ISYS Writing the plan :(

Tilki

I'm just starting the ISYS module.
The bit I don't get is the plan part.
İt seems that you have to have chosen all your weaknesses, calculated all your figures, sorted all your fraud etc. for the plan and have 4 weeks to do it in.
Then 4 months to write the report.
But surely you've done 3/4 of the work already for the plan in a quarter of the time...
Can anyone tell me just how detailed the plan needs to be??
I'm doing Chic Paints Ltd.
I'm not sure that I'm not over complicating the plan but I really don't want to have it sent back

aatstudy

Have you asked your tutor about it? I am doing the Chic Paints too, my tutor is helpless....I only completed the introduction with a month. I has asked my tutor about the main body of the report, her reply doesn't even include commas! How should I suppose to guess what she means!

Tilki

To be honest I have had no form of help at all. My tutor, as you said, is no help and I can't find anyone who will help because they're so worried about getting caught saying things they shouldn't.
I had my plan back approved with a few suggestions and the third recording said to start with section 5. I've now managed to complete section 5 and most of 6 in about 3 weeks (while working too) but I've no idea if what I'm writing is how it should be done.
I'm just hoping that the feedback from the first submission will help.
NO chance of getting it right first time.
The only thing I would suggest (and only because it's what I've done) is print off a copy of all the example reports that you can find (and ones in study books too) and compare them. Then try and work around that...
Might not be the right approach but it's what I'm doing lol!

aatstudy

My tutor doesn't even bother to ask me to have a plan! I know she is a part time but please, be professional. I have asked her if we should set up a schedule for it, she just ignored my question. I have no idea why she behaves like that way! I am simply asking for guidance, it's first time for me to write this kind of report, and I don't want to waist time writing on something useless, I am not asking her to write the report for me.

Anyway, thanks for your advice. I have looked online, but the recourse is quite limited. I am confused with the main body, how could I fixed SWOT analysis to the main structure, also includes all mapping points.

By the way, what's wrong with discussing it? Isn't this forum for discussing AAT studies?

Tilki

The way I understand it is that you put in the weaknesses, fraud, ethical and sustainable issues into the review section (5) and your recommendations for them in section 6.
This was the hardest part for me.
Then, with those bits done, it makes it easier to fill in the other bits. The summary is a brief summary so the reader gets an idea of what you've written on sections 5 and 6 at a glance. The introduction is about the company, the financial statements etc. The methodology is where you found the information that you've talked about. The cost and benefits it putting all the figures from sections 5 and 6 together in a table so they're easier to see and contents is just contents!
Please don't take this as definitely right as this is just the way that I see it all going together.

aatstudy

Thanks a lots, Tilki! I wonder what kind of title for the report. when I looked some discussion online for the report, they have mentioned, they looked into payroll or credit control or something else. My report will review the whole account system, but do I need to address any specific area?
by the way, I don't know if this link will help or not
https://forums.aat.org.uk/discussion/38607/icas-report-writing-advice

Tilki

I'm doing mine on accounts receivable and credit control and then when it comes to fraud, sustainability and ethics I'm covering the whole accounts department and anything else in the company if it stands out.
I know some people do the whole of accounts but Kaplan said just pick one function. I couldn't find enough with just one and they said I could use two but no more. Who knows really.
I think different training providers do it differently.
I think trying to do the whole department would make it very difficult as there are so many issues and if you were to write about them all it would be 10,000 words instead of 4,000!! I would also worry about missing something out too.
I guess you have to go with what you feel comfortable.
What did your tutor say about what to focus on??

aatstudy

My tutor said nothing about my focus!! I emailed two days ago but no response at all.I have no clue what my tutor has been thinking, if there is something not mean to tell me, at least you should response my email and explain, I need to work on this area myself and can't give any comments on it, but please do not leave no words! I can't read some one's mind.
From my tutor's previous email, it said, all reports have to cover internal control. My worries are just like you said, it could be too much in one report. So I asked her if I should focus on a specific area.

I think your idea is reasonable, as when it comes to fraud, sustainability and ethics, it needs to include the whole system. My another concern is, If I picked up one area, say purchase ledger, how should I merge to main body? does it feel strange when reviewing a specific area in section 2.0 but later, when it comes to fraud, etc. changing to the whole system? But If I only review one area, my concern would be not enough words for the report.
Did you tutor said something about how to allocate mapping points to main body?

aatstudy

I think your idea is reasonable, as when it comes to fraud, sustainability and ethics, it needs to include the whole system. My another concern is, If I picked up one area, say purchase ledger, how should I merge to main body? does it feel strange when reviewing a specific area in section 2.0 but later, when it comes to fraud, etc. changing to the whole system? But If I only review one area, my concern would be not enough words for the report.

aatstudy

My tutor said nothing about my focus!! I emailed two days ago but no response at all.I have no clue what my tutor has been thinking, if there is something not mean to tell me, at least you should response my email and explain, I need to work on this area myself and can't give any comments on it, but please do not leave no words! I can't read some one's mind.

