Part 4 what have you learned about how you work as an individual?

One key thing I learned is that I am more effect in my activities when i am absolutely clear on what the end product is supposed to be .This could be information in a particular format or information representing a particular value .I found that the sure way to get this done was by effective communication with the relevant parties involved. Be it form my managers , other team members or clients .Communication gave me a forum in which I could put my activities to the test and get feedback on how to improve or continue .During regular meetings with my manager in accounts payable provided an excellent opportunity for learning and feedback . Understanding that you cannot know it all and so take every opportunity you can to learn and improve. I have also learned how to rely more on time management to keep control of my activities .By using time management as a key part of my planning process; I can make sure that my work output is efficient. Before beginning a task if I am aware how much time I have to carry it out, I can keep my focus on my activities. I use time for both motivation and for targets. While working, being conscious of your allocated time keeps my work rate up to speed. When a task is completed within the allotted time you get a sense of achievement which I find important to keep motivated .Setting personal time targets has also helped me become more comfortable when working under time constraints set by others for example management. How have you changed your behaviour or approach in the workplace as a result of what you have learned? I learnt that what I did twenty percent of the time would affect eighty percent of my outcomes . Crossing your Ts and dotting your is. For example making regular notes whether in meetings or just as part of general activities. Having something written down almost creates a mental flag post that keeps your mind focused on what is required. This way the quality of my work has improved because the end product remained the focal point. For example during the batching and coding of invoices in accounts payable, we were made aware areas where errors could be made when entering a high volume of data. Having noted this down, I kept a conscious note before, during and after each batch to look out for errors. By looking at the time required element once I had planned and prioritised my daily activities for example, gave me an added element of control. By taking a few minutes at the end of the initial detailed planning and understanding what is required, to look at how long it would roughly take to complete each phase. For example if you could anticipate how long you need to dedicate to checking through transactions in accounts payable. You can work fully focused on what you are doing without constantly having second thoughts about other things that need

to be attended to. You give the job you are working on your full undivided attention and that results in a better quality of work. When in communication, be it with my manger, other team members or clients. I would integrate feedback and review of what I am working on as part of the communication. You can only make the best decisions or actions when you have as much information as possible. Through regular communications with clients you build a stronger relationship, which leads to the ready flow of information. Giving feedback at the same time, again works in favour of strengthening the relationship. Reviewing your progress when working on a query for a client for example, allow you to gauge how well you are doing in resolving the issue. The process of talking to the client involved the smallest part of query resolution, but only through understanding the issues at hand could you resolve queries effectively.

How has this helped improve work outputs or business results in your area? When the quality of my work is up to standard as part of a team effort, you increase the quality of the team as a whole. By completing work on time due to effective time management. Other parts of the accounting department workings that depend on my work being finished can proceed without delay. In accounts payable for example if transaction queries are looked into and resolved on time. The relevant invoices can be put on the payment run and another team member will not have to be taken away from other duties to handle queries from the client who hasnt received payment had there been a delay . Feedback and reviewing is a way I can contribute to produce a more accurate body of work .By reviewing my work as I go along and being sure what are the expected in my outputs. I am aware of errors as they arise since I have a feedback on my progress. Again when my work is accurate it plays a part in the overall better performance of team I am a member of.

