The morons in accounting

[ryan256]

So I get this call from a guy in accounting who approves our POs.

Him: I'm looking at this PO you submitted for 8 touch screens. Is this correct?

Me: Yes it is. Is there something wrong?

Him: Well yeah there's something wrong! You ordered 8 touch screens 2 months ago and now you're ordering 8 more!

Me: Thats right.

Him: Why are you ordering another 8 touch screens.

Me: Cause we had 8 more out of warranty screens fail on our customer's systems! We need more to replace them.

Him: Well I'm not approving this PO.

Me: Why not?

Him: You're spending too much money! You just can't keep ordering more screens.

Me: Ok.... let me explain something to you about contractual obligations.


Well the stubborn SOB wouldn't budge. So then I had to take time to track down his boss and give him a call. All I have to say is when my boss asks me why the customer is complaining that the systems aren't working I know who I'm gonna sic him on.

Anyone else have problems like these from the corporate bean counters?

 

[dbk]

I work in a position where I would initially deem the POs as unreasonable. Of course with the right documentation, I wouldn't question it. Lulz

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: dbk
I work in a position where I would initially deem the POs as unreasonable. Of course with the right documentation, I wouldn't question it. Lulz

Wait so you work for a repair facility and don't actually approve of people ordering parts to fix repairs that people paid money for? (through warranty contracts)

 

[spidey07]

If he's not an approver tell him to STFU and call his boss. He does not have any say in your purchase as long as it was approved by your cost center.

 

[kranky]

Originally posted by: spidey07
If he's not an approver tell him to STFU and call his boss. He does not have any say in your purchase as long as it was approved by your cost center.

Doesn't work like that where I work. Although I have never had a problem, the accounting guy can choose to veto a purchase request and insist on someone higher up approving it. That applies up to the VP level. Once a VP approves and it's within their authority limit, no more questioning.

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski

Originally posted by: dbk
I work in a position where I would initially deem the POs as unreasonable. Of course with the right documentation, I wouldn't question it. Lulz

Wait so you work for a repair facility and don't actually approve of people ordering parts to fix repairs that people paid money for? (through warranty contracts)

Well, if they keep spending money on repairs, how can there be any profit on the contract? DUH!

 

[waffleironhead]

Next time have him send you the denial via email. That way when the hammer comes down you can CYA.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: spidey07
If he's not an approver tell him to STFU and call his boss. He does not have any say in your purchase as long as it was approved by your cost center.

Doesn't work like that where I work. Although I have never had a problem, the accounting guy can choose to veto a purchase request and insist on someone higher up approving it. That applies up to the VP level. Once a VP approves and it's within their authority limit, no more questioning.

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski

Originally posted by: dbk
I work in a position where I would initially deem the POs as unreasonable. Of course with the right documentation, I wouldn't question it. Lulz

Wait so you work for a repair facility and don't actually approve of people ordering parts to fix repairs that people paid money for? (through warranty contracts)

Well, if they keep spending money on repairs, how can there be any profit on the contract? DUH!

I would still talk to accounting guys boss and put him in his place if he is not doing his job, which is to simply process the paper I give him and nothing more.

 

[Drakkon]

I'd be wondering why you are ordering more of screens that fail in 2 months...

 

[Nik]

Originally posted by: Drakkon
I'd be wondering why you are ordering more of screens that fail in 2 months...

Let's say you have 100 screens all purchased at once. Years later, 8 of them fail and are replaced. In 2 months, another 8 fail, but not the same 8.

Could be a possibility, hmm?

 

[ryan256]

Originally posted by: Drakkon
I'd be wondering why you are ordering more of screens that fail in 2 months...

We have close to 2000 systems we support. Of those 2000 8 screens failing is less than a 1% failure rate. The other side of it is these things are old! (> 3 years) which is why they are out of warranty. Old electronics stop working eventually.

 

[shortylickens]

At my last job we had an established process for replacing broken customer stuff still in warranty. And it didnt require special purchase orders.

