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Appendix A

Useful Letters and Memos

Email from accounts payable sent to new budget holders

Memo from CEO sent to all budget holders re attending general ledger (G/L) training

Date ___________

Dear ___________

Attending G/L training

Please be aware that we have decided to implement a new accounting package. According to research, these implementations are prone to failure without adequate training.

The general ledger licenses and associated costs will be over $________. Thus, it is imperative that we make this project a success and get it right the first time!

We are also using this implementation to radically alter the way we process accounting transactions. This means that you should be able to spend fewer nights and weekends working on administrative matters.

You will need to attend in person. Please select one course and email back today. I will be taking a personal interest in this and will be monitoring course attendance and no-shows.

If you are unable to attend at any of the scheduled times, please contact me so we can discuss the reasons and possible alternative training times.

Kind regards,

CEO

Memo from CEO inviting all budget holders to attend fast month-end training

Date ___________

Dear ___________

Attending fast month-end workshop

Please be aware that we have decided to radically change the way we prepare our monthly accounts. Our aim is to free both you and the accounting team from many routines that do not add value.

It is my firm belief that, after this workshop, we will be able to spend more time working in our critical success factors and spend fewer evenings and weekends working on administrative matters.

You will need to attend in person. Please select one course and email back today. I will be taking a personal interest in this and will be monitoring course attendance and no-shows.

If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled workshops, please contact me so we can discuss the reasons and possible alternative times.

Kind regards,

CEO

Memo from CEO inviting selected individuals to attend a quick month-end Post-it reengineering workshop

Date ___________

Dear ___________

Attending quick month-end workshop—target by 3 working days or less

Sounds impossible, doesn't it, when you consider that we spend __ days on each month-end producing numbers well after the horse has bolted. We have been investing many long evenings and weekends away from our home carrying out a task that is not adding value.

The finance team is proposing a radical change based on best practices. The board and I are convinced it will work. It is estimated to save us over $_______ in time and much more when adding in the full opportunity cost.

It is my firm belief that, after this workshop, we will be able to spend more time working in our critical success factors and spending fewer evenings and weekends working on administrative matters.

I am inviting you, as I value your contribution. You will need to attend in person. Please leave your schedule free during this time so you can attend. I will be attending the first session and I look forward to seeing you there. Should you feel that you are unable to attend, please first contact me so we can discuss the reasons.

Kind regards,

CEO

Memo from CEO sent to all budget holders re compulsory attending of a fast annual planning workshop

Date ___________

Dear ___________

A two-week annual planning process—workshops on ______ and ______

Sounds impossible, doesn't it, when you consider the four months of pain last year, involving endless discussion, argument, and many long evenings and weekends away from our home.

The finance team is proposing a radical change based on the world's best practices. The board and I are convinced it will work. It is estimated to save us over $________ in time and much more when adding in the full opportunity cost.

An important part of the process is holding a workshop where the oracles in the business are being asked for their view. We want to use every brain in the game.

You will need to attend in person. Please select one workshop and email back today. I will be taking a personal interest in this and will be monitoring course attendance and no-shows.

Should you feel that you are unable or do not need to attend, please contact me so we can discuss the reasons.

Kind regards,

CEO

Memo from CEO sent to all subsidiary companies re new month-end processes

Date ___________

Dear ___________

A “nonevent month-end”—no more month-end intercompany disputes

You are no doubt aware that at month-end, we have numerous intercompany disagreements. This delays month-end reporting and means excessive time is spent delivering news well after the horse has bolted.

Modern organizations in the twenty-first-century do not have this problem, and I want our organization to replicate their better practices.

To this end we will be investing in an intercompany application that means one party, the seller, will update both general ledgers simultaneously. I will advise when this occurs.

As from today, the new intercompany rules are as follows:

The party making the sale will close the ledger off on day−2; all sales on the last day will be treated as next month's transactions and processed then.
The balance on the accounts payable ledger is to be emailed to the intercompany debtor, who has to process an adjustment to agree.
All disputes are to occur after month-end.

I will be taking a personal interest in this area and will be monitoring all major intercompany adjustments.

Should you not understand these rules, please first contact the CFO.

Kind regards,

CEO

Letter from accounts payable team leader to suppliers

Date ___________

Dear ___________

We have thrown away the checkbook and are at a loss as to how to pay you

We are a modern company and have now thrown away the checkbook, which is a technology from Charles Dickens's time. In fact, the last check is mounted in a frame in the CEO's office. Other than trying to recycle that mounted check—of which there is little chance, as the CEO is proud of its symbolic meaning—we have no means of paying you. You should be aware that we have sent you a number of direct credit forms for completion. One solution is that you complete this direct credit form today and email us at accountspayable@______; another solution is that you direct debit us; alternatively, we could start a barter system. (I am joking!)

We value the relationship we have with your company and are looking at ways we can link our IT systems with yours so that we process a transaction between us only once. Our IT experts will be in contact with your IT experts sometime in the future. Let's move into the twenty-first-century together!

Kind regards,

AP Team Leader

Memo from CEO to invite selected staff to attend a focus group workshop (needed for quarterly rolling planning and KPIs projects)

Date ___________

Invitation to attend a one-day focus group to look at _____

It is important that we have a focus group workshop to kickstart this assignment as:

There are many pitfalls in such a project, and many projects have failed to deliver in other companies.
A wide ownership is required, and a focus group can have a huge impact on the selling process.
The foundation stones need to be understood and put in place early on in the project.
A focus group will give valuable input on how the implementation should best be done to maximize its impact.

We are seeking a focus group selected from experienced staff members covering the regions, branches, and head office and the different roles, from administrators to the senior management team. I believe you would offer much to this exercise and request that you set aside the time to assist. I welcome your support on this important project. The project team of _____, _____, ______, and _____ will need and appreciate your support.

Please confirm availability to attend this focus group workshop after having discussed it with your manager. I look forward to meeting you at the workshop.

Kind regards,

CEO

Memo to a member of the team for going the extra mile

Letter to a supplier who has gone the extra mile

Letter to the auditors to organize a quick sign-off of year-end accounts

Date __________

Dear ___________

Re: Year-end audited accounts

Over the past few years, our year-end has been very costly in lost opportunities. Management and staff have spent far too much time in this exercise.

We wish to adopt world's best practice and complete our accounts within 5 working days, and achieve a sign-off within 15 working days post year-end. As auditors, your firm will be aware of the better practices we wish to adopt.

We would like to hold a meeting within two weeks to ascertain your commitment and agreement on the better practices that need to be adopted.

The outcome should be beneficial to both parties, as we will be much better prepared for your visits, will appoint an audit coordinator role, and so forth.

The agenda of this meeting will cover:

Status of prior-year significant audit findings
Unresolved internal control and accounting issues
The quick year-end better practices
Content of audit checklist
Proposed deadlines
Discussions of new accounting standards and policies
Procedures to alert each other to any potential issues
Role of internal audit team
Content of an “information needs” list

We request that the audit partner, audit manager, and audit senior attend this meeting. We will have a representative from the audit committee, the CFO, and financial controller attending.

Kind regards,

CFO

Letter to the auditors who signed off quickly

Letter to a mentor

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Table of Contents for Appendix A: Useful Letters and Memos

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Useful Letters and Memos

Table of Contents for
Appendix A: Useful Letters and Memos