Rise of NERDS: The new wave of office markets

Traditional metros are out. Says a recent report from JLL. The hottest growth markets are Nashville, East Bay, Raleigh, Denver & Salt Lake City also dubbed the NERDS. These markets offer solid fundamentals along with great supply. Check out more in the report below.

Source: Rise of NERDS: The new wave of office markets

Computer hardware: Accelerate your mouse

Sometimes the most productive tips are the simplest. Adjusting the speed of your mouse pointer can save seconds per each task, which can add up to minutes per day of extra time. Check out the link below for instructions on how to make this quick tweak to your system!

Source: Computer hardware: Accelerate your mouse

9 time-saving tech tips for the busy CPA

In the average day you probably spend at least an hour or more doing the various steps to accomplish one goal. The time you spend highlighting a sentence in order to paste it into google. The time you spend finding file paths so you can share it with a colleague.

These mini-tasks are not only tedious they waste precious seconds which add up to minutes. Combine with with the few minutes it takes us to switch between tasks, and you’ll see how it adds up quickly! The only solution is to best optimize your workflow so that you reduce the number and time of these mini-tasks.

A quick Google search will reveal thousands of articles on this topic. Although many of them have the same suggestions. However this particular article has some unique points and is well worth a read. One that I find really useful, and I didn’t know until I saw it here, is to use the Copy as Path option.

In Windows, to copy the path of a folder (such as M:\Important Stuff\Firm Holiday Schedule.docx), hold down the Shift key and right-click the file or folder that you want and select Copy as path. The path will be copied to your Clipboard, and you can then paste it where you need to. This tip can also come in handy when you’re attaching files to emails or filling in dialog boxes.

Another is to use MS Office’s built in PDF functionality. I’ve used this for a long time and I prefer it to using Acrobat Pro’s PDF printer or even other many of the third-party utilities. The Save As PDF feature is much less prone to crashes and faster than the apps out there. Plus it’s already built in to the app so there’s no additional IT cost.

We’re always going to be juggling tasks in an effort to get through the day. It’s a part of our job, but it’s something we need to master. By taking every available shortcut we can maximize our own productivity and take back our minutes.

Source: 9 time-saving tech tips for the busy CPA

How to debug Excel spreadsheets

Nearly 88% of spreadsheets have errors. This statistic was compiled by Ray Panko, a professor at the University of Hawaii,  after a study of 113 spreadsheets. I’ve easily worked with thousands of spreadsheets, but in my own experience I do find a high rate of errors. Of course, no one is perfect. But if we take some time to analyze the logic of our work papers we’ll find them to be a lot more reliable. After all the world looks to us to be accurate.

The article  offers some tips to debug a spreadsheet. But the first my favorite.

When initially opening a spreadsheet, first obtain a quick overall understanding of the spreadsheet, its parts, and the interaction between formulas and values.

Always take the time to understand what the sheet is trying to accomplish. Especially if these are your client’s workpaper’s you can see what data points interest them the most. For example I’ve seen at least 10 different ways to present real estate tax information, most are expense emphasized but some empathize total liability and even projected tax expenses. Taking the time to understand the inputs and outputs of the sheet is critical to both working with and troubleshooting a spreadsheet.

Other advice offered is a bit more mechanical including: Correcting the Syntax Errors, fixing incomplete calculation errors, and lastly a review of Excel’s built in error checking tools. The article provides some great info on these so I won’t duplicate it here.

A thorough review of our work papers is always needed. We want to be know for creating the best possible product possible. A careful and competent self review we can ensure our clients have the most accurate data they need.

 

 

Source: How to debug Excel spreadsheets

We are all Big Brother, and We are all Watching

It’s 5:15 PM and I hear that dreaded unmistakable klaxon signaling my doom. I look at the caller ID and my fear is confirmed. “Hi honey” I start to say hoping to defuse the situation but I have to speak more and tell her that I won’t home for dinner. She informs me of her disappointment, that this has happened too much this week but she says her good-byes. I try to focus on my computer, trying to recall where I was.  My manager comes by, “She’s really upset with you lately, maybe you should go home and I’ll let Brenda work on this.” I smile at her and thank her for understanding. As I’m walking to my car, wondering if I should pick up flowers, I wonder – “How did my manager know she was upset with me?”

