Icas, unit 10

Craig9

Another topic on this unit!

When working through the report I have my terms of reference and two paragraphs stating the reasons for the report. Numbered 1.1 and 1.2.
My Methodology, section 3 has paragraphs numbered 3.1, 3.2 etc.

My rather simple question is - when you do the Introduction, section 4, do you need to keep numbering paragraphs 4.1, 4.2 etc. and continue this theme for every section of the report?

Secondly, when you have appendices, should you make reference to them in the report? For example in the introduction -

'The company turnover was 900m(appendix 1) .......'

Or should you just put

'The company turnover was 900m.......' and make no reference to the appendices?

As you can see english and report writing is not a strong point for me, which I guess is the whole point in this unit.

Thanks for help.

kimmie1986

i see you have started with this craig lol im not enjoying it at all and i don't have a clue if what im doing is along the right lines but lease it is only a first draft. from my understanding i think you have to keep numbering the paragraphs by im not sure why, i will number them once i have finished.

keane155

kimmie1986 wrote: »

i see you have started with this craig lol im not enjoying it at all and i don't have a clue if what im doing is along the right lines but lease it is only a first draft. from my understanding i think you have to keep numbering the paragraphs by im not sure why, i will number them once i have finished.

Hi, you need to number the paragraphs so that you can map them to the criteria e.g. paragraph 1.11, 4.6 , 5.2 provide evidence that you have met criteria one or whatever it is called. When you upload the project on myaat, you can download the mapping document and you will have to complete bits of it and upload it whenever you upload a draft.

Nikdoug

Also make reference to your appendices and recommendations.

For example in the performance review and quality control section of my report i had:

"7.5 There appears to be a lot of outstanding debtors (appendix 1); £136,945 is over 150 days outstanding and that is just for clients with names beginning in A or B with over £5000 owing. This is a very high figure for what is potentially a small extract of the aged debtors. This has arisen due to a lack of frequent sales ledger checks and reconciliations and also that there are no payment terms on invoices (see recommendation 7). "

Appendix one being an aged debtors extract.

Recommendation 7 being to negotiate and include payment terms on invoices.

This was based on a case study by the way, hence the really bad figures.

Craig9

Ah that makes sense, o.k. I will start numbering them all.

Kimmie, I am still doing the Introduction. Started it at 9am lol it's just a load of nonsense and I have no idea what I'm rabbling on about in half of it. God help me when I have to analysis the system, this will never be in for Monday! How are you getting on?

kimmie1986

well i am currently analysing the system at the moment just done the fraud bit but i dont think its exactly what they are looking for lol but from my plan i did write about fraud and kim said it was ok so lets hope, how many words have you done so far? im at 1800

Craig9

800 words haha, I'm aiming for 3,500 exactly. I have thought about writing with a stutter to double word count but it may not be to AAT standards.

I'm struggling with points 1.5 and 2.1 on the mapping sheets. Any ideas? Are they meant to be in your introduction?

kimmie1986

yeah im not really mapping mine out properly yet just gonna write the figure that stuff out tomorrow haha

reddwarf

I'm doing mine as well, gawd it's horrid.

on the point of mapping we've had it drilled in to us not to leave the mapping to the end try to get is done as you go otherwise big headache.

on the point of 2.1 - is this the range of external regulations affecting account practice?

I've just thought about this- osborne suggests considering tax regulation,company law data protecton and late payment law -

these must be complied with somewhere in either a case study or a business ...

and any changes must ensure they are factored in - Osborne suggest including them in the recommended SWOT analysis.

anyway off now to try to make some progress!!

Craig9

That's great actually, I will use the data protection and payment law.

I'm now on describing what fraud is and what regulations there are over fraud! Joy!

This Kaplan book I have really isn't much cope!

kimmie1986

Your doing not bad craig,I gave up mine n went to the pub Haha will be doing it all day tomorrow but you are right the kaplan books are rubbish

keane155

1465 words in and I am a bit stuck on the analysis of the system, have done a SWOT analysis, but just want to stick anything in there, whether it is relevant to internal controls or not!! Really want to get the whole project completed today but it is so difficult. I'm sure I did some work on this and got it up to 1700 words on Tuesday but I mustn't have saved it because I can't find it anywhere! This project is a nightmare!! How are you all getting on with it?

kimmie1986

oh no keane i make sure word saves my word every 5 mins as my mum tripped the electricity yesterday but luckily i was working on my laptop so i still had power!!! im going to complete it today no matter what!! im on recommendations just now and at 2300 words its only a first draft so im not too bothered if its right or not

keane155

kimmie1986 wrote: »

oh no keane i make sure word saves my word every 5 mins as my mum tripped the electricity yesterday but luckily i was working on my laptop so i still had power!!! im going to complete it today no matter what!! im on recommendations just now and at 2300 words its only a first draft so im not too bothered if its right or not

I think what happened was that I thought that I had saved it, but when I want to attach the document to an email(so I could carry on at college) it won't let me attach it if I have the document open, so I probably closed it, thinking that it had already been saved, having not saved it.

