It’s almost a given that accounting and payroll professionals will work with software programs that are part of the Microsoft Office suite, such as Word and Excel. These programs are too many the current standard for word processing and spreadsheets. In trained hands, Microsoft Office software programs can be powerful tools for getting accounting work done.
Here are three reasons Microsoft Office mastery is key for accounting professionals.
1. Microsoft Office Has 1.2 Billion Users
Recent numbers released by Microsoft estimate that 1.2 billion devices are registered to use the Office productivity suite and that there have been 340 million downloads of Office to mobile devices. This represents an enormous level of market penetration that other accounting-related programs have not attained.
The fact that Office is so ubiquitous means it’s a crucial platform to master. Some businesses, particularly smaller ones, may only have Office on hand, and might not have the budget required to purchase or license other programs. For that reason, it’s important for students in accounting training to become comfortable working within the suite of applications included in Microsoft Office.
Real-time collaboration makes Microsoft Office a great option for teams
2. Office 365 Makes Collaboration Straightforward
If you’re used to “normal” collaboration with a productivity suite, you know it goes something like this: You edit and save a file, then send it along to a co-worker. They take a look, edit it, and then send it back. While this process can be effective, it can also be a bit time-consuming.
Students in accounting colleges or studying in accounting college programs will be delighted to know that this outmoded method of collaboration is on its way out. Not only does the cloud make sharing documents as simple as clicking a button, but live collaboration features, like the ones in Office 365, let multiple people edit a document simultaneously. No more emailing back and forth, or crowding around a single desk to talk through a problem. Through Microsoft Office, you’ll be able to collaborate and share documents with many other professionals right from the comfort of your computer.
Excel can perform complicated calculations for accounting professionals or produce attractive graphs
3. Excel’s Formula Features Help Accounting Professionals Work Efficiently
Accounting professionals who regularly work with Microsoft Office will likely spend much of their time using Excel, the spreadsheet program included in the suite. Though Excel looks like a basic spreadsheet at first glance, it includes powerful tools that allow for complicated formulas to be run within the program. With a little work, professionals with careers in accounting can use these capabilities to perform all kinds of tasks. These can include everything from completing complicated calculations to retrieving information from databases to producing attractive graphs and charts of large sets of data.
Courses on Excel offered by colleges like Academy of Learning Career College (AOLCC) help newcomers to the software quickly become masters. After completing a computerized accounting or payroll administrator diploma program, you will be ready to succeed in accounting, payroll, and bookkeeping work environments.
Contact an advisor at Academy of Learning Career College today to find out more!
