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Post by paperamy on Nov 27, 2017 1:45:09 GMT
So I’m in IT, as a Systems Analyst. I’ve been at my current job for about 5 years and the accounting department is like nothing I have ever seen.
Every accountant I have ever known has been extremely detail and documentation heavy. I’ve seen accountants hold long meetings over accounts and bills being off by pennies. I love this type of accountant as it makes my job in IT much easier. When I would write a report for them or pull data, I knew they would quadruple check it.
Fast forward to the accountants I work with now. They rely on me way more than they should. I reconcile the monthly Insurance bills to what was posted on the employee’s payroll deductions. I’ve tried providing them with the general ledger details so they can reconcile the bills themselves, but they do not have any excel knowledge beyond basics. It can be done with simple vlookups but they can’t do it. So I have to every single month.
The CFO will call to request a report. She will rattle off the account code requirements (she REFUSES to email anything, even though I repeatedly ask her so I have documents of what she’s requesting) and I’ll write the report. Months later, she’ll tell me the report is wrong because it isn’t pulling a certain account that wasn’t in the original request. Meaning she never bothered to actually check the report when I delivered it.
We are implementing a new budgeting module in our software and I have had to do 80% of the setup and account code configurations. The CFO attended only a day and a half of the 3 day onsite training we had from the software vendor. She couldn’t be bothered and I heard her tell the trainer, “well as long as Amy understands it, it doesn’t matter if I’m here.”
And now, I have to approach MY boss tomorrow because I don’t think the CFO has been submitting a certain tax file to the IRS for the past 2 years (something I’m sure will be blamed on me, even though there is absolutely no way an IT person is responsible for reporting tax data to IRS).
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Post by mikklynn on Nov 27, 2017 1:49:34 GMT
That sounds AWFUL. Good luck tomorrow.
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Post by mom on Nov 27, 2017 1:52:20 GMT
Sounds like you are in the middle of a headache. I am so sorry.
What are you basing your thoughts on about the boss not submitting the proper tax files? I would be really hesitant to make accusations without some sort of proof.
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Post by paperamy on Nov 27, 2017 1:55:43 GMT
Sounds like you are in the middle of a headache. I am so sorry. What are you basing your thoughts on about the boss not submitting the proper tax files? I would be really hesitant to make accusations without some sort of proof. The software we use shows when the file was last created. |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Nov 27, 2017 1:59:38 GMT
It's called CYA. Tell your boss you want/need every thing in writing/email!
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eleezybeth
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,784
Jun 28, 2014 20:42:01 GMT
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Post by eleezybeth on Nov 27, 2017 2:30:58 GMT
That is crazy. Why would any of this be in your purview? I hope the meeting goes well.
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Post by littlemama on Nov 27, 2017 2:34:43 GMT
Never heard of someone in the accounting field who doesn't do excel. I will say that VLOOKUP is one function that I have never mastered!
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Post by catmom on Nov 27, 2017 2:47:57 GMT
Sounds tough. Ask for written requirements and insist on them if you are able. If not, whenever you have one of these meetings then email the CFO and other participants, CCing your boss, the summary of the conversation, your understanding of the requirements and what you will be delivering in your report. Then at least you're covered.
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Post by anniefb on Nov 27, 2017 2:53:26 GMT
Sounds ridiculous - sorry you're having to deal with such annoying stuff.
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Post by beanbuddymom on Nov 27, 2017 3:13:10 GMT
Sorry. One thing I loved working for in the past were particular people and now I work with people that are disorganized as hell - I feel for you! I would be nervous about reporting the tax situation, hopefully they don't blame you for that. Hopefully you don't use these people as your accountant!
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tincin
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,368
Jul 25, 2014 4:55:32 GMT
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Post by tincin on Nov 27, 2017 3:17:35 GMT
My son is a reporting analyst and he makes everyone put everything they want in an email. If they give him a hard time, he tells them it is because he wants to be certain that he doesn't forget anything.
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Post by utmr on Nov 27, 2017 3:33:25 GMT
Never heard of someone in the accounting field who doesn't do excel. I will say that VLOOKUP is one function that I have never mastered! I'm a CPA and am always amazed at the weak Excel skills of many staff accountants. Not just technical spreadsheet abilities but the lack of logic and ability to think through and document information clearly. They are fine with debits and credits for repetitive clear cut tasks, but ad hoc reporting throws many of them for a loop. As far as the OP, I'd email the CFO "this is to confirm your request for ABC report with XYZ data. Please confirm that this is correct and I will get the report to you by X deadline". |
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Nov 27, 2017 4:12:48 GMT
Sounds tough. Ask for written requirements and insist on them if you are able. If not, whenever you have one of these meetings then email the CFO and other participants, CCing your boss, the summary of the conversation, your understanding of the requirements and what you will be delivering in your report. Then at least you're covered. As far as the OP, I'd email the CFO "this is to confirm your request for ABC report with XYZ data. Please confirm that this is correct and I will get the report to you by X deadline". You both said it better with more detail than I did! |
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tracylynn
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,861 
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Post by tracylynn on Nov 27, 2017 6:01:10 GMT
Honestly, your title might be IT, but you are the staff accountant. I would be tempted to look for a new job. Frankly, they don't sound like true accountants. They sound like people who are being paid but don't understand basic accounting. If they can't even balance the ledgers for crying out loud? Crazy.
