Completely at a standstill - The Book-keepers Forum (UK)

Ammers · Veteran Member

Completely at a standstill

PhilMcTankup · Senior Member

Hello Anne-Marie,

You sound to have done well so far, even preparing for ICB L4, I am impressed!

I know what you mean about L3, dry stuff isn't it? I've done a few posts elsewhere in last few days all about exams as I'm in the thick of them too, don't know if you've seen them, have a look in recent posts if not. I won't repeat it all now but salient points:
- focus your study (syllabus, past papers, mock exam), I'm sure IS are excellent but can take a long time to do course and makes it seem harder than it is?
- get hold of a text book or two (library, 2nd hand to cut cost?) do focused study and take mock exam (only £10) then give yourself an aggressive target by booking the real exam a few weeks or so ahead with P/Vue (you can cancel/defer up to 2 days before exam date) wink

Mix it up, easy to get bogged down in study. Yesterday was an awful cold wet day and I did nothing but study and take (pass smile

) L3 mock exam yesterday. Is nice+sunny today so I'm heading out to shop, walk in the beautiful Yorkshire Dales scenery where I live, etc before turning attention back to my books for final push for exam on monday.

Venting your feelings is good, everybody needs help at some time and a problem shared is a problem halved...

Phil

PhilMcTankup · Senior Member

ps If you're stuck on any particular part of L3 study, I might be able to offer solution or advice, post or email

remington · Veteran Member

Hi Anne-Marie

I am in a similar position like yourself, I am studying Level 3 with Ideal Schools, I passed Level 1 & 2 managed a distinction in both exams, but I am finding the Level 3 a real step up, a lot more difficult, I am now on Lesson 6 but it is just not sinking in. I have submitted Assignments 4 & 5 two weeks ago, but have still not received the results, do yours get marked any quicker? How do you find the tutor support? I feel I am having to work things out myself, or refer to ICB Kaplan books. Sometimes I wonder if the extra qualifications are worth it.

Remington

Ammers · Veteran Member

Hi Remington,

To be honest I'm not overly impressed with Tutor Support... The problem I find is like you it is taking weeks to get assignments back and then when there are mistakes its harder to rectify as I am on another chapter. I could wait for the assignment to come back before progressing but then it would take me forever to finish. I am the kind of person who wants to study continuous and not have week long gaps... It is reassuring though that I am not the only one who is finder Level 2 harder..

Phil.
Thank you for your kind words.. I always like coming on here as it keeps my spirits up and there are so many lovely people to help you out.. I just think I need to re-think my study times as currently I am doing it in the evenings... this is not working though as I am always tired from the children... 2 of mine have just started school though so it will free up more time in the day for me, it might be better to study in the day time on a fresh head... I may take you up on the offer of help as there are a few specific things I can;t get my head round...
I'll dig my coursework bits out and post on here later,, hopefully you or someone else can help

AnneMarie

PhilMcTankup · Senior Member

Hi Anne-Marie,

Easy for me to go on about working quickly through exams, I only have myself to worry about, as my chidlers are grown up and gone now. I take my hat off to you.

Phil

Ammers · Veteran Member

Hi
Me again,
Things have not improved.... I submitted second assignment, it came back quite quickly but I couldn't read the tutors comments. I made some errors and on one of the questions I was asked to clarify how something would appear in the balance sheet. I did this and re-submitted, it came back and the same question had a big fat NO written next to it.... The whole answer was wrong.( not just the balance sheet part) This was not made clear to me when it was first marked....
Is it just me or am I expecting too much from the tutors.....
Its not making me want to continue to be honest and I'm thinking of changing providers. I also had to e-mail first assignement twice as the first time I e-mailed it, I waited 2 weeks for it to be marked, when I chased it, they has no explanation as to why it had not been marked yet!
I'm feeling rather shit about the whole thing to be honest, I don't understand anything i'm studying at the moment and the tutors don't seem to help.
any advice anyone?

from a very grumpy Ammers

ADAS · Guru

Hi Anne Marie,

Sorry you having a problem, personally I don't think it's too much to ask for an explanation when you're obviously struggling with something.

Why don't you post some more information to see if someone can help.

Sounds cr*p but chin up aww

-- Edited by ADAS on Wednesday 13th of October 2010 07:33:22 PM

-- Edited by ADAS on Wednesday 13th of October 2010 07:33:46 PM

attilabenko · Guru

I know it is not much of a help but at least if you work out the right answer yourself it will sink in much more than if someone just tells you the answer. I gave up on distance learning tutors long ago, studying with no provider now, the only thing I miss is actually the big no next to my work when I make a mistake. I am risking now to learn things what are not actually right but I believe they are because there is no one to tell me I was wrong.

