[jeff]

Guess I’ll kick it off!

Scheduled to take BEC on 4/19. It’s my last test so I’m putting as much study time in as I can. If I pass I get promoted, if I don’t pass I don’t get promoted, so the pressure is on!!

Good luck to everyone taking BEC this quarter!

Jeff Elliott, CPA (KS) | Another71 | NINJA CPA | NINJA CMA | NINJA CPE

[Anonymous]

I know. Its all starting to come together this IT thing! I encourage you to google some of the concepts. Some else mentioned this and I've been doing it and the pictures really say 1,000 words. If I knew the first thing about how to put a picture on here I'd upload the picture of a firewall… its so basic its almost comical.

[Anonymous]

Kode Co. manufactures a major product that gives rise to a by-product called May. May’s only separable cost is a $1 selling cost when a unit is sold for $4. Kode accounts for May’s sales by deducting the $3 net amount from the cost of goods sold of the major product. There are no inventories. If Kode were to change its method of accounting for May from a by-product to a joint product, what would be the effect on Kode’s overall gross margin?

a. No effect.

b. Gross margin increases by $1 for each unit of May sold.

c. Gross margin increases by $3 for each unit of May sold.

d. Gross margin increases by $4 for each unit of May sold.

[MintsRGood]

Here's why it pays to hang on to your crap from college/grad school until AFTER you pass this exam: After having a temper tantrum yesterday about capital budgeting I became convinced I needed to purchase extra materials. My husband suggested that before busting out my credit card that I look through my MAC program materials and see if there was anything helpful. At first I accused him of being cheap, he is an engineer after all ;), but when I really thought about it there have been NO changes in NPV/IRR/ARR/Payback in the last decade or two, so why not take a look? Sure enough, I found a course pack and handouts from an intermediate accounting course with tons of samples and notes on NPV, Payback, ARR, & IRR which match up with the Wiley 2013 textbook!!!! Score!!!!!! My husband was excited for “free materials”…until I reminded him that the “free materials” came with the purchase of an $1,800 grad school course! 😉

Keep up the good work everyone!!!!!!!! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Anonymous]

Mints- I like your style. I did the same thing for FAR. I had my Intermediate and Advanced books and notes to supplement my other material. Thankfully I'm still a senior in college so it wasn't out of date.

Calling all IT experts out there! Okay so this is really dumb and basic but the difference between hardware and software. I always thought hardware was like your actual computer and software was like your actual programs. This particular question has me questioning that rationale as it relates to hardware:

Which of the following statements is correct concerning the security of messages in an EDI System?

Encryption performed by physically secure hardware devices is more secure than encryption performed by software.

Yeah I know that because I remember reading it and I got the question right, but I don't understand how hardware (i.e., a piece of computer equipment) encrypts something differently than software?

[Anonymous]

Oh and Mints, if you ever need some very dumbed down explanations of any capital budgeting or formula.. just google it and select the “Investopia” explanations because they make it very simple to understand and connect the dots.

[Anonymous]

@bcjasper – Every Time you pause to get the method to their madness you waste time otherwise used on doing more MCQs. You need a 75, not mastery knowledge, which these outlines will never ever give you anyway. Its like saying I passed reg so now I can go out there and do a like-kind exchange. Your answer is below: Now honestly did it make your life better 🙂 srry – im having one of those days too buddy…

Hardware based Mechanisms for Protecting Data [edit]

Software based security solutions encrypt the data to prevent data from being stolen. However, a malicious program or a hacker may corrupt the data in order to make it unrecoverable, making the system unusable. Hardware-based security solutions can prevent read and write access to data and hence offers very strong protection against tampering and unauthorized access.

Hardware based or assisted computer security offers an alternative to software-only computer security. Security tokens such as those using PKCS#11 may be more secure due to the physical access required in order to be compromised. Access is enabled only when the token is connected and correct PIN is entered (see two factor authentication). However, dongles can be used by anyone who can gain physical access to it. Newer technologies in hardware based security solves this problem offering fool proof security for data.

[k1zuna]

Just a tip for you guys who are confused about variances:

material price variance is always based on purchased number of DMs.

quantity variance is always based on DMs used in production.

Oh and becker's textbook is wrong for PV annuity calculation (their PEMDAS is completely off).

please see the correct formulas here:

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/03/101503.asp

FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed
BEC - Passed
REG - 8/22/2013

[Anonymous]

I don't even remember what chapter it was in that they explained PV annuity's but I had a question about the actual calculator we use for the test. I know the equation but how do you use the ^function on the simple calculator they give you?

[k1zuna]

just keep typing 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1 x 1.1… lol

FAR - Passed
AUD - Passed
BEC - Passed
REG - 8/22/2013

[Anonymous]

k1zuna: were you talking about the discussion of PV on B6-56 when it gives you that formula for finding the PV of an annuity?

[MintsRGood]

Is anyone using Yaeger cram for BEC? I noticed there is a 20% off for cram on the main page and considering it's only $180 with discount I thought I would ask you guys for feedback! Any input would be greatly appreciated! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Anonymous]

Mints- Can't help you on the cram.. but I am seeking any ones assistance in some additional information or guidance on the B6 Financial Decisions module in Becker. The material in the book is very brief and the questions in the passmaster aren't covered in the material. Some are very easy but others are a bit more tricky.

Made it through round two in MCQ's… average score around 95%! Considering where I was a week ago I am pleased with my progress. I did end up scheduling my test for next week instead of doing it on the 28h as I thought it would be better to take it before I move. Lets hope that Becker alone will be enough to prepare me for this beast!

[Anonymous]

Mints,

I've used Yaeger crams in the past and they're legit. For BEC, I decided against the Cram and am just rewatching the important lectures at 1.5-2x speed. Good luck!

[MintsRGood]

Thank you Casey, I appreciate the feedback! Do you think it's too late to implement it if I'm testing on 5/31? Personally, I don't see the harm in picking it up and diving head first into tonight considering I already have the 2013 Wiley Textbook which Yaeger states that you need to use the cram! I am thinking about using the cram to cover the last 3 Wiley modules I have left and circling back for weaker sections that I've already completed Wiley modules on as time permits. Worst case scenario is that I don't see 75 or better on 5/31 and retest 7/1 with the benefits from a month's use of the Yaeger materials, right? Thanks again buddy!!! 🙂

@bcjasper09, you moved up your test date!!!! Good for you, I hope you kill it next week! 🙂

REG: 75 DONE 🙂
AUD: 61, 71, 68, 92 DONE 🙂
BEC: 76 DONE 🙂
FAR: 72, 74, 79 DONE 🙂
Licensed Michigan CPA 🙂
-Some people dream of success...others wake up and work hard for it!!!
-The cowards never start and the weak die along the way!
-You better work, b***h!
-Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly.-JFK

[Anonymous]

Just dive right in. With two weeks to go, you'll easily be able to get through it and you should have time to rewatch the lectures that you're struggling with.

[Author]

Replies