Question 1. Interpretation of Financial Reports (4 marks)
Using the system reports generated for your Outdoor Adventures in Assessment 1, prepare a short business report (maximum 750 words) that covers the following:
- What advice can you provide Andrew and Stephanie on how their business has performed for the month of March 2018, with particular focus on the profitability of the business, including segment profitability?
- Provide your client with five (5) recommendations, including specific actions, to improve the profitability and efficiency of the business.
Question 2. Systems Documentation (8 marks)
Strings Pty Ltd (Strings) is a medium sized, privately owned Australian manufacturing business. They are the key supplier of musical instruments and their parts to retailers across Australia. As they grow, Strings have hired you to review their revenue cycle in an endeavour to improve efficiencies in this area. To make any recommendations, you must first understand the current process being undertaken within the cycle. A transcript of your interview with the CFO, Olivia Johns is provided in Interact Resources.
Task requirements:
Using the interview transcript and an applicable system tool, create a Level 0 logical data flow diagram to document the existing system for the accounts receivable process.
A system tool includes software such as Word, Excel, Smartdraw or Edraw. There are many tools that are available to trial for free on the internet.
Rationale
This assessment task has been designed to develop your ability to interpret and evaluate the concepts covered in Topic 2. More specifically, it seeks to assess your progress towards the learning outcome:
• be able to analyse and evaluate business processes and model them using systems documentation.
Marking criteria
Criteria
| HD | DI | CR | PS |
| Analyse the profitability and performance of the organisation and provide appropriate recommendations, employing academic writing skills. | Relevant and detailed analysis of the processes and profitability of the business, and by business segment. Identification of 5 key recommendations and provision of explicit actions to improve profitability and efficiency. Accurate use of syntax, spelling and punctuation; succinct and effective use of accounting terminology. Correct report format used. APA referencing is correct and consistently applied. | Relevant analysis of the processes and profitability of the business, and by business segment. Identification of 5 key recommendations and provision of appropriate actions to improve profitability and efficiency. Accurate use of syntax, spelling and punctuation; succinct and effective use of accounting terminology. Correct report format used. APA referencing is correct and consistently applied. | Analysis of the profitability of the business, including discussion of their business segments. Identification of 5 relevant recommendations and provision of actions to improve profitability. Mostly accurate spelling and punctuation. Correct report format used. APA referencing is mostly correctly and consistently applied. | Analysis of business profitability and identification of their business segments. Identification of 5 recommendations and basic actions to improve profitability. Some spelling and grammar errors. Report format used with some errors or omissions. APA referencing is used with minor errors. |
| Model business processes using systems documentation. | Appropriate selection and exemplary use of a system tool in the creation of a detailed model of the business processes from the information provided, with consistent application of correct symbols. Uses narrative provided to accurately document the existing system. | Appropriate selection and detailed use of a system tool in the creation of a detailed model of the business processes from the information provided, with a consistent application of correct symbols. Uses narrative provided to document the system. | Appropriate selection and use of a system tool to create a sound model of the business processes, with a few minor errors. Uses most of the narrative provided to document the system. | Selects an appropriate system tool and uses it to capture most of the selected business processes. Some information is either omitted or the model is partially drawn at the incorrect level and lacks some clarity.
|
Presentation
Part A
Your business report should include:
- a cover page addressed to your required audience;
- an executive summary (refer to the note below regarding an executive summary);
- a table of contents (linked to the headings in the report);
- headings and sub headings clearly identifying what is being discussed;
- a conclusion; and
- referencing (using APA style).
Resources to assist you with writing a Business Report are available in Interact under Assessment Resources.
Note: an Executive Summary is not an introduction. An Executive Summary should be an overview of an entire report, including recommendations, and no longer than one (1) page in length. This may be the only page read by busy managers.
Writing in a clear and concise manner is an important skill. You will be penalised where you have exceeded the given word count for your assignment. Your word count for this assessment does not include your cover page, executive summary, table of contents, referencing and any tables of figures.
Part B
Your level 0 data flow diagram (DFD) needs to be prepared using a systems tool. This is a completely separate question to Part A. Whilst both parts should be submitted in the same word document, you should insert a new cover page for the DFD you are preparing for Strings.
Note, no advice is required for this client. You have only been requested to prepare the systems documentation.
Requirements
APA must be used to reference all sources you have used for your assignment.
The CSU Library site provides an on-line guide to APA style referencing. This is the referencing style adopted by the School of Accounting and Finance. The guide can be found at: https://apps.csu.edu.au/reftool/.
Review the rules regarding plagiarism and if you are not sure contact your lecturer or student learning skills advisor for advice. There is no excuse for presenting the work of others as your own; this includes cutting and pasting material from the web without properly referencing the source.
Your assignment must be submitted viaTurnitin in word format only (not in pdf). As a CSU student you are entitled to a free copy of Microsoft Office 2013 Suite. Details to find out further information can be found below under 'Online Submission'.
Any difficulties in submitting your assignments online electronically usingTurnitin should be immediately reported by email. Include your name and student number in the header or footer of all documents submitted. Retain a copy of your assignment for your records.