Part 5

Describe situations where you have effectively demonstrated each of the forms of communication mentioned Working in Credit control and Accounts payable are in constant communication with suppliers or the accounts teams of outside business .Almost all the correspondence would evolve the sending of e-mails to the other party. Although initial contact may be through the phone, the necessity for back up documentation always required e-mails to deliver the documents required for approval of payments .Supporting documents were almost always scanned and e-mailed across as faxing became a less desirable in the paperless work environment . Within credit control a monthly report of debtors was required by management. We were required to prepare a spreadsheet detailing each account and their outstanding balance .The accepted format required accounts to be separated according to agreed headings e.g debtor days. A written narrative was required to be entered alongside all the numerical data. This would include any recent communications as well as a brief on payment allocations or any other relevant information .The file would then be passed on to the collections manager who would review and asked to be briefed in detail on the contents of the report . Working as part of accounts payable in my last role, I was assigned to compile a file of creditors with confirmed nil balances. As part of the termination of business activities, we had to compile all relevant documentation to certify that all balances had been paid before the accounts could be closed. As part of my activities I had to present my progress to my managers on a weekly basis. This required presentation of the work done through IT and answering of questions as they arose. What did you do to help communicate effectively? My starting point would always be to understand exactly what the requirements of the end user were .Knowing what was required allowed me to gauge what my inputs would be in the process .Also having the end user as the focus insures that the quality of data produced is fit for purpose. For example the business closing project as part of accounts payable, I sat down with my manager and determining who required access to the data. I was aware that it had to be accessible to finance and non finance people. So the language used within the project had to be universal to all who would have access. The next important stage would be preparation. Before each meeting with management in the accounts payable project above, I would insure that the data was updated .Supporting documentation was to hand, and that I was prepared for questions that would arise during the meeting. The bulk of my preparation was actually achieved by consistently reviewing my work on a daily. Being familiar with the details meant that i was confident of my understanding on the project. Lastly feedback was an essential part of my work. Be it was on day to day dealings with clients, meetings or presentations with management. Feedback always

insured that I had a starting point for my next set of tasks. This again went along with my method of understanding the end user requirement in a body of work.

How have your communication skills helped you to improve your performance elsewhere?

Review and feedback helps establish relationships with people you work with or clients. Everyone is more responsive if they feel they have been heard .When you address what has been vocalised in an interaction people will be more willing to deal with you in other occasions as they feel you appreciate their side of the situation. This can be an invaluable way to practice quickly evaluating information and decision making. Most importantly developing people skills necessary to be successful in business. The more information you can obtain, will result in a higher quality of decision making. The better quality of decision making leads to greater confidence on work you do. The more confidence you have the more you will want to learn new things and increase your efficiency.

Describe your experience of using information technology

Sales ledger and accounts payable everything on computer system . invoices , po , approvals , account balances , ledgers, payments , remits . Taking normal paper to system and getting from system to paper .other media exel word Also in communication internal and external . Previous life It support for telecoms company . Relevant activities from performance help sheet . How have you applied your IT skills to improve your personal performance?

Quality, accurate and timely information in efficient manner had all information in one place able to manipulate the info held to get what you need Being proficient in using the various forms of information technology to communicate, report, input, extract and verify data .The quality of my work rose accordingly .Being able to get data from various sources and filter through it to leave only the relevant pieces. I could be confident that he end product of my activities was the desired outcome. One of the biggest advantages of I.T is that it is a reliable storage medium for data. Good It skills insured that my work was accurate. I could easily verify data from the vast amount of information accessible. Or with the simple use of checking software e.g. unit values on transaction ranges on the accounts payable system you could insure that data entered was correct. Even simple tools such as spell check insured communications were accurate and professional. IT also enabled me to become more efficient in my activities. Being able to use software packages for data presentation produced a more stream lined product. For example by creating excel templates, i could then add pieces of information as i went along on a daily basis. With v-look ups and pivot points i could track my work efficiently. By the time reports were due to management I already had a presentable piece of work that my managers could share and go through.

Filter info into form that i could you to make my own comments or notes(connecting points or factors )effectively a map to follow , easier to priorities or share with others to draw attention to .e.g exel getting data from kestrel to exel , v- look up , pivot points . so i could get what i need quickly in one place . Easy to update and corrections easly done .security to perform part of help sheet.

How has your IT skills and associated improved performance benefited the wider organisation? Management action , other tasks reliant on my quality of work , Easy for mangers to read reports , highlighting areas of concern , i did my bit so the next person could do theirs . Increased communication more efficiency .benifit was in me being efficient and producing the reqired quality of work .big complex organisation sum of its parts .

