Bøger af Steven M. Bragg

A business may need a well-defined budgeting process in order to estimate its future financial situation and arrange for appropriate amounts of financing and personnel. Budgeting: A Comprehensive Guide provides clarity to the process by showing how to assemble a complete set of budgets, as well as supporting procedures, controls, and reports. It also addresses several variations on the basic budgeting concept - the flexible budget and the zero-base budget. And for those organizations that prefer to operate without the rigidity of a formal budget, the book discusses how to do so. In short, Budgeting provides the complete toolkit of solutions for building a tailor-made budgeting system.

The proper management of cash is an essential part of business operations. Corporate Cash Management provides an essential framework for the development and operation of a cash management system. It does so by showing how to forecast cash flows, which can then be used as the basis for a campaign to enhance the inflow of cash to the organization. The book also notes the systems used to collect, concentrate, invest, and disburse cash, as well as the supporting controls and measurements needed to monitor these systems. It also covers the related topics of fundraising and risk management. In short, Corporate Cash Management is a useful tool for developing a comprehensive system of cash management

A thorough knowledge of finance is needed in order to successfully operate a business of any size. Corporate Finance concentrates on the finance essentials needed to run a business, including fund raising, internal cash management, and the deployment of funds to dividends, capital expenditures, investments, and acquisitions. It addresses such core issues as how to develop an appropriate capital structure and determine the best types of available funding. The book also covers risk management for foreign exchange and interest rates. In short, Corporate Finance provides the finance professional with a complete toolkit of solutions.

The accountant is responsible for many activities, which may require years of training and experience to fully comprehend. The breadth of knowledge required can seem overwhelming. The Accountants' Guidebook is designed to simplify matters by providing the accountant with a practical knowledge of how to complete many accounting tasks, while also imparting an understanding of the more critical accounting standards. Topics covered include accounting procedures, GAAP for common transactions, closing the books, producing financial statements and other reports, collection tactics, payroll management, budgeting, and much more. In short, this is the essential desk reference for the accountant.

Fraud Examination is a practical reference for how to prevent, detect, and investigate fraud within a business. It can be used to identify the different types of fraud, as well as to construct an environment in which fraud is minimized. In addition, it describes the many indicators of fraud, so that it can be detected early. The book also describes the process for investigating fraud, including interviewing techniques, document examination, and how to write a fraud report. In short, Fraud Examination is an essential tool for anyone interested in how fraud is perpetrated and how to conduct an investigation when fraud is suspected.

A new manager can be overwhelmed with the responsibilities of the job, and cannot afford to learn through trial and error. The New Manager Guidebook provides the essential knowledge needed to excel as a manager. It is packed with detailed guidance about how to recruit, coach, and train employees, as well as how to develop plans, organize work, and motivate staff. The Guidebook thoroughly addresses the management of teams, special projects, and start-up businesses, always with a focus on avoiding errors and delivering within expectations.

The typical business needs a system of policies and procedures in order to reduce errors, minimize fraud, and maintain tight control over its operations. The Accounting Procedures Guidebook contains the detailed procedures and forms needed for every accounting system, from accounts payable to treasury, as well as for such operational areas as order entry, shipping, purchasing, and receiving. Procedures are separately stated for manual and computerized accounting systems. The book also addresses how to create and enforce procedures, as well as when to update them. In short, this book provides the baseline policy and procedure information needed to enhance the operations of any business.

Inventory is expensive and difficult to manage, and yet is an essential requirement for providing great service to customers. Inventory Management provides the tools to retain enough inventory to assure high levels of customer service, while avoiding excessive inventory levels that can absorb cash and generate losses. Topics covered include inventory policies, materials planning, purchasing and the supply chain, receiving, storage, shipping, production activities, record accuracy, warehousing efficiencies, measurements, and much more. This book covers a mix of classic and advanced management techniques to help the user maintain firm control over the mix and amount of inventory kept on hand.

This practical guide shows how to create and operate a nonprofit accounting system and produce financial statements, all while operating in accordance with nonprofit accounting standards. The book walks the accountant through basic nonprofit accounting concepts and then discusses more advanced topics, including budgeting, controls, revenue recognition, joint costs, split-interest agreements, tax reporting, and mergers and acquisitions. In short, the book offers a wealth of information for understanding nonprofit transactions and financial statements.

