- I don't know whether I want to pay the invoice from a vendor via a wire or a draft. What's the difference between a wire and a draft? What is a "wire"? What is a "draft"?
- No, I don't know the code number for paying the fee for a training course. Seeing as you work in financial services, aren't you the one with the financial services document that would have such info?
- Let's see, you're the one with the accounting degree, not me, you're the one working in the financial services office, not me. Also, I went into the field I went into because I fucking hate anything involving filling out accounting spreadsheets, get it? Seeing as the invoice can't be paid because I don't know what comes next, isn't somehow explaining things to me maybe supposed to be a part of the process? Or do you expect everybody to know all the ins and outs of engaging in international banking at our institution?
- Prof Poopiehead
O, but I will use this space to sing the praises of our departmental accountant, who has designed idiot-proof spreadsheets for us and gets us our reimbursements at the speed of light. Having been subjected to other accountants' various forms of torture, I adore her.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I married an accountant
ReplyDeleteThis is a typical phenomenon - people who think that because they know the ropes of the thing they spend 40 hours per week doing, then those "ropes" must be baseline common knowledge for everyone. It is the condescending auto mechanic or plumber, the bureaucrat, the occasional shop assistant, lawyer, doctor or other professional and yes, even the professor. Of course the prof often spends enough time teaching to have a handle on what is common knowledge and what isn't, but some aren't there yet and some never get there. Some think that some insight they got in grad school has been with them for so long they must have learned it in 7th grade.
ReplyDelete1. A draft is a check. Or "cheque" for our international friends. Another kind of draught comes out of a tap.
ReplyDeleteA wire is an all electronical transfer of funds. Like Western Union (what is this, 1880?). Or the internets.
Indeed. I had an online invoice I printed out for something I ordered online because the school refuses to keep a credit card for such transactions. I applied for reimbursement with the online copy of the bill and a copy of my credit card statement.
ReplyDeleteIt came back a month later with the request for an original copy.
At least as dean I was able to call the chief financial officer and ask her to define "original" for me, and to chew her out for taking a month and suggesting she deal with this new-fangled thing called the Internet and get us a company credit card for goodness sakes.
I did get my money a week later, but I don't suppose anything else has changed.
@Suzy, I get vicarious satisfaction whenever you wield your superdeanpowers. This ranks right up there with when you told that breast-gazing proffie "My eyes are up here."
ReplyDelete