Describe how you have managed the ongoing (business as usual) activities in your role Time mangment ....3rd Dividing tasks according to priority (Inusre given appropriate )plan whats to be done -----start . , time to complete , time of day (certain ppl only available at certain times ). Any other input needed (do yourself delegation /follow up )level of involvement ......2nd Giving feedback , updates , review ...4th

Explain where you have recommended your own approach to managing ongoing activities to others and why Understanding how the system is supposed to work correctly , regular contact and feeback across companies . Working in the accounts receivable /credit control function we had a long term client with regular batches of large invoices we would send them every month .Requisitions were done within that company but all payment function had been outsourced to a company abroad . The payment centre could only offer information on what invoices were paid and the ones rejected .Anything outside of that had to be dealt with by the company requisition departments spread out across the whole country. As the collector for this account I had to find a way to catch any transactions that would fail to make payment and deal with the aged debt already present. I worked with the people in charge of the requisitions within the buyer company to prioritise transactions by value, whether it was a multiple order or a single with multiple lines and create separate groups that we could look through to confirm correct purchase orders and values were assigned by my companies sales branches . We also agreed on times when we could go over the results and give feedback and input .Time allocation of activities made things more organised and efficient and insured enough attention was given to the verification process.

How does you approach to managing your activities contribute to organisation performance? Whether in accounts payable or accounts receivable roles you have to be prepared for activities that might take you away from something you were working without notice. So being able to multi task is very important if you are to be able to perform at your best. Since you cannot anticipate how and when other demands on you may arise .The best you can do is give yourself room to be able to handle the demands as best as possible .Effective planning is the best way to do this. Having a plan for you work load divided into priority, effort required and time available. You avoid losing track on what you have to work on at any given time .You can quickly pick up from where you left off if you had to look at something else. It gives you a measurable framework on which to gauge progress, which is vital if you have to manage yourself. In large organisations where you have several people working within one department, performing connected tasks. The overall performance of the department is based on how efficient and effect each team member is. So by me making an effort of insuring that i was performing at my best i contribute to the overall performance of the organisation.

Decrease in aged debt stuck in the 90+ range , also saw significatnt to 60 ad onwrdto 300 day range as time went on . In situations where long running situation , understanding the need of parties and how each expect it to work ./ Run through woking examples . draw out in efficiencies without re enveting the wheel . and ruffling too many feathers , compromise as you get everyones goals to sinc to get results .

Describe an occasion when you have identified an opportunity to improve departmental performance

Disconnect between accounts department /service dep and creditors .

Issues with queries not ap fault but we bore the brunt of the dissatisfaction . reluctance to offer assistantce beyond normal channels . lead to longer than needed delays . Being new didnt carry bias , eager to be of use

How did you contribute to developing the opportunity for improvement? Investigating the reason for non approvals by talking to relevant parties and history on sytem . whats needed to resolve . Talking to our ppl about hat they wanted , talking to their ppl about what can be done to bring concensous . mostly having to trace relevant prties and if possible getting them to talk .most of the time they were outside accounts of both . God at communication , previous credit control experience saw things from both angles , what each side wanted was umnerstood. Provide each side with how situation can be resolved , coomon ground , forum to agree .without negativity .always ffocusin on what can be donegoing forward , not focusing on wht didnt happen Was this opportunity fully successful, why was this? If not, why not? Yes communication internally(ppl could offer help with contacts and help) and withclients( . most ap clienst were also cliens on sales side . we buy on and th buy one from us . Also erly pck up of issues as communication was going , inefficiencies were brought up . Also with me thatit accelerated my learning curve , got me involved and focused my knowelede key in motivatin .

Describe your role in managing a discrete assignment Ceasation of business activities ap had to get confirmation of accounts with nil balances , so they could be closed permantly in advance of tem shut don .

Ap gothrouhall accouns on system get documentation to that effect and have it filed Contacting suppliers (some closed some operation ) confirm balances with authorised parties and get documentation to that effect . Dept meeting over the next motns weekly to present and discuss , created file , accesable by all , constantly updated .

How did you apply learning from your day-to-day role in this assignment? Time mangment /planning (priorities) review Communication , mangers needs , meetings - documentation , it media ,- files applicatiomns data manipulation , accesable and secure . Being clearon what the expectations required motivation to complete ./what info was needed for .

What did you learn from the assignment that will help you in your day-to-day role? Presentation preparation , speaking , collecting data , meeting Responsibility keeping it together how it affects you planning focus Self motivation time management Confidence o do the big things have your name on it !

Understanding what happens at this stage in business in accounst . effect of business decisions on real ppl