Page 132 - Budgeting for Managers

Preparing for Presentation
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Using Account Codes to Organize
Presentations
If you know that a particular project or a particular part of
your department’s work is going to be reviewed or discussed sepa-
rately, it is a good idea to put all the work of that department under
one account code, separate from other activities.That way, it’s easy to
estimate and track the work separately from the rest of the work of
your department.
ing it for the first time. In addition, consider the size of the num-
bers. For example, if a meeting is looking at whether a
project worth tens of thou-
sands of dollars is worth Bring Supporting
the cost, then details about Documents
If you want to make your presenta-
items worth under a thou-
tion short and simple, but you’re wor-
sand dollars are not going
ried that your figures will be chal-
to be very important.
lenged, then here is a good approach:
What Kinds of Things to make the presentation short and give
just an overview budget in a page or
Include
two, but bring two copies of support-
The content of your pres- ing documents—several more pages
entation should be what’s of detail and explanation.Why bring
needed to meet the goal of two copies? So that if people at the
the meeting. For example, meeting want copies, you can have
someone run photocopies while you
include budgetary assump-
begin to present the details.
tions only if this is a finan-
cial review, not if this is a
review of the business objectives of the work plan. Create a
concise, focused presentation of the materials needed to pres-
ent your case. Include only what is needed—nothing more,
nothing less.
When to Offer Ranges vs. Less Is More
If your presentation is
Solid Figures
focused and concise, you’re
As we discussed in less likely to bore, distract, or encour-
Chapters 1 and 4, a budg- age members of the audience to go
et is nothing more than a off on tangents.