This book has the right idea of putting the main points in the tables for quick reference and the narrative for each point. In addition, I like the Ease, Duration and Cost of implementation of each best practice which gives me an idea for prioritization. Ordered more copies for the departments. Wish they had more books like these that give practical suggestions instead of theory.

I found Accounting Best Practices a valuable resource for objectively evaluating my accounting department's business practices and procedures. Mr. Bragg has identified the specific tasks of each of the accounting departments's functions and has made suggestions for efficiencies. The author states the key factors in the successful implementation of the best practices in accounting.

Each chapter presents an exhibit of "Implementation Issues Best Practices" describing the implementation costs, ease and duration of each suggested practice change. This information allowed me to implement the easiest and least costly changes to my accounting department's procedures, thus gaining credibility with upper managment to support the changes involving addional resources.

As a Controller, Best Practices assisted me to focus on the value-added tasks of my department and identifying where my staff's efforts are best utilized to support the corporate objectives. My department has become more efficient, allowing for individual growth opportunities. I highly recommend this book for anyone managing an accounting department. A very concise book that is easy to read and use.

Divisional Controller, CMA

Looking for best practices in all areas of accounting? This is the place! Liked the presentation format.

This book is the best in the market so far for accounting process improvements. The author did a great job in outlining the traditional and revised accounting procedures. Lots of opportunities available to streamline the work process and enhance the information flow. There are lots of useful flowcharts and tables that you can apply to your company right away.

I wish this book existed during the turbulent 80's and early 90's. Outmoded accounting system's, corporate reorganizations, high employee turnover, pressure to do more, faster with fewer resources. As a Controller, most of my biggest headaches involved the amount of time required to close the books. The original closing schedule was 10 days into the new period. Then it was 8 days. Then 5, then 4 days.

I can't even guess at the time I could have saved had I known the techniques the author demonstrates in Just-In-Time Accounting.

This is not your usual accounting tome, based on statistics and theory. This is real stuff. Built out of scar tissue, experience and real world solutions. They are not necessarily easy solutions but lasting solutions worth the effort to implement.

The content deals with streamlining some basic areas:

Cash - How to speed up the process but still keep control. Some very interesting ideas about corporate credit cards, using your bank and lock boxes to save time and money.

Sales & Accounts Receivable - Some good ideas about redundant approvals, and minimizing paper.

Inventory - With hundreds of physical inventories under my belt I can vouch for the absolutely necessity of doing what the author recommends. This area was one of my great bugaboo's. Nothing affects the balance sheet like an inventory error. This involves bills of material, suppliers, production records, and computer system's. This is a whole world in itself but the problem(s) and solutions are concisely described here. Get your inventory under control and the rest is cake.

Accounts Payable - Good stuff that took me a long time to discover on my own.

Cost Accounting - Mostly about why you need it and how it allows you to spot P&L problems before the month ends. This is one of the critical areas to review since it is necessary for faster closes. Get the major variances identified early in the month instead of wasting time digging it up 4 or 5 weeks after the events occurred. One comment I have is the need for weekly staff meetings to review what happened last week, how will it affect this week and what is being done about it. These meeting will point out problem areas for the controller to preempt delusional variance explanations after monthend.

Payroll - Many good ideas that work. I have used the barcode system's.

The Budget - You probably know about these already but there are some time-saving techniques to minimize constant re-casting and interations.

EDI - I'm not too familiar with this.

The Quick Close - It can be done. This tells you how and I can vouch for the soundness of the concept. I actually set a corporate-wide benchmark of 1-1/2 days using these techniques. In my view that is the real payoff since it is the realization and payoff of all the other hard work. Gives you more time to do yet another iteration of the budget.

Some of the examples apply to huge corporations but most of the principles are universal. I really can't find fault in this book. It tells the controller, in the real world, how to get your system(s) sorted out. I have seen many "instant pudding" or fad of the month cause real damage if it didn't really work. There is no downside to these techniques. This is motherhood and apple pie. You can't go wrong trying.

A great reference on aspects of operational accounting -- easy to read and use format.

