging the importance of efficiency and the use of automated systems. A very worthwhile addition to our knowledge base in today's control-aware environment.» —Clint Davies, PrincipalBerry, Dunn, McNeil & Parker

Discover the tools for knowing the costs your company should cut, without impacting its ability to deliver goods and services New from Steve Bragg, this book provides the tools for determining which costs a company should cut, without impacting its ability to deliver goods and services. It explains how to use throughput analysis in order to locate bottleneck operations in a company, which in turn dictates where capital investments should (and should not) be made. Delves into process analysis, to determine where excess resources are being used in a business process Describes the total cost of ownership, showing how a single purchasing decision actually snowballs into a variety of ancillary costs Shows how to create and use a spend management system to reduce procurement costs Shows how just-in-time systems can be used to eliminate inventory costs Cost Reduction Analysis: Tools and Strategies provides examples to show how much cost can potentially be eliminated to avoid drastic action later that can imperil your corporation's direction and future.

Focuses on rapid implementation of practical, real-world cost reduction solutions In today's economic climate, the need to cut costs can be the difference between success and failure. Cost Reduction and Optimization for Manufacturing and Industrial Companies covers all major cost reduction areas, providing easy to read examples and advice on steps to take. It provides the roadmap for implementing recommended actions with true and tried methods by taking a modern, all-inclusive look at manufacturing processes. Based on the author's cost reduction experience gained during 30 years of senior operations and consulting engagements with hundreds of organizations, this book includes easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement cost reduction concepts organized into five general areas –labor, material, design, process, and overhead. Each chapter: Dives into a cost reduction area and starts with the bottom line first by summarizing key points Provides proven tactics for cutting costs without a lot of extraneous data Follows a qualitative and design-oriented approach Emphasizes quick implementation and measurable cost reduction Identifies who in the organization should do the work Outlines risks and suggested risk mitigation actions Contains numerous tables, graphs, and photos to show the concepts described in the book Praise for Cost Reduction and Optimization for Manufacturing and Industrial Companies «In this introductory book, Berk not only takes a modern, all-inclusive look at manufacturing processes but also provides substantial coverage of engineering materials and production systems. It follows a more qualitative and design-oriented approach than other texts in the market, helping readers gain a better understanding of important concepts. They'll also discover how micro-economic conditions relate to the process variables in a given process as well as how to perform manufacturing science and quantitative engineering analysis of manufacturing processes.» —Fred Silverman, Director Engineering of Hi-Shear Technology Corporation «Joe Berk has created a unique, practical and straightforward approach to cost reduction in manufacturing. This work provides valuable insights and concrete techniques, based on real-world experiences, to any manufacturing organization undertaking change to position itself to compete successfully in the global marketplace.» —Joe Carleone, President and COO of American Pacific Corporation Check out author Joseph Berk's blog at http://manufacturingtraining.wordpress.com/

Focuses on rapid implementation of practical, real-world cost reduction solutions In today's economic climate, the need to cut costs can be the difference between success and failure. Cost Reduction and Optimization for Manufacturing and Industrial Companies covers all major cost reduction areas, providing easy to read examples and advice on steps to take. It provides the roadmap for implementing recommended actions with true and tried methods by taking a modern, all-inclusive look at manufacturing processes. Based on the author's cost reduction experience gained during 30 years of senior operations and consulting engagements with hundreds of organizations, this book includes easy-to-understand and easy-to-implement cost reduction concepts organized into five general areas –labor, material, design, process, and overhead. Each chapter: Dives into a cost reduction area and starts with the bottom line first by summarizing key points Provides proven tactics for cutting costs without a lot of extraneous data Follows a qualitative and design-oriented approach Emphasizes quick implementation and measurable cost reduction Identifies who in the organization should do the work Outlines risks and suggested risk mitigation actions Contains numerous tables, graphs, and photos to show the concepts described in the book Praise for Cost Reduction and Optimization for Manufacturing and Industrial Companies «In this introductory book, Berk not only takes a modern, all-inclusive look at manufacturing processes but also provides substantial coverage of engineering materials and production systems. It follows a more qualitative and design-oriented approach than other texts in the market, helping readers gain a better understanding of important concepts. They'll also discover how micro-economic conditions relate to the process variables in a given process as well as how to perform manufacturing science and quantitative engineering analysis of manufacturing processes.» —Fred Silverman, Director Engineering of Hi-Shear Technology Corporation «Joe Berk has created a unique, practical and straightforward approach to cost reduction in manufacturing. This work provides valuable insights and concrete techniques, based on real-world experiences, to any manufacturing organization undertaking change to position itself to compete successfully in the global marketplace.» —Joe Carleone, President and COO of American Pacific Corporation Check out author Joseph Berk's blog at http://manufacturingtraining.wordpress.com/

Highly accessible and applicable, Travel and Entertainment Best Practices provides you with a comprehensive view of T&E procedures with authoritative tips, techniques, and advice from Mary Schaeffer, America’s most accomplished accounts payable expert.

