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Tag Archives: organization

It is time for your CFO or Controller to become a Coach?

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by Dwayne Murphy

According to the book The Traits of Today’s CFO: A Handbook for excelling in an evolving Role, by Ron Rael, CPA, CGMA, coaching is a mix of technical and people skills combined in a unique fashion that produces great results, which helps the organization achieve its goals.dwaynes pic

Coaches try to foster personal relationships with each employee so that they can tell the truth when things are going well or going poorly. They are not managers or micromanagers because they are using knowledge and insight to help employees come into their own wisdom and trusting their employees and letting them successfully stumble so they quickly learn to succeed.

Coaching is not limited to employees; you can coach a boss or a colleague. The process of coaching is consistent and once it is mastered you will find many ways to use it to help others.  Coaching at the organization level requires the CFO or controller to be the conscience of the organization. You must be seen as the professional leader who does not have any biases or an agenda other than the organization’s success. Here are nine skills of a great organization coach:

  1. Teaching and Training: Leadership positions in finance are now being required to constantly train individuals. That is why a coach should be able to constantly teach others about finance, accounting and business management.
  2. Counseling: Coaches should be able to help guide other leaders and colleagues through difficult situations and tough decisions.
  3. Guiding: Coaches should step in to help shape other leaders’ behaviors and decisions so that they stay focused on solutions and plans that benefit the organization.
  4. Relating: Coaches should use analogies, examples and stories to help get your point across and speak at the same level as the person being coached to help foster trusting relationships.
  5. Learning: Coaches should be open to learning from other leadership team members as this will ensure future success at the organization.
  6. Questioning: Don’t be afraid to ask open-ended and probing questions. These often lead to new possibilities and help the organization reach its goals.
  7. Listening: Often managers will have hidden agendas or often deny anything is wrong, but by listening with your ears, eyes and intuition you will be able to bring forth those hidden things so they can be openly discussed.
  8. Using intuition: Coaches should be aware of what to say and what not to say by using your business intuition.
  9. Creativity: Coaches should be open minded to new tools, methods, or processes that the organization can use to remove obstacles and achieve goals.

Coaching can seem daunting but with the right attitude and plan it can benefit both the coach and the whole organization. The business world is challenging and always changing and coaching can help the organization stay on target and succeed.

Dwayne ([email protected]) is an Audit Senior in our firm.  He works with many non-profit clients as well as those in healthcare.

 

 

IT Controls: How to Keep Your Organization Safe

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by Rebecca Lunn

As organizations become more and more reliant on technology, the risks around technology also continue to grow. Recently, we have heard on the news of large hospitals being attacked with ransomware, which encrypts files. Hackers then refuse to give the key to unlock the files unless a ransom is paid, typically in the form of bitcoin, which is more difficult to trace. Although these particular hackers were after sensitive patient data, other types of organizations should also be aware of this risk. For example, non-profits who have large databases of member or donor data may also appeal to these types of hackers. In the face of increasing risk, it is vital that organizations re-evaluate their IT controls. Strong IT controls consist of the following:

  • The Organization has an IT strategic planning and risk management process in place to support financial reporting requirements.
  • The Organization maintains reliable systems that include appropriate data backup and recovery processes. This includes not only backing up data, but testing the backup restoration process on a periodic basis.
  • Physical security and access to programs and data are appropriately controlled to prevent unauthorized use, modifications, damage or loss of data.
  • Program and system changes are appropriately managed to ensure that the application software adequately supports financial reporting objectives.

If your organization would like additional information about implementing or improving IT controls, please contact Langdon & Company LLP.

Rebecca [email protected] is an Audit Senior who works primarily with non-profit organizations.

Small Business in North Carolina

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by Russell Barker18th

Did you know there are approximately 833k small businesses in North Carolina?  That’s a pretty big number.  Why we are talking about this now? It is tax season and companies and individuals are gathering their information in order to either prepare or have their accountants their tax returns. You may or may not understand the process to get your tax returns accurately prepared and timely filed. I wanted to give you some guidelines to help.