The purchasing function has a dramatic impact on the profitability of a business, and so must be carefully managed. The Purchasing Guidebook is an essential tool for doing so, since it shows how the department's performance can be fine-tuned. The course focuses on supplier selection and management, the competitive bidding process, negotiations, and contract management. It also addresses the many ways in which purchasing can be used to control costs in the areas of inventory management, logistics, and quality, while also providing the financial tools to improve a number of purchasing decisions. In short, the Purchasing Guidebook is a required toolkit for the purchasing professional.

Inventory is expensive and difficult to manage, and yet is an essential requirement for providing great service to customers. Inventory Management provides the tools to retain enough inventory to assure high levels of customer service, while avoiding excessive inventory levels that can absorb cash and generate losses. Topics covered include inventory policies, materials planning, purchasing and the supply chain, receiving, storage, shipping, production activities, record accuracy, warehousing efficiencies, measurements, and much more. This book covers a mix of classic and advanced management techniques to help the user maintain firm control over the mix and amount of inventory kept on hand.

Financial statements are designed to show the performance, financial condition, and cash flows of a business. The Interpretation of Financial Statements reveals how to convert these statements into an open book that can be explored in depth, giving crucial insights to investors, lenders, and creditors. It does so by describing the structure of the financial statements, noting a number of tools for extracting information from the statements, and providing a wealth of additional insights into the reasons for the presence of or changes in certain numbers within the statements. In short, this book contains the complete set of tools for breaking down and examining a set of financial statements.

This book describes the essential accounting for anyone in the hospitality industry, which includes hotels, restaurants, spas, and similar businesses. It familiarizes the accountant with basic concepts and then addresses the various types of financial statements and the accounting needed to construct them. More detailed accounting topics include payroll, fixed assets, and payables. There are also many managerial accounting topics, such as the construction of a budget, price formulation systems, cost-volume-profit analysis, and cash management. In short, the book prepares the accountant for any accounting issues likely to arise in the hospitality industry.

A thorough knowledge of finance is needed in order to successfully operate a business of any size. Corporate Finance concentrates on the finance essentials needed to run a business, including fund raising, internal cash management, and the deployment of funds to dividends, capital expenditures, investments, and acquisitions. It addresses such core issues as how to develop an appropriate capital structure and determine the best types of available funding. The book also covers risk management for foreign exchange and interest rates. In short, Corporate Finance provides the finance professional with a complete toolkit of solutions.

Today's financial executive needs a way to assess the financial performance and financial position of business organizations. The Business Ratios Guidebook provides one of the best ways to do so by describing more than 200 ratios and other measurements. When applied to an organization's financial statements, these ratios can clarify its results, liquidity, and cash flows. The measurement areas covered include performance, return on investment, share performance and constraints. Examples of the functional areas also covered include cash management, credit and collections, customer service, human resources, production, and sales. In short, this book is the ultimate desk reference for ratio analysis.

Nearly every business decision calls for a clear understanding of the underlying numbers. A manager needs this information to understand how well a business unit is performing, whether a new venture can achieve a reasonable profit, how much debt to take on, and so forth. Financial Analysis can assist with these decisions by focusing on the key indicators in a business that will drive its future performance. It does so by describing how to extract meaningful information from financial statements. It also delves into a number of analyses that are linked to specific business decisions, such as price optimization, constraint management, and credit granting. Another area addressed is financing, where the book covers financial leverage, capital structure, and foreign exchange risk. Other topics include financial forecasting, discounted cash flow analysis, and the valuation of acquisitions. In short, Financial Analysis is the essential desk reference for anyone who wants to make better-informed decisions.

Delayed payments by customers can seriously impact the finances of a business, but it is usually necessary to offer some level of credit to them. The Credit & Collection Guidebook shows how to strike a balance between more sales and a reasonable amount of bad debt. It does so by focusing on when to extend credit to questionable customers and how to select the best approach to collecting from late-paying customers. The discussion includes credit policies, credit monitoring, collection techniques, and the necessary controls, procedures, and reports to manage the process. The book also addresses more advanced concepts, such as credit and collection technology, the role of product and service improvements, and litigation tactics.