It sounds like you are doing really well with your project - I am only up to 1700 words!! I can't wait to get this finished!!

reddwarf

I'm using BT digital vault because I don't need to loose this stuff the pain is too great getting it down in the first place.

May be worth a look?

http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumerProducts/displayTopic.do?topicId=25808

kimmie1986

im almost finished still have to write the executive summary but now i am just matching up which criteria matches my report so hopefully tonight i should of done the first draft glass of wine tonight will be needed

Craig9

I've got a couple of recommendations to do and the exec summary and I should be about done. It's taken a while though cause of Andy Murray match this morning and about 5 football games on tele. I'm already on the wine, it's helping me rabble more in the report lol

keane155

kimmie1986 wrote: »

im almost finished still have to write the executive summary but now i am just matching up which criteria matches my report so hopefully tonight i should of done the first draft glass of wine tonight will be needed

Well done!! I bet you are so glad that you have nearly finished it, I am only 2100 words into it...I've started adding in really random stuff about procedures into the appendix, I don't know whether I am supposed to do it or not. I basically thought that instead of describing each accounting function and what happens in the review of the system, I have decided to put a flow chart for each section into the appendices so that I save on the number of words (is this even relevant though?). This way I can show the procedures for each funtion and how they work - does this sound about right? I thought then I could review the weaknesses of the system in the main report. I don't know whether or not what I am doing would be a waste of time or not though. I really can't wait to hit 3500 words!!!

kimmie1986

well im not happy ive done as much as i can but im only at 2800 words will need to find areas i can waffle on in just to get it to the word count haha

Becky V

Hi all glad to hear your all doing well in your project. I am trying to start mine but how do you know how to lay it all out, i mean is there a template that you have seen to guide you? Many thanks

kimmie1986

hey becky i would use your book that you have as that should give you a lay out or have a look on the study support zone i think there is a guide there as well

Craig9

Right I give up for the night, 3300 words and it's more than likely wrong but it's only a first draft so hopefully get away with it being vague at this point. Need to finish a few things after work tomorrow and then send it if the AAT website works, as I'm sure the deadline is tomorrow lol

Everyone else getting on o.k. ?

Becky V

kimmie1986 wrote: »

hey becky i would use your book that you have as that should give you a lay out or have a look on the study support zone i think there is a guide there as well

Thank you Kimmie i have the kaplan book. I will look on the study support zone. Good luck with yours.

kimmie1986

Thanks i think it has broken me, i will give in the towel tonight and tweak it tomorrow as thats when the deadline is for

Becky V

it seems such a hard thing to do and getting started im having problems with! I would rather do another exam!

keane155

I am 2608 words into it. I have got until Wednesday to finish the first complete draft - I'm at college tomorrow night and at work in the day...no chance of getting it completed, think I am going to have a very late night on Tuesday!!! Have given up for tonight, have been doing this most of the day, but I don't seem to be getting very far with it! Think the project is the hardest bit of level 4 so far.

keane155

How are you all getting on? I could really do with trying to get my recommendations and cost benefit analysis done tonight...it takes ages though just to get any words down though...can't wait until the day it all gets signed off.

kimmie1986

i submitted mine yesterday but just realised i didnt do a cost benefit analysis!!! oh well its only a first draft

Bowcombe

Don't forget to do the conclusion, I got my 1st draft feedback and said it is not a requirement but would help to close the report. I only have a couple of things to tidy up so submitted the 2nd draft yesterday, fingers crossed that it is all over and can concentrate on the other units.

keane155

This is the first night in ages where I have actually been able to write something I'm up to 4200 words and have only just started writing out the cost benefit analysis - still have an executive summary to do and anything else I've missed!! 4000 words seemed like so many at the start but now I'm wishing it was 5000 - going to have to cut half of the stuff out.

Becky V

That is great news well done i want to really get on with mine the weekend. Started last weekend and done about 700 words and made a lot of notes so hope to put it together and make good progress!