Some people might think that gathering all their personal information and getting some of the business information is all you have to do.  The reality is that your first objective is to have your business’ books completed accurately.  You should ensure that all the bank accounts (including credit cards and loans) are updated and reconciled.  Be certain to capture any supplies or equipment  purchased near year-end in your books.  This will ensure that you obtain the proper expense and depreciation deductions you are entitled to.

The reason to get your company books in order first is because most small business (sole proprietor, Sub-S, Partnership, LLP, LLC) income will flow into your personal return.  It is important that you or  your tax preparer has all the proper information to complete both. Delays in the business returns will cause delays in having your personal returns processed.

This is just a quick reminder for you to think about so you can prepare all supporting documentation and have it ready for your tax preparer.

Remember 2015 taxes are due April 18th! Contact Langdon & Company LLP for help in getting 2015 tax return prepared or extended.

Russell ([email protected]) is part of Langdon & Company’s Accounting Services department. He works primarily with doctor’s practices.

How to Prepare for an Audit

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binderby Lee Byrd

For many organizations, an audit is an annual process that requires the Organization’s personnel to devote additional time and effort above and beyond their day-to-day responsibilities. It can be tiresome and unwelcome to those assigned with task of handling the audit. However, there are many ways in which an Organization can prepare for an audit which could lead to less time the auditor’s spend on site, decreased stress around deadlines, and an overall more efficient audit process.

  • PBC List – PBC stands for “Prepared By Client” and this is a schedule of initial audit requests provided by the auditor, which are to be prepared by Organization personnel. Because the auditor’s schedule is often tight, it is essential that the items on the PBC List are prepared and ready for the auditor prior to the start of fieldwork. Items that are not completed timely could cause significant delays in the audit process.
  • Prepare throughout the year – If the Organization has been audited before, personnel likely have an idea of key information or schedules that will be requested by the auditor. Rather than waiting until the PBC List is received, it may be helpful to update these schedules periodically throughout the year. Such items include investment, debt or fixed asset rollforwards which must be prepared from underlying data and records. As these schedules are updated, be sure to keep those supporting documents in a file or folder to provide the auditor at year-end with the audit package.
  • Organization – Keeping your audit files and underlying support organized will be key to aiding the audit efficiency. Items from the PBC List should be accumulated in folders and labeled according to the PBC List numbering, if possible. This will aid the auditor in identifying and processing the information quickly. Additionally, having supporting documentation such as invoices and deposits filed in an orderly manner will allow Organization personnel to quickly pull support requested by the audit throughout fieldwork. The less time it takes to provide the auditor requested documentation, the less time the auditor must spend on site.
  • Designated Personnel – While it is important to delegate preparation of audit schedules and accumulation of other requested support to financial personnel throughout the organization, it is important to designate an individual, such as a controller or CFO, as the audit contact. This individual will be responsible for communicating deadlines and any delays to the audit team. More importantly, this individual should review all schedules and support prepared by other personnel prior to providing that information to the audit team. Ensuring that provided information is complete and accurate will prevent duplication of effort and audit findings.
  • Information is Key – Know what has happened within the organization during the year. The auditor will ask about significant events, variances from prior year, and variances from budget, just to name a few. Providing clear, concise explanations for these variances will allow the auditor to document appropriately. Additionally, any information that can be provided to the auditor prior to the start of fieldwork will allow the auditor to develop expectations and may reduce the number of variance inquiries made throughout the audit.
  • Communication – Your chosen auditor should always be open to communication from their clients, whether during the actual engagement or throughout the year. Be sure to reach out with questions so that issues can be resolved prior to the start of the audit. Additionally, if you feel that you will not have the requested information prepared by the designated date, notify the auditor immediately so that scheduling and deadlines can be addressed as soon as possible.

It is equally important to the audit firm and the Organization for the audit to be as efficient and seamless as possible. The above suggestions should aid in creating a pleasant audit experience for all parties involved.

Langdon & Company LLP’s audit team is here to help. Contact us with questions regarding your audit engagement. Lee Byrd ([email protected]) is an Audit Manager at our Firm and has over 7 years of experience with a variety of clients.