Top Ten Tips for Improving Your Cash FlowWritten by Alvah Parker
Cash is king—so they say. If you work for yourself or someone else, you need to be aware of ways to improve cash flow. Budgeting and collecting are not glamorous but they are both key to having a successful business. Working in a successful business is much more fun than working for a struggling one!1. Stick to your budget. (If you don’t have one, make one now.) The budget is part of a business plan. You want to know exactly how much to spend on each large item you purchase and when you will have cash to do it. Your cash flow projection coupled with your forecast will give you proper timing for making purchases. The items you have budgeted for should also be part of business plan. 2. Bill your clients regularly. Many business owners are so busy selling to new clients that they forget to invoice clients they have already worked with. Put task of billing your clients on your calendar and then stick to that schedule. 3. Get a retainer for your services before you begin work. If you are going to be working with a client over a period of time, you will want to request some money up front before you begin to deliver service. 4. Give a discount for early payment. You will be able to collect money more quickly if you offer a discount for prompt payment. 5. Accept a credit card for payment. Although you have to pay credit card company for this service, having convenience of a credit card allows client to pay immediately. Collection is now problem of credit card company.
| | Microsoft Publisher BasicsWritten by Mart Gil Abareta
For those who still don’t know, Microsoft Publisher 2000 assists users to easily produce, modify and print materials such as flyers, catalogs, brochures, newsletters and websites. I have two tutorials in this article that can hopefully help you get started with this software and may solve some of problems that you’ll encounter when you use it as a first-timer. The first tutorial discusses about how to pack your publication to take to another computer. First, go to “File/Pack and Go/Take to Another Computer”. The Pack and Go Wizard brings you all throughout different steps of packing process. Then, click “Next” to move to following step. If you're transferring your publication on disk to another computer, click “A:” when wizard asks you to select a location where your file will be saved. Also, click “Browse", select drive and folder you want, and click “OK” if you're placing your files on a network, on an external drive, or on your computer's hard disk. Click “Next” afterwards. To insert TrueType fonts and to make links for embedded graphics, select choices you want and put in a check mark. To take out linked graphics, click to remove check mark. Click “Next” then click “Finish”. If Publisher cannot find a linked graphic while packing your publication, you can either do one of following methods: click “Retry” after you insert disk or CD-ROM having original graphic into appropriate drive, click “Skip” to leave current link and change graphic later, or click “Browse” to situate a graphic that has been moved or to select another graphic and link it. Then, insert another disk if Publisher asks you and click “OK”.
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