Title

A basic review of the Accounts Office of a particular business.

Aims
1.To find out how the Accounts Office operates.
2. To find out the documents used in the Accounts office
3.
4.
Functions
Accounting departments typically handle a variety of important tasks.
Such tasks often include :
1. Invoicing customers, accounts receivable monitoring and collections, account
reconciliations, payables processing, consolidation of multiple entities under common
ownership, budgeting, periodic financial reporting as well as financial analysis.

2. Also common are setting up adequate internal controls for all business processes (to
prevent theft/misappropriation of assets), handling external audits and dealing with banks
in order to obtain financing.

Denham Farm
Christiana P.O,
Clarendon
May 26, 2011
Main Street Christiana
Christiana P.O,
Manchester
Dear Manager,

I currently attend Knox High School, where I am doing the subject Office Administration. This
research is for a School Based Assignment (S.B.A). I am therefore seeking your permission to
conduct a research which includes: Interviews and observation. The research topic is on the
accounts office of you company. I would like to also gather information on safety practices, staff
rules and legislation governing the business.
I will be happy to come in at any time that is convenient to you. Thank You for your co-operation
as I await your response.

Yours Sincerely,

Hugh Chambers

Methodology

As the source of primary data, questionnaire and interview sessions were

conducted.
The advantages of using Questionnaires are:
It allows data to be collected from a large amount of people.
Makes is possible to compare the responses.
It is a quick and easy way of accessing, the information needed for the
research
Respondent were interviewed over the phone and by personal contact
Questionnaires were giving to the office to be completed and return
upon request of the researcher Also the public was interviewed on
different occasion about the services of the Post Office and Agencies.
Interviews were also conducted as a source of primary information. Customers were
interviewed in the business at the point of purchasing products. Staff was interviewed
after business hours. When this procedure was not efficient, the researcher called the
business to conduct the interview through the telephone. The researcher interviewed the
manager and one of the accounts clerks.
A questioner was also conducted within this research where a hand pick of clerks where
asked multiply choice questions.
The advantages of using the interview are:
It enables respondents to give extended answers to open-ended questions.
It is a convenient way of oral communication which is useful for individual
discussions.

Questions Asked of Company Personnel

1. What are some business forms used within this office?
2. What are some of the responsibilities of this office?

3.
4.
5.
6.

What are the responsibilities and attributes of the accounts clerk?

What are some equipments used within this office?
How does technology help to maintain business stability?
What are some rules and regulations?

Schedule
Date
December 23 2010

Activities
The researcher went to

Comments
Business was a suitable place

business to see if it could be

for the investigation.

consider as a site for the

research

July 26 2011

Went to business place to ask

Supervisor confirmed that the

permission verbally in order to

research could be done

conduct the research

Brought the letter of

Supervisor read the letter and

correspondence to the

said that the investigation can

supervisor
Called the business to find out

be done
Supervisor said it can be

which date the investigation

conducted at any time today

August 1 2011

can commence
Conduct a telephone interview

Proceedings was successful

August 4 2011

with the manager

Interviewed customers

Important information was

August 7 2011

Issued questionnaires

gathered
Said that they will answer

August 10 2011

Observed customer service

them after working hours

Information gathered on

August 12 2011

Questioned the manager about

October 4 was confirmed

Important information was

the effectiveness of these

gathered

July 28 2011

July 30 2011

systems
August 13 2011
August 15 201

Observed business activities

Various activities were well

Was telephoned my manager

observed
Manager thanked me for

of the business

choosing their business as the

site of research, and wished

me luck with my S.B.A

August 17 2011

Went to the business to

Gratitude was accepted

confirm the end of the

investigation

Regulations
In any business there are rules and regulations governing the business, workers, visitors, its
activities and its consumers. The following are the rules and regulations governing the business:

One legislation governing the workplace is The Public Health Act. This legislation
ensures that all employees of the business possess a food handlers permit and that the

business operates in a much sanitized manner. The researcher became aware of this

legislation because there was a framed certificate on the wall inside the business.
One health and safety practice observed when carrying out the research is the wearing of

steam caps in the business by workers, visitors, and manufacturers.

One staff rule that the researcher had to comply with in carrying out this project is that
information must be kept confidential within the business and hands must be washed
each time that someone enters beyond the counter.