Doesnt matter now. When I get done with school I'll be an accountant and know what its like on both sides.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: spidey07
If he's not an approver tell him to STFU and call his boss. He does not have any say in your purchase as long as it was approved by your cost center.

Doesn't work like that where I work. Although I have never had a problem, the accounting guy can choose to veto a purchase request and insist on someone higher up approving it. That applies up to the VP level. Once a VP approves and it's within their authority limit, no more questioning.

I would still talk to accounting guys boss and put him in his place if he is not doing his job, which is to simply process the paper I give him and nothing more.

Apparently that's not the case everywhere.

 

[mugs]

.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: kranky

Originally posted by: spidey07
If he's not an approver tell him to STFU and call his boss. He does not have any say in your purchase as long as it was approved by your cost center.

Doesn't work like that where I work. Although I have never had a problem, the accounting guy can choose to veto a purchase request and insist on someone higher up approving it. That applies up to the VP level. Once a VP approves and it's within their authority limit, no more questioning.

Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski

Originally posted by: dbk
I work in a position where I would initially deem the POs as unreasonable. Of course with the right documentation, I wouldn't question it. Lulz

Wait so you work for a repair facility and don't actually approve of people ordering parts to fix repairs that people paid money for? (through warranty contracts)

Well, if they keep spending money on repairs, how can there be any profit on the contract? DUH!

I would still talk to accounting guys boss and put him in his place if he is not doing his job, which is to simply process the paper I give him and nothing more.

I'm sure his job is more that just "processing the paper I give him and nothing more"

 

[KeithTalent]

I don't really see a problem. He's probably just doing his job and covering his ass so his boss doesn't get on him later.

KT

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: ryan256
So I get this call from a guy in accounting who approves our POs.

Him: I'm looking at this PO you submitted for 8 touch screens. Is this correct?

Me: Yes it is. Is there something wrong?

Him: Well yeah there's something wrong! You ordered 8 touch screens 2 months ago and now you're ordering 8 more!

Me: Thats right.

Him: Why are you ordering another 8 touch screens.

Me: Cause we had 8 more out of warranty screens fail on our customer's systems! We need more to replace them.

Him: Well I'm not approving this PO.

Me: Why not?

Him: You're spending too much money! You just can't keep ordering more screens.

Me: Ok.... let me explain something to you about contractual obligations.


Well the stubborn SOB wouldn't budge. So then I had to take time to track down his boss and give him a call. All I have to say is when my boss asks me why the customer is complaining that the systems aren't working I know who I'm gonna sic him on.

Anyone else have problems like these from the corporate bean counters?

That's not accounting, that's corporate procurement. And yes they are a pain in the ass across most companies that actually have a full on corporate procurement process.

He's not counting beans either, and most likely is a HS grad.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: ryan256
So I get this call from a guy in accounting who approves our POs.

Him: I'm looking at this PO you submitted for 8 touch screens. Is this correct?

Me: Yes it is. Is there something wrong?

Him: Well yeah there's something wrong! You ordered 8 touch screens 2 months ago and now you're ordering 8 more!

Me: Thats right.

Him: Why are you ordering another 8 touch screens.

Me: Cause we had 8 more out of warranty screens fail on our customer's systems! We need more to replace them.

Him: Well I'm not approving this PO.

Me: Why not?

Him: You're spending too much money! You just can't keep ordering more screens.

Me: Ok.... let me explain something to you about contractual obligations.


Well the stubborn SOB wouldn't budge. So then I had to take time to track down his boss and give him a call. All I have to say is when my boss asks me why the customer is complaining that the systems aren't working I know who I'm gonna sic him on.

Anyone else have problems like these from the corporate bean counters?

Sounds like you work for a company with a very counter productive culture. I wouldn't blame it on this guy, I'd guess that entire departments within your organization are at war with each other. I wouldn't want to work there.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

I'm sure his job is more that just "processing the paper I give him and nothing more"

If so he is acting as a purchasing agent. I didn't get that from the OP. I've dealt with them before too and they do have approval/denial power. And in that case you still go over them if they are impeding your progress.