Role of the Financial Manager
ROLE OF THE FINANCE MANAGER
According to the changing business environment the role of the financial manager has undergone a sea change.During 1980’s the finance manager had a traditional role to play ,his task was mainly confined to procuring cash,maintain accurate records ,prepare reports on the company’s current financial position and performance and manage cash to save the company from insolvency.However this role gradually transcended and has now changed into a gigantic task with the growing complexity in the business environment,globalization and also with the enlargement of the size of the business.
Today’s finance manager is well versed with the overall financial functioning of the organisation and is capable of dealing with the problems and decisions dealing with the management of the financial operations.Now he is very much involved with with the total amount of capital employed by the firm ,with the allocation of funds in various financial projects and financial activities and is less concerned with the procurement of funds and now the finance manager is more concerned if at all the funds have been properly utilised.Therefore the role of the finance manager is much exact.In order to tackle the functioning of this financial operations he has to have a broader range of skills,a strong grasp on the nature and scope of all firm and financial operations and a thorough understanding of how the firm operates in averse situations and operates in a market place.Therefore their task are more centralised on the liquidity and profitability of the firm.
Today,undoubtably the role of Financial managers have not only become exciting but also challenging,because it entails effective and quick decision making process,tact,requisite skill,intelligence and foresight in order to match the fast moving and technologically complex corporate environment.There can be problems at times where it becomes increasingly alarming for the company to function smoothly,the problems can relate to:
Selection of new proposals for capital investment,Dividend declaration,Procurment of long term and short term capital,optimal use of working capital and increase in the value of firms common stock.Therefore the role of the finance manager centres around efficient planning and control of flow of funds right from inflow to outflow of funds.The modern financial manager has very important role to -play in the effective management of the company.He has to have knowledge of financial markets and financial statements in order to take financial decisions or any corrective measures,concerning the firms operation.The financial manager is highly specialised job today ,no area of management can function smoothly unless its financial aspect is sound and effectively managed,the responsibilty totally rests with the Finance manager.Hence shows how important a Finance manager is to the organisation.
Benefits of Technology Financing
Whether you’re a CIO considering a switch from Sun to IBM or a manager debating about upgrading your entire Server platform, one thing remains the same: you’ve probably got one eye on your efficiency gain and the other eye on your budget.
Fortunately, there are several financing options available to help you break down large technology acquisitions into more affordable monthly payments.
The Equipment Leasing and Finance Association (ELFA) estimates that eight out of ten U.S. companies lease at least some equipment, but what many people don’t realize is that there are flexible financing options available for almostany kind of technology equipment, including software, services and training.
Equipment financing is a popular way to maximize your purchasing power largely because it is acost-effective way to obtain the newest equipment without a large outlay of cash.
Financing also helps shield you from the effect of equipment obsolescence, a real issue for all those using any type of technology asset. It’s easy to add the latest software version to your master lease so you don’t have to worry about working with outdated technology.
The Benefits Add Up
Some of the other recognized benefits of financing technology equipment include:
• Reduced Tax Burden – The IRS does not consider certain leases, for example, to be a purchase, but rather a tax-deductible overhead expense. Therefore, you may be able to deduct the lease payments from your corporate income.
• 100 percent financing – Some financing options require very little money down – perhaps only the first and last month’s payment are due at the time of the acquisition.
• Immediate write-off of the dollars spent – With some financing options, payments can be treated as expenses on a company income statement, so equipment does not have to be depreciated over the useful life of the equipment.
• Flexibility – As your business grows and your needs change, flexible financing options provide more opportunities for businesses to add or upgrade equipment during the lease term.
• Asset management – Financing provides the use of technology equipment for specific periods of time at fixed payments. With some financing structures, the finance company assumes and manages the obsolescence risk of equipment ownership. At the end of the finance terms, the financing company is responsible for the disposition of the asset.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to reasons to finance technology equipment. Some of the other recognized benefits of financing include:
• Upgraded technology – Equipment that is frequently updated, such as software, should be financed to limit your risk of being stuck with obsolete equipment. It’s easy to add the latest software version to your master lease, for example, so you don’t have to worry about working with outdated technology.