Did you buy any books on accounting other then Ideal School's course work? If you did not, maybe you should try so you would be able to read about the things you have to study from slightly different angles, maybe it would help in understanding the subject a bit more...

Same as Tony, I know it is not much help but don't give up. We can(try) give you 'tutor support'. I don't charge for it to members like you only to those members who post an assignment as their first post, got answer and than disappear, they get an invoice from me sooner or later ;))

PS most of the tutors around should not be called tutors, they are only marking assignments.
Respect to those who are actually tutoring!

-- Edited by attilabenko on Wednesday 13th of October 2010 08:12:30 PM

Quentin Pain · Senior Member

Hi Ammers, can you post an example of a stumbling block you have?

Ammers · Veteran Member

Hi everybody, thank you for your replys.
Sorry I have not been online the last few days.... I was not ignoring you all!
Attila,
I have just brought business accounts by david cox to go through and refresh some stuff.. I think I need to re-go over everything again... well not everything, but some subjects....
I think I was just disapointed as it seemed like the tutors were just copying from a answer sheet and to be honest thats not very helpful...
ADAS and Quentin Pain
for some reason I can't get my head around control accounts... I understand the concept in principal but every question I have had has been wrong on a few points... I need a clearer understanding on it.
I have decided to change colleges and because of all the problems I have had, they have agreed to give a full refund, as long as I send the course work back. Because of that I can't post the actual questions on here. Hopefully when I start up with the new trainer these problems i am having will be resolved.
Thank you for all your help though and rest assured i will be picking all of your brains in the next few months,........
have a good weekend all.
xx

lexysmith · Member

Hi there
You are not alone! I have had a very similar experience with Ideal Schools, but with the payroll course, where they repeatedley marked stuff right when actually there was an error running through 3 assignments that caused a major problem towards the end of the course. They were no help at all, and in the end I just took the exam anyway and passed with a merit.
I had also started doing level 3 with them but had very unhelpful comments back as you describe, and very long waits for any repsonse at all. In the end I just stopped doing the course and have been studying myself - the kaplan text - Advance Bookkeeping is very good, as is Frank Wood. Both have very good sections on control accounts - it is very confusing I think, but not as confusing as the Ideal Schools assignment makes it seem! I also bought all the old papers from ICB too so by the time I sit the exam in December it should be ok. I was a bit irked that they won Course Provider of the Year because I have found their support to be very lacking and wouldn't recommend them.
Good luck with your new course provider and with level 111. Its a definite step up in terms of knowledge, but think how useful it will be!!!!
x

chellawson · Senior Member

Hi all, Looking for some advice on which ICB level to start at.

Ive done OCR bookkeeping and AAT level 2 have taken a break since passing in June this year but will doing AAT Payroll.

Im wondering which level to start the ICB at as I don't really want to back track on what Ive already covered, ive been debating what to do for ages now, any advice?

PamelaG · Member

Hi Anne-Marie,

Sounds like you are in the same boat as me studying round the kiddywinks, mine are 1 & 2 and it can be hard to motivate yourself to study after a full day with them!!

I tend to do 2 hours every other night, I put them to bed then grab a shower to wake me up!!

With regard to providers I did IAB with woodgrove, they do ICB too and found them very good, all assignments were back within 24/48 hours with a detailed email about any errors I made + model answer to refer too. I would definitely recommend them.

Michelle, I started at IAB 3 as I already had AAT 2 but that was passed in 2000 and wanted to refresh & see if I could manage the study after a break and with the kids & it was fine. I assume the ICB sylabus is similar so I would probably go for that level if they will give exemptions from 1&2 as like you say you will probably be repeating a lot otherwise?

Pamela

remington · Veteran Member

-- Edited by remington on Saturday 16th of October 2010 02:19:58 PM

ProBowlUK · Senior Member

Not sure if you've mentioned where you are stuck.

I bought some old HLC and AAT (units 1,2,3) books before I started the OU (B190) course.     It seemed easy through "level 1" and "level 2".
(I would sell them if anyone wants to pick them up - not sure how much postage would be).

Then I had problems with Adjustments and Accrual & Pre-Payments (things that go in the Extended Trial Balance).
Difficult to juggle the dates around in your head, so I would draw "time lines" to make the problem visual.

confuse

remington · Veteran Member

-- Edited by remington on Tuesday 19th of October 2010 08:01:42 AM

Robert the student · Member

fellow bookkeepers i've not long started studying bookkeeping and i am currently working on Purchase orders,id be grateful if someone could give me some advice with the following queries.