Report

The business I researched is a famous fast food restaurant that produces over fifty (50) different
products for over fifty (50) different branches island wide. The location that was research is St
Elizabeth. The reason why St Elizabeth was chosen as the site of investigation is because of the
fact that it is in the physical reach of the researcher and it was suitable for the topic in that it has
improved since upgrading itself with a accounts office. Over the past two (2) t0 three (3) years

this business has introduced accounts office within its business operation. This has led to a
restructure of its physical layout and its daily transactions routines.
The investigation that was carried out showed that the introduction of the accounts office
plays a very important role in any organization. The research showed that the financial satiability
of the business has improved drastically since t 7he accounts office. From the observation made,
this has shown that the business is much more efficient being that the manager doesnt have to
maintain all financial business by himself which thus leads more business control.
Also the Accounts Office offers the business a full range of computerized services to alleviate
the organization bookkeeping and accounting burdens. Services that can be provided are:

Accounts receivable: including invoicing, managing receivables and, when necessary,

collections

Accounts payable: including paying bills, writing checks and vendor management as
necessary

Payroll Processing: including check and tax deposit calculations and form filing

Budgets and Projections

Bank/credit card reconciliations

Month/quarter/year end reports

QuickBooks clean-up and customization, troubleshooting

Annual Informational Tax Returns that include 1099 and Personal Property Tax

Document management

Also with the gathered information the researcher clearly sees that there is an important
distinction between management accounts which involves the provision of information to

managers for ongoing decision making, and financial accounting which is concerned with the
preparation of financial statements outlining the financial health and performance of a company
in previous time periods.
In the researchers research, a curtain question was asked before the interviews started, this
question was asked to the manager; how does the accounts office help to benefit the business?
The question was answered quickly with the response The Accounts Office provides solutions
to the managing of a business, so that the business doesnt manage YOU.
Major Challenges
One of the major problems that the researcher faced in the completion of this research is the
scheduling of activities. Due to the fact that business place is a very busy and the manger didnt
have time to allow me to do these interviews; the collection of data process was very difficult. A
schedule time table was made before the manger confirmed, thus it wasnt a convenient time
table.
Problem Solving Strategies
In solving this problem the researcher called in a favor from some he knew to try to get the
manager of the business to give me the chance to get these interviews done at any time that was
convenient to her. The manger then allowed the researcher to do the research, and they both
schedule time table.

Business Forms

Debit Note

Pay Slip

Cheque

Office equipment

Date
August 13 2011

August 13 2011

August 13 2011

Equipment used
Computer

Facsimile(fax) machine

Calculator

Purpose of equipment
Used as a main

Suitability for tasks

It allows for

computer to keep a

electronic stock taking

record of operational

thus reduces time

business activities.

spent to apply a

Used to facilitate the

manual one.
It reduces the

transmission of a copy

problems of postal

of a document.
Used for task which

services.
It makes it easier to

involve calculations

use a calculator than

using the brain to

August 13 2011

Printer( all in one)

A single machine used

calculate stuff
It is a wise economic

to copy, scan and print

decision since the

documents.

equipment saves
office space and
money.

Bibliography
Personnels Interviewed
Name

Date

Place

Job Title

Adamson Janet

7/10/10

Business place

Accounts clerk

Reid Faith

12/10/10

Business place

Manager

Thomas Selvin

12/10/10

Community

Accounts clerk

Telephone interviewed
Name

Date

Place

Job Title

Reid Faith

01/10/10

Business place

Manager

The following books were used as a foundation for the research:

CLARKE Gillian and WHITCOMB Dr Alan: Heinemann Office Procedures for CXC:
Heinemann Educational Publishers 2000
HARRISON John and SCANTLEBURY BARBARA: New Caribbean Office Procedures:
Pearson Educational \Limited 2000

Table of Contents
Content
Acknowledgements

Page
(i)

Preparation

Title of Project

Aims of Project

Function of the Sales Department

Letter of Correspondence

Gathering Data

Methodology

Questions Asked of personnel

Schedule of activities

Regulation and Policies governing the business

Presentation

Report

Business Forms

10

Office Equipment

12

Bibliography

Appendices

Appendices
Equipments used in the accounts office

Compute
r

Fax
Machine

Printer (All in
one)

Calculato
r

Office Administration

School Based Assessment (S.B.A.)

Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate
(C.S.E.C.)
A basic review of the Accounts Office of a particular business.

Candidates Name: Hugh

Chambers
Candidate Number:
School Name: Knox College
Centre Number: 100067
Teachers Name: Mrs. Young
Territory: Jamaica
Year of submission: 2012