General Consultant Discussion

Hightower Redux - so not only did I get stiffed, I got a 1099 today that lists more than they actually paid me. Someone will need to hold me back if Jeff shows up at Summit.

Oy vey!

<Dislike>

SFA

I'm sure a few more bodies could be disposed in the Potomac.

Amazing that a reseller could underutilize MAS this badly.....

I figure they just never sent out their last check printing run. Plicks.

That's nothing. We don't like the numbers our accounting department comes up with (due to timing differences), so we're moving our sales orders, purchase orders and inventory into a separate company where we can do as we please. They can knock themselves out with AP and GL.

Close-knit group, @JohnHoyt??

It's typical CPA firm accounting. Our time and billing is a completely separate system. Most everything on the financial statements is based on journal entries. Besides, our accounting staff are no longer in our office, so I don't have to see them.

But, wait, it gets better! Just so I can include @PeterWolf in the discussion, the Sage CRM is also separate, there may be a couple of ACT! databases still active, and some brighty in another office decided that implementing MS CRM would be a pretty cool idea. (Do as we say, not as we do.)

Peter is always included in the discussions. He feels our pain and encourages us to move towards a Firm of the Future...

And we complain about Sage's right and left hands................. You're living the dream which is unfortunately a nightmare..........

Having been around for over 90 years, apparently we're a Firm of the Past, but isn't that what accounting is all about?

@JeffSchwenk I think I'd rather work with separate systems than with Atlas.

Unless you need to eat. Then you're allowed to bill hourly.

@BethBowers - I would tell the IRS you were sent a fraudulent 1099. Let them dump the bodies in the Potomac.

@RobertWood I am visualizing an out of work consultant on a street corner with a sign ""Will bill hourly for food"".

Too funny @JohnHoyt !!

Here you go, @JohnHoyt. http://youtu.be/spBVVplKhoY

@PhilMcIntosh - I was just wondering how to go about doing that...

Nice @JohnShaver !!!

Thank the brilliant Greg Kyte. :)

He amazes me, every time...

John - Mark Kotyla's old CPA firm dragged them through a similar wringer. I think they allocated a ton of costs and drove them out. Such short sighted thinking.

Oh, don't get me started on cost allocations.

Cost allocations are the devil !!!

And here I thought foosball was the debil.

OMG! My blood pressure... I need a minute...

Accountancy.... http://youtu.be/7YUiBBltOg4

I think I'm missing out on part of this conversation. Here's what I get when I click on your links. <grumble>

I'm sure your employer isn't the only dog in town. Time to sign up with a progressive firm.....................

Reminds me of the time my CPA firm implemented Websense (without informing anyone), and locked us out of virtually everything for days. My condolences.

@AaronClark Your IT group is clearly behind the times. If they are blocking content, they are failing to acknowledge it is a firm of professionals who should be trusted. We have written policies about Internet access, but only control harmful content showing up as viruses, malware or spam. Actual sites are not blocked nor do we review what users access. There are more important tasks for the IT staff, and they are forever behind on those. If their real reason is bandwidth, then they need to upgrade, because the current technology has changed with offerings such as Ethernet over copper. If they are dealing with multiple offices, such as we are, then they need to architect the network properly, so bandwidth and availiability are not limiting factors. The fact IT groups must accept is that YouTube and other video is now the preferred method of delivering content. Sage is doing this and independently there are numerous demo and training videos on line for their software.

I'm sorry @AaronClark that you're not able to open the youtube link. Try it from somewhere else. You may find you want to share the link with your firm after viewing it.

Don't show them this one http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMBbmCVl1Jo

I appreciate your sympathy everyone. I've tried to tell them several times that YouTube is a standard part of daily life. Maybe if I start charging through my home internet connection as an expense because corporate wouldn't unblock my access, that would open some eyes.