Quality Information

Elaine Harrison

Management Accountant

 

Profile
 Martin
 Elaine
 Publications
 

Quality Information

The Shambles

Old Highway

Colwyn Bay

Conwy

North Wales

LL28 5UY

Tel:   01492 530555

e mail
 martin@qualinfo.co.uk
 elaine@qualityinformation.co.uk

 

 

 

 

 Elaine Harrison is a management consultant and management accountant who specialises in interim management as Financial Controller / Company Accountant, implementation of accounting and management information systems, and general management accountancy including costings & stock control. Typical assignments are for small and medium sized organisations and include:

Implementation of accounting, management information and payroll systems, usually Sage. The first stage is to review your accounting and management information requirements. I can then assist you to computerise your accounts, including payroll and / or job costing if appropriate. Clients include various construction companies (typical turnover £2 million), professional services agencies, hotels, and wholesalers. I work with you to design your coding systems and to set up the management reports, so that the system gives you the information you need to manage your business.

Part-time management accountant for small and medium organisations. I work with small and medium companies who require a director level part time financial controller, typically for 1 day per month. Clients include a building contractor (turnover £3m), a manufacturer (turnover £2m) and a firm of solicitors. I ensure that all accounting functions are correct and that the directors / partners receive pertinent management information.

General management accountancy. Typical assignments include sorting out the accounts after a fraud, reconcile stock discrepancies, setting up a fixed asset register, producing figures for a claim, or setting up the management accounts and training staff to produce them.

Activity based costing. Activity based costing is used when the company really needs to know the true costs and margins for specific product / service groups sold to specific customer sectors. The first stage is to review or determine the specific groups and sectors and then to allocate all the associated costs to them. This information is then used to decide where the most profit can be made and where to concentrate the marketing and production resources.

Interim positions in finance. These assignments are typically 2 or 3 days per week for up to 6 months. I take over the running of the accounts department on a temporary basis, usually either for maternity / sickness cover, or whilst a permanent accountant is being recruited. I can often improve systems and control, whilst removing the pressure to recruit the new person in a hurry.

Elaine Harrison MA FCMA has been an independent management accountant for over 20 years and has assisted over 100 organisations. After obtaining her degree from Cambridge University, she worked in electronic engineering before moving into management accountancy with 3M. She spent three years in cost control for construction projects with Foster Wheeler and Mobil, and three years in management consultancy with Ernst & Young. She founded Quality Information in 1987.