1.Shipping Terms- is this the duration of the credit agreed by the creditor
for instance 30 days in relation to this particular purchase order.
2.Shipped via- this entry i find strange,simply because the creditor may not even know themselves how they are going to deliver the goods, they could send the goods by way of post ,courier , their own truck, it would really be of little concern to me the buyer. what if i just stated in this section Your choice
3.F.O.B i have no idea what this means ,is this entry known under a different name.
4.ive read that purchase orders are legally binding however, what if i order goods on the strength of an order from a debtor who then cancels ,can i not cancel the purchase order,is there a clause i can put in the purchase order to prevent me recieving goods i no longer have a buyer for.
5. what if a creditor accepts the terms of my purchase order but then prior to delivery informs me he is unable to supply my full order or has to change agreed delivery time or day surely i could not be legally obliged to accept this new arrangement.
6.ive heard you can state Errors and ommisions accepted {E and O.A} on the purchase order,
what rights does this give the buyer regarding the terms of the purchase order
i find the earlier topics discussed on this forum most helpful,thanks to all those who took the time to post.
Robert

semsley · Guru

Don't think you'll come across many of these terms unless working with imports/exports.
1. Not sure
2. Yes it's how it's going to be delivered.
3. Stands for Free on Board
4. The whole idea of a purchase order is that you are ordering the goods. Whether or not you have a customer for them is of no concern to the supplier. Any cancellation terms would need to be agreed with the supplier.
5. Depends on the terms of the PO
6. Not many

Robert the student · Member

Thanks semsley,
Anyone else who can add to Semsley's answers,I'd appreciate.

Wella · Expert

1) Shipping terms relate to the condition under which shipping will take place, for example purchaser indemnifies the supplier against loss or damage in transit, import taxes and duties are settled by the purchaser, payment is due within XX days of delivery etc

check this link for a list of terms that can be included

http://www.exporters.sg/info/shipping_terms.asp

5) E&OA gives some protection against clerical errors on the document 2+2=5

Robert the student · Member

Thanks Wella, this info is a great help, especially as i would like to start an Import and Export business

RobH · Expert

It's actually E&OE Errors and Ommisions EXCEPTED, accepted would give a totally different meaning!

Rob

Wella · Expert

Strange how the mind autocorrects, I saw it as E&OE, even though I wrote E&OA as well

Quentin Pain · Senior Member

My first business was a courier company and FOB was something we came across all the time. It was usually specified on Bills Of Lading (BOL), paperwork that exporters and importers are required to have. There are 2 meanings. For the UK it is Free On Board. For the USA it is Freight On Board. Not sure whether they are identical in meaning though.

Free On Board (UK) means that all responsibility of the goods passes to the buyer as soon as the goods are loaded on to the ship (or plane - but we only handled 'shipping' at that time). In other words any loss, damage or associated shipping costs are entirely the buyer's responsibility as soon as the goods are 'on board'. So the seller is 'Free' of them (and probably glad for it too - woopdedoo, another sale :)

Robert the student · Member

Silly me, although thankful Rob this is the first problem ive ever had with A and E.
The less you have to deal with them the better.
Thanks for the information Quentin, I will contact you sometime next week regarding the course you are running,wish i had known earlier.
Well thats me just finished this lesson on Purchase orders, I've put together 25 pages of A4 on the subject.allowing for vat,discounts,and ive got a better idea with regards trading overseas.
Thanks again everyone
---------------------------------
Robert the student

Robert the student · Member

Hi

Robert the student · Member

Hi
Me again,getting ready to burn the midnight oil.
I was wondering if someone could Please advice me regarding Sales orders and Sales contracts
1]. When a Seller recieves a purchase order from a buyer should he
A] acknowledge that he is accepting the terms of the sale by way of email
even stating in the email that there is a couple of minor details that he is unable to meet like different delivery day and checking that the buyer is willing to accept this.
or
B] is it expected bookkeeping practice for a seller to respond to a purchase ledger
by way of a sales order,i imagine the required details in a sales order would be the same as what is stated in a purchase order.

2]with regards sales contracts are these commonly used for small businesses,is it usually for sales involving credit,should i send a sales contract at the same time as the sales order/email asking the buyer if he agrees to the terms of the sales contract or should a sales contract actually be returned to me signed prior to me agreeing to supply goods especially if credit is involved

--------------------------
Robert