Tilki

I think as you get into it the words just come. I'm more concerned about too many words at the moment. I have put a lot of detail in explaining the weaknesses and what my recommendations are. I picked out 5 or 6 weaknesses and focused on them going I to detail about what was wrong and what needed to be done to put it right and what the costs were.
As I've said though, I'm still writing mine so it might be wrong.

aatstudy

My tutor said nothing about my focus!! I emailed two days ago but no response at all.I have no clue what my tutor has been thinking, if there is something not mean to tell me, at least you should response my email and explain, I need to work on this area myself and can't give any comments on it, but please do not leave no words! I can't read some one's mind.

I found this example online and don't know how it usefull,
https://www.homeworkmarket.com/sites/default/files/qx/15/06/23/06/internal_control_and_accounting_system_of_chic_paints_ltd.doc

On this report, the author has reviewed the whole system( 2.0, 2.1). From my tutor's previous email, it said, all reports have to cover internal control. My worries are just like you said, it could be too much in one report. So I asked her if I should focus on a specific area.

I think your idea is reasonable, as when it comes to fraud, sustainability and ethics, it needs to include the whole system. My another concern is, If I picked up one area, say purchase ledger, how should I merge to main body? does it feel strange when reviewing a specific area in section 2.0 but later, when it comes to fraud, etc. changing to the whole system? But If I only review one area, my concern would be not enough words for the report.

At this moment, I try to allocate mapping points to my main body, so my main body 2.0 will review the system, mapping points are 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1,3.2,3.5. fraud will cover 2.2,2.3, 3.4. Weaknesses will cover 3.3, ethical 4.1,4.2, sustainability 5.1,5.2, recommendations 6.1-6.3, cost benefit analysis 6.4

Did you tutor said something about how to allocate mapping points to main body?

aatstudy

My tutor said nothing about my focus!! I emailed two days ago but no response at all.I have no clue what my tutor has been thinking, if there is something not mean to tell me, at least you should response my email and explain, I need to work on this area myself and can't give any comments on it, but please do not leave no words! I can't read some one's mind.

I found this example online and don't know how it usefull,
https://www.homeworkmarket.com/sites/default/files/qx/15/06/23/06/internal_control_and_accounting_system_of_chic_paints_ltd.doc

On this report, the author has reviewed the whole system( 2.0, 2.1). From my tutor's previous email, it said, all reports have to cover internal control. My worries are just like you said, it could be too much in one report. So I asked her if I should focus on a specific area.

I think your idea is reasonable, as when it comes to fraud, sustainability and ethics, it needs to include the whole system. My another concern is, If I picked up one area, say purchase ledger, how should I merge to main body? does it feel strange when reviewing a specific area in section 2.0 but later, when it comes to fraud, etc. changing to the whole system? But If I only review one area, my concern would be not enough words for the report.

At this moment, I try to allocate mapping points to my main body, so my main body 2.0 will review the system, mapping points are 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1,3.2,3.5. fraud will cover 2.2,2.3, 3.4. Weaknesses will cover 3.3, ethical 4.1,4.2, sustainability 5.1,5.2, recommendations 6.1-6.3, cost benefit analysis 6.4

Did you tutor said something about how to allocate mapping points to main body?

aatstudy

My tutor said nothing about my focus!! I emailed two days ago but no response at all.I have no clue what my tutor has been thinking, if there is something not mean to tell me, at least you should response my email and explain, I need to work on this area myself and can't give any comments on it, but please do not leave no words! I can't read some one's mind.

I found this example online and don't know how it usefull,
https://www.homeworkmarket.com/sites/default/files/qx/15/06/23/06/internal_control_and_accounting_system_of_chic_paints_ltd.doc

On this report, the author has reviewed the whole system( 2.0, 2.1). From my tutor's previous email, it said, all reports have to cover internal control. My worries are just like you said, it could be too much in one report. So I asked her if I should focus on a specific area.

I think your idea is reasonable, as when it comes to fraud, sustainability and ethics, it needs to include the whole system. My another concern is, If I picked up one area, say purchase ledger, how should I merge to main body? does it feel strange when reviewing a specific area in section 2.0 but later, when it comes to fraud, etc. changing to the whole system? But If I only review one area, my concern would be not enough words for the report.

At this moment, I try to allocate mapping points to my main body, so my main body 2.0 will review the system, mapping points are 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1,3.2,3.5. fraud will cover 2.2,2.3, 3.4. Weaknesses will cover 3.3, ethical 4.1,4.2, sustainability 5.1,5.2, recommendations 6.1-6.3, cost benefit analysis 6.4

Did you tutor said something about how to allocate mapping points to main body?