Billings and Collections Best Practices offers advice for implementing a plethora of best practices to greatly improve your company's level of efficiency in information reporting, including: Showing you how to create a more efficient billing operation. Demonstrating how you can reduce the error rate on bills sent to customers. Revealing specific steps for you to reduce the amount of outstanding receivables. Providing guidelines on how you can restructure invoice formats to shorten the payment interval. Detailing how to create a database for recurring billings and how to maintain its accuracy. Order your copy today!

Proven and emerging strategies for addressing document and records management risk within the framework of information governance principles and best practices Information Governance (IG) is a rapidly emerging «super discipline» and is now being applied to electronic document and records management, email, social media, cloud computing, mobile computing, and, in fact, the management and output of information organization-wide. IG leverages information technologies to enforce policies, procedures and controls to manage information risk in compliance with legal and litigation demands, external regulatory requirements, and internal governance objectives. Information Governance: Concepts, Strategies, and Best Practices reveals how, and why, to utilize IG and leverage information technologies to control, monitor, and enforce information access and security policies. Written by one of the most recognized and published experts on information governance, including specialization in e-document security and electronic records management Provides big picture guidance on the imperative for information governance and best practice guidance on electronic document and records management Crucial advice and insights for compliance and risk managers, operations managers, corporate counsel, corporate records managers, legal administrators, information technology managers, archivists, knowledge managers, and information governance professionals IG sets the policies that control and manage the use of organizational information, including social media, mobile computing, cloud computing, email, instant messaging, and the use of e-documents and records. This extends to e-discovery planning and preparation. Information Governance: Concepts, Strategies, and Best Practices provides step-by-step guidance for developing information governance strategies and practices to manage risk in the use of electronic business documents and records.

All the best practices a manager and an executive need-in a one-stop, comprehensive reference Praise for Corporate Management, Governance, and Ethics Best Practices «If you want a comprehensive compendium of best practices in corporate governance, risk management, ethical values, quality, process management, credible financial reporting, and related issues like the SOX Act all in one place spanning both breadth and depth, Vallabhaneni's book is the source of insightful thoughts as a reference manual. A must-read and a should-own for all institutions and libraries around the globe; I am pleased I read it and use it in my classes.» -Professor Bala V. Balachandran, Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University «Mr. Vallabhaneni has an excellent grasp of corporate governance principles. In particular, he shows how these principles can mitigate a broad range of corporate risks.» -Steven M. Bragg, author of Accounting Best Practices and Inventory Best Practices «Professor Vallabhaneni provides an excellent analysis of the corporate governance landscape. His discussion and categorization of risks confronting an organization will be very helpful to boards of directors.» -Frederick D. Lipman, President of the Association of Audit Committee Members, Inc. and Partner, Blank Rome LLP Representing a single and collective voice for the entire business management profession, Corporate Management, Governance, and Ethics Best Practices provides a cohesive framework for organization-wide implementation of the best practices used by today's leading companies and is an authoritative source on best practices covering all functions of a business corporation, including governance and ethics.

120 best practices to improve the total process of the payroll department Payroll Best Practices examines, in great detail, best practices for the payroll function, and how to install them to provide readers with an in-depth knowledge of how this critical functional area can be improved. Here, controllers, payroll managers, and CFOs will discover the exact work plans needed to implement each best practice in their organizations, and lays out pitfalls likely to be encountered and avoided along the way. This how-to resource for payroll improvements includes: * Techniques for reducing the workload and error rate of the payroll staff * Methods for switching from an in-house to an outsourced payroll solution * Ways to create or outsource a Web-based timekeeping system * Approaches to switching to an employee-driven payroll deduction system * Graphics indicating the cost and implementation duration for each best practice * Policies and procedures that support the best practices * A simplified best practices implementation plan * An appendix that summarizes the large number of best practices presented * A glossary of key payroll-related terminology * And much more