We are experiencing an avalanche in our financial system. Major financial institutions are failing to the shock of investors and depositors, and there is such a high level of uncertainty in the financial system that availability of credit has been shut off even to the most highly rated borrowers.

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Question of the month: How is diligent planning important for effective management?

In June, our articles covered topics like improving business ethics, learning operational assessment, creating effective management and maximizing departmental communication. All these are important ingredients for successful business management.

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Corporate scandals in recent years have lead to a flurry of changes in how we conduct business at many levels. The federal government has increased regulations for companies producing financial reports through the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), and internally many companies have increased the responsibility of the Board of Directors in overseeing the managing executives.

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Question of the Month: How do policies and procedures fulfill requirements of Sarbanes-Oxley and other financial regulations?

This month’s highlight was the release of the Finance Policies, Procedures & Forms manual. Our newest product is the result of a nearly year-long effort of intensive research, writing, editing, and reviewing. The Finance Manual was finally ready for production and shipping last week. We are very pleased with this new product, and the response from our customers, to date, has been tremendous.

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Businesses Can Quickly Create A Finance And Treasury Management System Of Internal Controls Using Easily Editable Policies, Procedures, And Forms

St. Louis, MO — March 25, 2008 — Bizmanualz, Inc., a business publications, training and consulting company based in St. Louis, MO, today announced the release of a unique new finance, treasury, and accounting resource designed for business owners, controllers, treasurers and executives interested in utilizing internal controls to improve financial operations compliance.

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Strengthen compliance, enhance performance, or speed the development of your financial procedures.

Are you still trying to build an internal control system to help you comply with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) and other financial regulations? The newest addition to the Bizmanualz Policies, Procedures & Forms product line – the Finance Policies, Procedures & Forms Manual – can provide a big boost in meeting regulatory requirements.

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You may be familiar with the COSO (Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission) framework for internal control. We have discussed it in past articles, and it has received significant attention when referenced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) as an example of an “internal control” system as required by Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) sections 302 and 404.

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In the past few weeks we have been covering important elements of finance processes, including internal control systems as prescribed by Sarbanes-Oxley, and the importance of capital planning to ensure key high level financial facets such cost of capital and return on assets have established goals and are being measured.

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With the implementation of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX), finance and accounting departments have scrambled in recent years to put in place internal control systems as required by SOX section 404. Compliance with SOX and SEC regulations are certainly good reasons for companies to create an internal control system. Small and medium size business (SMB) owners might wonder, though, how this applies to them or helps improve their business metrics. Perhaps you have a few investors or creditors and need to produce financial statements, but you don’t have to worry about complying with SEC or SOX regulations. Or do you?

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In past articles we have explored the very basic reasons why an organization needs procedures.  My belief is that, no matter how many complex explanations you give or long lists you create, it all boils down to four basic reasons: 

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