Big data is crossing into every corner of business. Recent developments have the computer search transcripts of sales conversations, diagramming the sentences to determine a persons tone and if they were being aggressive. The implications, however, go further than sales calls. Many firms are establishing departments to monitor insider threats.  These monitor employees emails, social media and telephone communications for information leakage but also a person’s demeanor. If one is found to be too aggressive or too forthcoming they can be re-trained or terminated.

[The group monitors] for ethical and compliance violations by its employees… monitors the incoming and outgoing email traffic of particular groups or individuals. The purpose is “to understand if we have a high-risk area that we need to look into”.

These systems are also looking for patterns in other ways. For example by monitoring if certain systems are queried more often than others. This might indicate a hacker has targeted this information. The fact a query has been made is more significant than the actual query itself.

Does big data mean we should stay off of our phones? Does it mean we should avoid social media? These are questions that are difficult to answer but the most logical approach to use common sense and always follow your companies guidelines for handling information. Is this too Orwellian for you? Let me know in the comments.

Source: Big Data, Smaller Risk

Prioritize your way to victory 

Work-life balance isn’t easy to achieve. Many days we’ll leave the office felling like very little was accomplished with the “work” time and thus feel compelled to spend the “life” time  making up for the work. Time management techniques can help us better use our work day to be effective.

No matter what your role, work in accounting comes in waves. If you’re a tax professional your wave is first quarter, if your CRE counter like myself, your wave depends on your client’s cutoff, and so on. One simple step is to list out all of the tasks on your plate. This gives you a visual representation of what’s on your plate and knowing what needs to be done. is the first step to getting these things done.

Learning to do just that has helped Michael Elliott, CPA, a partner with Dittrick and Associates in the Cleveland area and a graduate of the AICPA Leadership Academy. Like Deshayes, he is married with a young child, and has another on the way. “My wife has to listen to me go home every night and say, ‘I didn’t get anything done!’” he said. “She’d say, ‘Well, did you make a list?’” Simply writing out his top priorities for the week, Elliott said, has helped him get a better handle on his work.

Through setting priorities and then focusing on tasks in order you can leave your office, or shutoff your computer knowing you’ve made a dent and have carried the good fight. Now let’s get stuff done.

Time management tips for CPAs via AICPA

The old Circuit City become possessed.  

You see it every day on your way to work. That vacant storefront. What used to be your favorite CircuitCity is now just an eyesore. Only today as you drive past something catch’s your eye. A bright banner fluttering against the facade. The store has been given a new purpose, albeit a temporary one, selling Halloween costumes.

in the spirit of Halloween, Spirit Halloween stores take a temporary hold of vacant storefronts to satisfy the most temporary of market demands. Their orginzation ramps up from a few hundred to over 20,000 in just a few months. Coordinating these efforts requires a whole year of planning.

Employees scout for locations throughout the year…Merchandise starts rolling into Spirit Halloween’s warehouses in May. By the summer, sites have been chosen, and by mid-August, the stores are prepped to receive the goods. Trucks start arriving, and the locations go from bare walls and floors to racks and shelves bursting with costumes, accessories, props and home decor.

These temporary stores are huge money makers. Operating them is akin to a military operation. And this is a boutique as boutique CRE can get. Will these ad-hoc stores be the future of brick and mortar retail?

Source: Real estate zombies: shuttered stores return to life for Halloween – The Boston Globe

With Great Performance Brings Great Productivity (or at Least Could)

Computer running slow? Well there are thousands if not millions of articles that offer advice on how to fix that. However they generally boil down to the same three or four steps. They are clear temp files, empty recycling bin, add more ram, install updates and more in that same vein.

This article goes a bit further and offers some unconventional advice. Hiding unused fonts, physically cleaning the case (to help the computer run cooler) and even assigning a static IP to cut down on time waiting for the computer to find one. In one way this article can be seen as a comprehensive guide to performance tips.

