Customer Reviews

Treasurer's and Controller's Desk Book

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As a new controller that is basically needing to create the job as I go along, I am finding this book to be very helpful. It contains practical information that applies specificallly to the controller's position that is is difficult to find in other sources. One example of this is the information on a records retention policy. I wasn't able to find any information elsewhere. This book not only provided me with information, but also told me where to look for more information. Reading this book is like having a mentor available to me.

This book has been a significant "advisor" to me in establishing practical policies and procedures for the small corporation for which I am a CFO. I recommend this book highly to everyone working in any financial function in any size company as it will enhance your understanding of the financial processes for yourself and your colleagues. I believe that it will help the reader with better compliance in all areas that will ultimately increase shareholder value.

This books explains in detail what a controller does besides "maintains the financials" and tells people no. I used this book working with a small company. I had to invent the position on a daily basis. Very helpful were the forms and job descriptions. How to set up an accounting calendar? here is an example. What are some pitfalls of the job? risk management? more explinations. I wrote checks daily, that changed with knowledge from this book. Excellent checklist to establish outside relations, with whom and why.
As controller for a much larger company the principles remained the same. In my exp. few people really know what a controller does. The CFO (30 yrs +) didn't have a job description for me. Again the postion had to be invented and this book was invaulable. I never knew that the org chart was a controller function, after reading this book, it makes perfect sense. I would not take a controller position, in any company, without this book in my office.

I don't understand the reviewer who complained about the typewritten appearance of some forms in here. I care a lot more about thoroughness and accuracy than appearance. I used the first editions of this work with great success, so I immediately got this updated version.

This book covers e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g -- truly helpful for handling all that practical day-to-day stuff they didn't cover realistically in business school.

I am a CPA and Corporate Controller of a mid-size company and I was really disappointed with this book, I thought it would be a lot more thorough, accurate and detail oriented then it actually was. Instead, the majority of the book's illustrations seem to be over 20 years old, appear to be hand-typed, and I doubt accurate anymore in today's modern world. Some chapters consist of general remarks instead of a thourough and accurate description of the issue, background, and the solution. This book is probably helpful for a CEO or COO that would like to get an understanding of the financial environment of his company or for a new Controller that just started his career.

For a comprehensive job description of the treasurer and controller, this is a useful book. It is organized around explaining the purpose of each duty and the rationale of approaches. The reality is nobody "does" all these things. But somebody does them and the treasurer or controller is responsible.

You can forget some parts of the last chapter called, "Today's Management Tools." This was published in 2001. Many sections of that chapter are too dated. The rest of the book is still relevant, although more is being done with software and fewer labor hours than was the case in 2001.

The only way the controller has time to perform all these functions is if there is a well-trained and dedicated staff to do all the process work in the back office. This requires more scale than most people appreciate until they have enough experience. Yet even without the scale, the duties are important to understand for many types of professionals.