In each of the following independent cases, document the system using whatever technique(s) your instructor specifies.
a. Dreambox Creations (www.dreamboxcreations.com/) in Diamond Bar, California, partners with Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP) for its payroll processing. Dreambox employs Internet-based time tracking. Employees log in and out based on the client for whom they’re working; in that way, the company can track billable hours, which feed into the sales/collection process. (The concept of billable hours is also important in other professional organizations such as law firms and CPA firms.) Dan, in charge of operations and information technology, summarizes each employee’s hours on a biweekly basis. He transmits them to ADP electronically or via telephone; ADP then processes the payroll, including all tax withholdings and deposits. ADP also handles Dreambox’s year-end reporting via W-2 forms. Dreambox maintains a payroll account separate from its regular operating cash account for internal control purposes. ADP sends paper checks drawn on the payroll account back to Dan, who distributes them to the employees. The checks lag the pay period by one week; for example, checks for the pay period January 10 to January 21 are distributed on January 28.
b. Point your Web browser to www.sba.gov , the Web site for the Small Business Administration. The SBA is a federal organization that helps entrepreneurs start and manage businesses. Click the link for “Financing Your Business.” Browse the topics under “Financing Eligibility
Topics” as the basis for documenting the system.
c. Hiring new faculty is one of the most important human resource processes for universities. The department chair requests funding for a new full-time position and sends it to the dean, who approves or rejects the request. If approved, the department selects a faculty hiring committee. Their first task is to prepare a position description, which must be approved by the university’s human resource office. The position description is submitted by the search committee to various Web sites, professional organizations, and periodicals; candidates submit required documentation for consideration. The committee reviews the required documentation and selects a small number of candidates for phone interviews. Based on the phone interviews, a few candidates (perhaps three to five) are invited to an on-campus interview. Based on feedback from references and on-campus interviews, the hiring committee forwards names to the dean, who makes the final selection. The dean’s office sends out offer letters, which are either accepted or rejected by the applicant.
d. Geoff is a Registered Tax Preparer in the State of California. Each year, he renews his registration on the Web site of the California Tax Education Council ( www.ctec.org/ ). Geoff then makes his advertising plans for the year, which usually include direct mail flyers and classified ads in local newspapers. He also sends out appointment cards to his clients from the previous year; about 80 percent of them hire Geoff again. Clients call Geoff to make an appointment; Geoff maintains his appointment schedule in his personal digital assistant
(PDA). He uses commercial software to prepare and e-file each client’s return.
e. Corporations that want to prepare for an initial public offering (IPO) generally follow a sevenstep process for doing so. (1) Hire an investment bank. (2) Work with the investment bank to prepare an underwriting agreement—a contract that governs the IPO. (3) File a registration statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission. (4) Wait for SEC staff to verify the information in the registration statement—this step is often referred to as a “cooling off period.” (5) Issue a preliminary prospectus. (6) Conduct one or more due diligence meetings
with accountants, lawyers, and company management. (7) Issue the final prospectus.