• Speed – Some financing options can allow you to respond quickly to new opportunities with minimal documentation and red tape. Most resellers work with a finance company that can approve applications within twp hours.
• Improved cash flow – Many finance structures can result in a lower monthly payment when compared to a standard loan. In addition, some finance companies offer seasonally adjusted payments to match a company’s needs.
• Simplicity- Financing process and documentation is straight forward and easy to understand.
Finance Services Too
Training, support and other services are vitally important to a successful technology implementation, yet they are some of the most overlooked costs involved with a technology acquisition. Because of this, Somerset Capital Group, Ltd. offers a finance program to help companies cover the cost of training and services, specifically.
Often, everything involved in a technology purchase, from the software to the services and training can be bundled into one predictable monthly lease payment, making it easy to budget for all costs associated with a technology acquisition.
With Financing, One Size Does Not Fit All
Another important benefit of financing is that there are a variety of flexible financing products available to help meet your unique business needs. Many finance options can be tailored to fit month-to-month or year-to-year cash flow needs. Custom arrangements can be designed to address requirements such as cash flow, budget, transaction structure, cyclical fluctuations, and more. Some finance options even allow the customer to miss one or more payments without penalty.
If you’re concerned about purchasing technology that could become obsolete or outdated, or if you’d like to give yourself the flexibility to respond quickly and easily to new opportunities that call for additional software, chances are there’s a financing option for you. Even if your company has cash on hand for a large technology acquisition, there may be a finance option available that would allow you to make better use of your working capital.
Like any business decision, it is important to do your research before deciding which kind of finance option makes the most sense for you.
Get Financing Today
Because financing is such an important part of helping you get the software you need to excel at your job, USXL makes a variety of flexible financing options available. The application process is fast and simple; you could qualify for financing before the end of the day.
Money News Made Easy
If you want to keep up on the latest in the world of finance there are many more options than going out each day and vigorously scouting the information and news yourself.
The major search engines each offer their own finance pages, complete with business and personal finance news, advice and contacts. You can also set up RSS feeds that deliver keyword-specific finance news straight to your email address or feed reading device each day.
Lets take a look at what one of the major search engines offers on its finance home page. Whats great about these search engine options is that, because they also offer a free profile and email service, you can set up your own personalized finance page and customize it so that the information delivered to your system each day is exactly what you want to see most.
The four major tabs on the top of this finance home page are Investing, News and Opinion, Personal Finance and My Portfolios. The home page we first land one is the Weekend Edition of the sites finance section, and it includes articles about new markets for luxury homes, the best places to retire, special travel perks available to road warriors, major art auctions and galleries and the personal wealth they can bring, and a feature story about a prime and historic piece of Hollywood property that is up for sale.
Each day this finance page will also show you the latest stock prices and the trends of the major markets. Personal finance news includes columns by experts that address subjects such as the ten highest priced U.S. housing markets, the ten best stocks to buy, and tips on taxes, bill paying and retirement planning.
When you head to the investing tab from this finance home page you can delve more deeply into the various savings resources, such as stocks, bonds, utilities, commodities, real estate, and so forth, and the best ways to save for things like college education including the industries most likely to stand the financial test of time.
From the pull down menus of the News and Opinion finance tab you can explore in more depth issues and topics such as small business help, investment ideas, and providers such as angel firms and venture capitalists.
The personal finance tab is full of advice on career and workplace issues, banking and investing options, family and home life issues such as work/ life balance and trailing spouse problems, the various training and education resources and costs, buying and making money in real estate and so forth.
When you head from the finance home page to the last tab, my portfolio, you get the opportunity to make this handy search engine feature your very own. You can indicate which stocks youd like to be daily displayed from your finance home page, which finance blogs youd like to read each day or week, and which keyword searches youd like the finance algorithms of the search engine to seek out for you. You can search on your own, download the spreadsheet of todays stock info or link to your favorite financial news items.