TGIF

Bryan: We’re budgeting for this twice next year. We should only be budgeting for it once.

SVP: What do you mean?

Bryan: In 2007 we only budgeted for it once, which is accurate. In the 2008 budget we have it listed twice, one for project xxa and one for project xxb.

SVP: I’m not understanding....

Bryan: Ok. We should only be budgeting for it once. Like…one time. When I look at the budget, I see that xxa is budgeting for it, and xxb is budgeting for it. Two projects are budgeting for exactly the same thing, which isn’t necessary. It looks like we’re intending to spend twice as much on it as we’re actually going to. We should remove it from xxb and just keep it on xxa.

(VP comes into SVP’s office)

SVP to VP: Do you understand this?

VP: What?

Bryan: SVP is budgeting for the same item twice. I see it as a 2008 budget request for two different projects. It should only be on one project.

VP: ....uh huh...

Bryan:…….

Bryan: We’re budgeting for 200% of the actual cost.

VP: What d'ya mean?

Bryan:….

Bryan to VP and SVP: Ok. Say I owe you $100. And to make sure I remember I’m going to include it in my budget for next month. However, instead of just creating one item that says “Pay VP $100”, I create two items which say “Pay VP $100”. Instead of it looking like I owe you $100, it now looks like I owe you $200. But I don’t owe you $200. I only owe you $100. So, to make sure that I’m portraying my expenses as accurately as possible so that I can budget as accurately as possible, I need to remove one of those items which say “Pay VP $100”, so that instead of it looking like I owe you $200 on my books, it looks like I only owe you $100….which is accurate. That’s what’s happening here. It looks like we’re going to be paying more to this vendor next year because we have this item listed twice in error. You get me?

SVP: ……. …….. (blank stare)

VP:……………… (blank stare)

Bryan:……………..

Bryan: .....have a good weekend….

(Bryan leaves office, grabs his crap, and heads to the elevator)