From the time I was a small boy, I always tinkered with taking things apart and putting them together. My mom would always have a laundry list of things for me to fix. Even when I visit my mom now days, one of the first things she will say to me is “Mark, I have a few things that I want you to look at.”
Throughout my corporate career, I have found “fixing” skills to be invaluable. I always find myself asking the questions: How does this work? What is going wrong that is causing the problem? How can I correct it? Two of the most significant issues in corporate finance and accounting are excessive use of MS Excel to supplement the lack of well-designed systems capabilities and the pervasive rudimentary knowledge of how to finesse MS Excel.
MS Excel is a great tool, but your toolbox should also contain other tools as well. One tool that is often passed over by the majority of MS Office users is the database. In MS Office, this means Access. The advantage of Excel is that it is flexible and the disadvantage of Excel is it is flexible. Access gives structure that keeps users from “painting outside the lines” while Excel is changed easily and readily. The excessive change often imbues processes with errors given the lack of structure in spreadsheets by many users.
I also use my “fixing” skills for my personal use. Recently, I had multiple fluid leaks with my Passat. I did several processes that I have never done before, but, in the end, I stopped the oil, antifreeze and power steering leaks. The Passat is a great driving car but the German design is a challenge. Recently, I changed the water pump, cam shaft, timing belt, thermostat, thermostat housing, value cover gaskets, PCV system, several hoses and other parts. The oil and antifreeze leaks stopped. That is when I found the Rack and Pinion leak. Replacing the Rack and Pinion was a long ( 5 day) and difficult process, but, in the end, that leak stopped too. Thank God!
The same “fixing” skills that can be applied in multiple ways in finance and accounting. The need for well-designed systems is pervasive. Often processes take longer and are more error prone than they should be. But, they can be fixed. Roll up your sleeves and make it happen.
As they say in the South, “What are you fixing to do?”