Here is a "must read" for anyone owning or starting a small business. This is not a "Small Business for Dummies" book, and not a business school MBA text. This book is "Just Right", filled with proven techniques and sound strategies to guide you through the complex maze of critical accounting and financial issues.

These are things you must know or at least understand, for your business to survive and prosper. For example; CASH FLOW: probably the most important concept for the small business owner to understand. You have to plan for growth or it will kill you. TAX LIABILITIES: taxing authorities can be brutal. Be Prepared! INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS: what you need to know and some helpful tips. BUDGETING: It's not that hard. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Plan for it and it's easy. RISK MANAGEMENT, COST-VOLUME-PROFIT-RELATIONSHIP, STAFFING and INVENTORY LEVELS, CAPITAL ACQUISITIONS, FINANCING SOURCES, PERFORMANCE TRACKING. These are all covered in sufficient detail to understand and put into practice.

As a past owner of a small businesses, I was unprepared for the level of sophistication required to run a small business. This book is be an invaluable reference to have available, if you own a business or are thinking about starting one from scratch. The key to business health is "no surprises".

There are also many ready-to-use forms, checklists, sample spreadsheets and calculations showing practical applications of real-world examples. These are not the dreaded debit/credit type stuff in accounting texts. These are easy to understand examples. After all, that's the whole point of the process. Enough information to manage your growing business.

Even if you are turning over these functions to your staff, you should understand what's going on, what's coming up and how to prepare for the future. Highly recommended, 5 stars for this book.

The Accountants Desk Reference provides pertinent information regarding accounting rules, best practices, and financial and managerial accounting issues commonly encountered by an accountant. This book is clearly written and concise. Especially notable is the chapter on taxation and financial management. Mr. Bragg has provided information that would otherwise be obtained only though much research. This reference is a must for all accounting professionals.

Business Ratios and Formulas, A Comprehensive Guide, is the most thorough reference book of its type. Steven Bragg provides a complete explanation of each business ratio and formula and follows each with a scenario example of their applications. Also provided is a discussion of how the resultant calculation can be misleading or should be used in conjunction with other ratios. I have not seen this feature in any other book of its kind.

Another excellent feature of the book is the chapter on "Measurement Analysis with an Electronic Spreadsheet", which describes the use of Microsoft Excel to assist the business professional in automating the analysis. Five types of analyses are included in this chapter: financial statements, project analysis, investment analysis, risk analysis and trend analysis.

In the introduction to the text Mr. Bragg states, "Even if a company has developed a reasonable set of measurements, this does not mean that they should never be changed." As a controller I am in the process of re-examining my company's measurement process. This book is an invaluable resource. Excellent for both the professional and student. A book I wish I had during my MBA studies.

I am currently inplementing a project/job accounting system. This book was fine as an overview but of little use otherwise. Horngren's Cost Accounting - A Managerial Emphais was also purchased. Horngren's book was better as an overview and for the theory and details of implemtation.

This really is a COMPREHENSIVE guide to the numerous and varied aspects of the subject matter. It is a MUST READ for all professionals whose responsibilities are impacted by the cost accounting needs of their organization.

In today's economic environment the role of the cost accountant has become more complex and vital to an organization's success. Cost Accounting: A Comprehensive Guide is a practical resource for the professional. How refreshing to have a cost accounting book that addresses the daily issues encountered in the operations of a company rather than a theoretical approach to the subject. I recommend this book to the entry-level cost accountant through the well-seasoned practitioner. Excellent!

Absolutely worthless book. An attempt to make a guide for all possible outsourcing situations -and as a result it gives few ideas and nothing really useful.

This volume is a fine guide for streamlining your business, for carving away all the non-core funtions staffed by people who don't add any value to your company -- human resources folks, accountants, info technology workers. Once you rid yourself of the burden of dealing with such activities, except as arm's-length, third-party service providers, you free up massive resources to grow your core business and prosper.

