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Writing tips newsletter Previous issues Subscribe Email:

Writing Tips for Accountants View issues

Writing Tips for Accountants : January 2012

Keep PowerPoint text brief

Nothing is worse than watching a presenter reading long sentences from a slide. So write brief, bulleted points that serve as your notes and topic guidelines for the audience.

Long sentences--wrong for slides

• Our team can do a better job supporting clients' management in policy and procedure development.
• Everyone needs to pay more attention to ensure that audits of financial statements match audits of internal controls.
• All of us must understand how to use tax-deferral strategies to reduce clients' income tax liabilities.

Brief, bulleted text

• Support policy & procedure development
• Match audits: financial statements & internal controls
• Tax-deferral to reduce income tax liabilities

Save time with explicit emails

Vague emails force readers to ask follow-up questions that could've been answered the first time around.

Vague
I need the XA Industries' Nov. and Dec. shipping invoices so I can complete my report on time, so please submit.

When do you need the invoices? When is on time?

Explicit
Please submit XA Industries' Nov. and Dec. shipping invoices by Feb. 7 so I can complete my report before the Feb. 13 deadline.

Read Jack's OfficePro column (p. 32), "Take control of email."

Don't use commas to splice

Not a sentence (comma splice)
The executive team has launched several new compliance initiatives, we need to start implementing them by Apr. 1.

Correct
The executive team has launched several new compliance initiatives that we need to start implementing by Apr. 1.

Find the grammar error!

Correct the error in the paragraph below and email us with "CPA grammar" in the subject line. See the answer in our next issue.

As the CEO of XY Partners, Laura Parker's innovative ideas have taken the firm to a new level of industry prominence. These have included the realignment of product divisions, which has helped increase market share by 25%.

Answer from last issue

After meeting for two hours, the executive team decided that offering three new concessions was not in its best interest.

Since the act of offering is singular, was (not were) is the correct verb.