[thechapman]

This isn’t related to eating time because a budget is too tight. Is anyone ever tempted to eat some time just because things simply took you too long? I’m a first year associate, and I’ve been considering eating time just because of the steep learning curve in public accounting. It seems like it takes me a little longer than I think it should to get certain things done, especially if it’s the first time I’ve been assigned to a certain task (which is the case 99% of the time). If you have experience as a senior or above, what are your thoughts on this? I’d appreciate any insight.

Passed - 2014

[Tripp11]

Public accounting is more than just YOU looking good. It's a team environment, and if you're not recording your time honestly, the entire team struggles.

Anyone who eats time is only doing it selfishly to look good.

How is an engagement partner supposed to accurately bid out an audit engagement if a staff member has been eating hour after hour? Actual time must be used when doing the work so the engagement partner can determine next year's fee, and the manager/senior can come up with a reasonable budget.

It's not up to a staff person to decide how much time should be written off by eating time. It's the engagement partner who makes that decision. Bill it all, and let those with more experience and knowledge make the write-off.

You do realize budgets are predominantly based on last year's actual time, right?

AUD - 93
BEC - 80
REG - 86
FAR - 83

[Author]

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