What this book does NOT reveal is the true effect of outsourcing those functions. When the outsource process begins, you will have to lie to the employees you are outsourcing, to convince them they are headed for a better life. At the same time you are freezing their wages and gutting their benefits, you must persuade them to buy into the core-business vision; you must fool them into thinking they will have more control over their careers after they are no longer chained to just one company. You will tell them they can now be free to work for any other firm in the industry, to build a huge client base and gain exposure to myriad new practices and policies. You will be lying to them.

Once they realize they have been duped, that there aren't really any new clients, that they are no longer receiving the benefits they once did, that they indeed still are chained to just one company (though out in the back yard, like a dog), then you will reap the true consequences of outsourcing. Your outsourced service providers will stealthily work to become as efficient as possible at secretly minimizing their workload. Their innovations won't be to maximize YOUR return on investment, but to minimize THEIR labor, to perform the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM. Since they are not earning raises or bonuses any more, why exert any extra effort? And believe it, they will have innovative ideas for improving your business -- but they will never tell you about them, since you think they add no value. Well, they DEFINITELY won't ever again add value to YOUR company, chump, after you've booted them to the outsource pit.

The textbook model for outsourcing is wonderful, but it gets a lot more muddled in the real world, especially after you dump on a bunch of your formerly loyal employees. Good luck with your core business now, chump.

This is a great book to understand Outsourcing, why you need it, when you need it and how to do it successfully. The book guides you through;

(1) The Advantages and Disadvantages of Outsourcing. (The basic rationale of the decision) (2) Contract-specific issues. (Legal, strategic impact, etc) (3) Transition issues. (Employment contracts, timelines, personnel) (4) Creating Control Points. (So you know what's going on) (5) Measuring the outsourced function. (Milestone events and performance tracking) (6) Managing the outsourced function. (Show optimal management type for every function) (7) Potential customer service issues. (Also applies to Internal Customers, the employees) (8) Getting out of the outsourcing arrangement. (You need to put it in the contract)

Interestingly enough, every function can be outsourced, either partially or completely. (Yes, even YOUR job!). Take a proactive approach. Buy the book, absorb the knowledge and be part of the solution rather than the problem. In addition to being an excellent author, Mr. Bragg "walks the talk". He's not an academician telling us how things could be but rather an experienced professional who understands how things work in the real world. A rare talent. You need this book. Rated A+++

This book does not provide any information that could not be found in a college level textbook. The assumptions and examples provided in the book are over simplified. If you are anything higher than a junior accountant I would suggest you purchase something else. Calling this book a "Controller's Guide" is just plain wrong.

I purchased the book as part of my CPA Continuing Education credit program. I was pleasantly surprised. Relevant information with sufficient explanations in clear and concise language. A definite must read and must keep as reference material for any controller or financial analyst.

After over 10 years in the field serving as a Controller, Business Manager, and Consultant, finally a practitioner's book that hits the target. Given the vast topic, Bragg nails the critical issues...gets you in & out of each topic quickly and provides an array of useful tools for analysis, presentation, and discussion. The KISS principle at work! Other books may cover more detail, present more elaborate formulas and in general overwhelm the reader. Bragg doesn't. You'll find his summaries quite helpful: Commonly Used Ratios; Symptoms & Solutions; and Exhibit 6.11 Recommended Analyses by Type of Acquisition, for example. Full of practical, hands-on topic reviews, examples, and analytical thinking. Numerous Exhibits showing practical layouts for presenting information...have saved me time & eliminated the need to reinvent the wheel. A must have for my reference tools...and could have eliminated several books in my MBA. Do what's in this book & do it well and you'll build a solid reputation for you and your team. I liked this book so much that I added Bragg's books "Sales & Operations For Your Small Business" and "Accounting & Finance For Your Small Business" to my tools, too...and have been equally pleased.

It is very good book if you are a controller of small to mid-size firm. However, some chapters (e.g. client-server) are written by outside consultants, which are not flowing consistently with other chapters of the book. Overall the book is a good overview of a controller position.

I am disappointed about this book. The book is basically written for students who know little about the business/accounting functions. I found the contents are not deep enough, at least not for veterans or accountants.Therefore, if you want a thorough knowledge of the controllership, this is not the one you should read. Try others.

A very practical book for doing controller function in a small-to-large size organization. A good recommended book for controllers.