Also interesting, the author offers a practical benchmark to see if your system is up to par.

To quickly test its performance, simply reboot the system and then launch Excel and a browser. If the system reboots in less than a minute and the applications launch in less than two seconds each, then your system’s performance is adequate; otherwise, perhaps you should consider implementing some of the measures outlined below to rejuvenate the computer’s performance.

High performance doesn’t guarantee productivity, however, it prevents hindrances to it. If you don’t find your system up to snuff go ahead and try some of the suggestions in this article. With your computer at full performance you’ll be equipped to deliver your best work product.

 

 

Source: Boost your computer’s performance

Are indoor mapping apps the answer?  

Imagine this. You’ve just walked into your local shopping mall when you hear that particular unmistakable jingle. As automatic as breathing your hand reaches into your bag and draws out your phone. Only it’s not a text or call your seeing, your phone is directing you down the crowded corridor. Instinctively you follow the line not sure where it’s leading, but you have no reason to fear, you’re phone has never lead you astray before. As the line ends you find yourself standing in front of a display case at Zales. Ah! You think that’s exactly what my spouse wants for our anniversary! You pull out your wallet and and get the clerk to wrap it up into a nice package, and voila anniversary gift shopping is done.

Retailers have  begun experimenting with technologies that enable shopper to find products they want using their smartphones. A variety of products exist however they all basically operate under the same concept.   By leading consumers right to the object of their desire brick and mortar stores are hoping to gain an edge over online shopping.

Two products in particular iBeacon & IndoorAtlas tackle the problem in different ways. iBeacon uses Bluetooth devices to alert the users of potential sale items and offers as they walk past the transmitter. IndoorAtlas  works more like a traditional map app such as Google Maps to navigate users to stores and even specific products within a store. One major issue, however, is that consumers will need to install these apps and then use them when they are in a shopping center. This leads to some delays in deployment as the shoppers need to participate in the roll-out of these services.

“That’s due in part to the fact that we’re trying to teach them new behaviors,” Kindred said.

Adam Silverman, an analyst at Forrester Research, said that customers who are looking for something in a store find it easier to just ask a sales associate, rather than installing an app.

“Although it makes sense on paper, the customer hasn’t been fully engaged in some of these beacon-based technologies, mainly because it doesn’t make their shopping easier, or more engaging,” Silverman said.

Once these technologies become more mainstream the uses can branch out to more than just shopping. For example these apps can give travelers directions to their gate or baggage claim in an airport, or directions to a particular suite in an office building.  Or even provide emergency evacuation instructions should an event arise.

Indoor mapping technology faces an uphill battle of user adoption. While it seems like a good idea only time will tell if it becomes a popular one. However, it gives us hope to reduce the labyrinth of today’s malls and airports to a manageable path. Can you see yourself using these apps?

Source: Can a Google Maps for indoors save shopping malls? – MarketWatch

Keep the conversation going

Can we learn anything from the recent (and not so recent) transitions of late night television hosts? In fact we can. There is a lot of insight that can be gained and added to our professional lives.

Moving on isn’t always a bad thing, in fact presenting a fresh perspective is a great way to keep an audience or client. In the article Mark Koziel gives us three points to learn from these retirements.

  • Leveraging technology
  • Supporting emerging leaders
  • Presenting a diverse and broad perspective

I particularly liked the first one.  Koziel describes how the new hosts keep their audience engaged outside of the show with social media. For example, Jimmy Fallon uses twitter to get material for the show, and when haven’t you seen a clip from some show on Facebook – linked from YouTube.

Using these technologies, late night hosts are not only engaging younger audiences, they’re keeping the conversations going beyond the timeframes of their television shows, ensuring publicity at any moment of the day.

Let’s take a moment to reflect on these lessons and find ways to keep our clients engaged in our business. Use social media to keep the conversation going between visits. Keeping us forefront in their mind, will keep steady business coming to your door.

3 Late Night Comedy Trends that Mirror the CPA Profession via AICPA Insights