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smginaz Suzy
Pearl Clutcher
Je suis desole.
Posts: 2,606
Jun 26, 2014 17:27:30 GMT
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Post by smginaz Suzy on Nov 27, 2017 7:44:09 GMT
Do you have HR or do you do those functions too?  Because I would pull my job description and have a conversation about re-evaluating your current role based on the duties you are being expected to perform. |
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Post by Really Red on Nov 27, 2017 12:06:40 GMT
Wow. Just wow. How big is your organization? I can't believe the CFO wouldn't be on top of stuff like this, but anyone who calls and asks for information sounds very old to me.
Who's the head of IT? That's the person who has to step up to the plate. S/he needs to say, we need all requests to come in writing. We need all employees to have a basic understanding of spreadsheets (easy to give courses) and whatever else you may need. This isn't your job/role and it's unbelievable that you are finding this information for them!!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
May 2, 2024 22:54:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Nov 27, 2017 13:00:16 GMT
Yeah, you need to tell your boss about three things:
- Lack of written request for reports. If the CFO (or assistant) cannot be bothered with an email, then the requests need to be made via service ticket, or some other method that can be tracked.
- Having to reconcile accounts. Negatory. An IT staffer should not be doing what you are doing. Lynda.com can help with training VLOOKUP functions, or you can hold a training yourself.
- The IRS report. Be VERY careful with this. You need to make sure you dot your I''s and cross your T's if you go up against your CFO that she is not doing her job. Life could become very uncomfortable for you.
As for a CFO being in a three-day training, that's a bit too much for an executive to attend.
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kelly8875
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,390
Location: Lost in my supplies...
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Post by kelly8875 on Nov 27, 2017 14:10:31 GMT
I'm not sure how your title is IT, but you're in accounting. In my neck of the woods those jobs don't relate at all. And there are plenty of "accountants" without being in an accounting firm. I'm an accountant for my company, but don't handle the FYE taxes, nor am I a CPA. Our office does do weekly/monthly/quarterly tax reporting and deposits, but that's it.
Even in our small company our CFO (my mom actually) wouldn't sit through that training either, and she would expect the staff below to understand it. We report to her. Not all requests are in writing, that's not always possible, but you could follow up with an email if you think it's necessary.
If your company goes through any kind of annual review or audit with an accounting firm, the taxes issue should have been caught. But if you really think they haven't been taken care of, report it. But we rarely pay those taxes via computer, most of ours are pay by phone call in payments.
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Post by paperamy on Nov 27, 2017 14:48:06 GMT
The CFO is executive but she also does a lot of the day to day tasks.
The problem with the training is that the CFO micromanages the Budget. She does not allow any of her staff to work with it. She made arrangements to purchase this new budgeting module in the software package, and she agreed to be present during the 3 day training. The old way of doing the budget was very manual, and SHE wanted more control of it. She made no arrangements for anyone on her staff to be in the training, only herself (and IT had two representatives, myself and one other person, so that IT staff would know how the module works).
The things I listed that I do for accounting are on top of my IT duties.
I don’t mind helping departments when they can’t figure out something. At my prior job, I can remember twice in 5 years where one of the accounting managers contacted me for assistance because they couldn’t get accounts to balance and wanted my help. They had spent days trying to find the problem. Both times ended up being a fluke in the system where something didn’t get posted correctly. Neither was something that they could have found on their own.
But I’m getting tired of being expected to do so much for accounting in my current job. It puts a lot of stress and responsibility on me.
I’m rethinking the tax file thing. On one hand, if she hasn’t been doing it and it is found out I knew, I feel I could get in big trouble. On the other hand, I feel like I shouldn’t rock the boat.
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Post by JustCallMeMommy on Nov 27, 2017 15:34:06 GMT
There is a workaround for people giving instructions over the phone. You write the email outlining what you heard, and send it with the request that they verify that you were correct. Even if they don't verify, you have it on record that you did what you understood and that you gave them an opportunity to make changes.
For the file, I think I would email the CFO and copy my manager (I always copy my manager on anything going to someone else at her level or above and instruct my employees to do so as well) from the angle of, "Hey, I'm sure you are pulling this another way, but I noticed the file date was older than I would expect. I just wanted to let you know in case something has slipped through the cracks."
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