Handwriting: numbers

Don't laugh at me. My boss said my handwriting is such a mess.

I am going to spend half an hour everyday to write numbers on a blank sheet. Yeah, like a three-year-old child.

I am not complaining because the time will be included in my working hours. Just feel so embarrassed & frustrated!

I need your encouragement. Thank you!

I wish you luck

Your office is obviously not anywhere near paperless. Shame on your boss for imposing such an archaic requirement.

Of all the written info I generate in my tax business, I'd say about 0.05% (.0005) originates as my handwriting. Due to arthritis, even writing a paper check is starting to get painful, but I can still type like nobody's business.

Thanks! Makes a little progress today!

Seriously? I agree with Makbo----its hard to imagine that handwritten numbers play a signficant role in a modern tax practice.

I would have expected your boss to request that anything important gets typed, But requiring you to "practice" your numbers is a little insulting. You are a tax professional. There are better uses of your time. If your boss is focused on handwritting rather than other, more important issues (like serving clients, growing the business or creating a paperless environment), maybe its time to start floating your resume? Your firm may not have much of a future.

We had a big client threaten to leave us because he was sick of hearing his bookkeeper complain about being unable to read the year end adjusting journal entries. From that point forward, we made the accountant in charge prepare all the journal entries on excel. It does look a lot more professional but that client was ticked and it would have been a big loss.

So do not under estimate messy handwriting

So do not under estimate messy handwriting.

Handwriting is a life skill. One may dismiss it as archaic and superfluous, but ignore it at your own peril.

"Oh, let me have just a little bit of peril?"

"Oh, let me have just a little bit of peril?"

Look, let me go back in there and face the peril.

Agreed.

Your office is obviously not anywhere near paperless. Shame on your boss for imposing such an archaic requirement.

Of all the written info I generate in my tax business, I'd say about 0.05% (.0005) originates as my handwriting. Due to arthritis, even writing a paper check is starting to get painful, but I can still type like nobody's business.

What firm relies on handwritten anything? I have always used computers connected to projectors or a large monitor. If there was any writing, it was chicken scratch that was for my eyes only. I think your boss needs to learn to not be a dictator but a leader, and help ADVANCE the company.

My handwriting is legible when I want it to be. If I am in a hurry, good luck reading it, including myself. It may be a life skill, but it does not play nearly the role today that it did even 20 years ago.

Trying to communicate with crappy handwriting is like trying to talk to someone with a mouthful of oatmeal. If you can't write, find a workaround and use that instead.

Funny this subject was brought up when this has been on my mind for months now.

I have a routine with new clients, get out the old pas and paper to take notes, why they left their previous preparer, what they are looking for, did they start a new business, etc.

Looking back at my notes disturbs me. My handwriting was excellent when I was in school. Now, my R’s, M’s N’s and E’s are hardly recognizable. Reminds me of The Man With Two Brains, “You cooked her 9’s!!!”

I’ve too have thought of practicing again everyday. I think there is something to be said of handwriting skills. Plus, when the new client comes in and sees me taking notes as they talk, it just seems a bit less impersonal than me turning away from them to type notes as they are speaking.

I like the idea; I’m Dave and I approve this post.