Personal Reflections Report Template: Fill & Download for Free

General ledger is one of the most asked-about features in any accounting software. Don’t believe me? My company, Software Advice, recently analyzed a random sample of consultations from the past year with buyers looking for accounts payable (AP) solutions and found that 100 percent of small businesses want general ledger in their accounting software. This is because general ledger tools help SMBs perform a number of mission-critical tasks such as:Maintaining all accounting informationManaging accounts receivable, payables, assets, equity and expenses of a companyHelping in tax preparation and bank reconciliationReporting and visualization with easy-to-use dashboardsBy automating all these essential tasks, small companies and nonprofits benefit greatly as they’re able to save time, and as we all know, time is money.It’s important to note that an accounting system can be deployed as an on-premise or cloud- based system. But you should know that cloud-based systems are gaining widespread traction owing to the low deployment cost, flexibility and fewer maintenance needs.While there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all solution, I’ll share an overview for a few cloud-based general ledger systems for all organization types. If you’d like to take a closer look at one of them, be sure to check out their profile which provides pricing information, product demos and reviews from actual users.BillQuickThis on-premise and cloud-based billing and accounting software suits businesses of all sizes. It also offers project management, time and expense, accounts payable and reporting features in its suite.Here’s what users think about the software:Pros:Invoicing: Allows generating clear and quick invoices.Automated reporting: Provides various report templates and customized reporting.Cons:Not intuitive: The solution isn’t self explanatory. One reviewer notes, “It is not very intuitive. It seems like you have to be a computer programmer to figure out the ins and outs of its functions.”Multi-factor authentication: Lacks multi-factor authentication, which as we know, can be a security concern.IntacctThis platform caters to small and mid-size businesses. Intacct’s primary features include general ledger, accounting, time and expense, revenue management and reporting.Our reviewers gave the following feedback for the software:Pros:User friendly: Looks organized and is easy to use.Customizable: Can be customized according to user requirements. As reviewed by a user, “I like the project accounting customization capabilities, highly customized permissions, and highly customized workflow settings.”Cons:Lacks flexibility in Accounts Receivable/Revenue Ledger: Talking about the inability to make changes to the accounts entered in the system, a user says, “Once a payment has been received in the system, I cannot change/add customers, locations, departments, etc.... The system also lacks flexibility related to the charting of accounts, projects, etc. These cannot be merged; they can only be inactivated.”Deltek VisionIt is an on-premise and cloud-based accounting software for professional firms. Key features of Deltek include project accounting, project management, general ledger, resource management and reporting.Let’s see what users think about Deltek:Pros:Customizability: It’s easy to customize. One of the reviewers says, “How easy it is to customize! You can add fields, grids, info centers, workflows and more. Handles multi-currencies and multi-companies.”Multiple integrations: Offers integrations with various other systems that enhance its capability. A user on Software Advice reports, “You get what you pay for in terms of functionality and integration of modules. There are multiple modules on GL, AP, HR, PM, CPM, T&E which can be acquired as needed.”Cons:Needs extensive training: Has a steep learning curve. One Software Advice user notes, “It's robust since it covers all the departments in your organization. This makes it complex and hard to learn without time spent in training.”These are just a few of the many options that are out there. If you’d like to keep exploring the market, check out Sage 100, NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics GP and AX, Cougar Mountain DENALI and SAP Business One.(Disclaimer: Please note that the pros and cons of each software product are based on the comparison of features and user reviews as posted on Software Advice and do not reflect my personal experience with or opinion of the products.)

This is the first question in PTE Academic and also the only question which is not scored. However, it may help the universities or visa officers or anyone else who you authorized to view your scores, to listen this introduction.The personal introduction is an opportunity for you to give your selected institutions some information about yourself. You will have 25 seconds to read the prompt and prepare your response, and then 30 seconds to record your response. This item is not scored, but will be sent together with your score report to the institutions selected by you. You are only able to record your answer once. Source: pearsonpte.com[1]As you have 30 seconds to record your response and you would like to give your best shot in this non-scoring question, get yourself prepared beforehand.Prepare a summary around 70–80 words, learn it, practice it and speak it out when the response starts recording.Preparation is the key to this unscored yet morale-booster question. You can either use the template below or prepare your own text before-hand. But As I mentioned, learn it and practice it.You might get an overall good score in PTE but you really don’t want to downsize your impression at any front.Many test takers, who are unprepared for this question lacks their confidence at this first step and then this regret reflects in the whole exam.Template #1 (For graduates going on study visa):Hi, my name’s Vraddhim Jain. I’m eighteen and I’m from Delhi, India. I’m in my final year of high school. I plan to study computer science in college because it’s an area I would like to work in after I graduate. One reason a school would be interested in me is that I belong to an electronics club where we build robots and remote-controlled toys. If the school I’m accepted at doesn’t have a club like this, I could start one.Template #2 (For skilled persons going to immigrate on work/PR visa):Hi, my name’s Ashish Kapoor. I’m thirty-two and currently stays in New Delhi, India. I’m working as Director in investing firm Vrash Solutions where I along with my team, assist our clients to take better financial decisions. I, along with my family, are planning to immigrate to Australia for better career prospects, lifestyle and education for our kids.Template #3 (Dependents on PR visa)Hi, my name’s Shraddha Gupta. I’m thirty-two and currently stays in New Delhi, India. I’m working as Telecom Officer in a telecom organization, Vodafone where I provide support and technical assistance to the corporate customers. I, along with my family, are planning to immigrate to Australia for better career prospects, lifestyle and education for our kids.Please note:Ensure that introduction lasts the required length of time because if it does not then either you will run out of time or you will finish too soon, and have to sit in uncomfortable silence until the recording ends.Prepare well and structure a succinct self introduction.Less Is More – keeping your words clutter-free makes you easier to understand.Describe the benefit of what you do for others to make that powerful impression. Be intriguing and not boring. For eg. in the second template - you can also start as below:I develop riches. I’m Ashish and I help people with their Investment decisions.I would strongly urge you to write better templates. if you have written a compelling introduction, please write it down in the comments below and I will include them in this answer with reference to your name to help the PTE Academic test taker community.Footnotes[1] Personal Introduction | PTE Academic

No. Chinese mothers are not superior. It's clear that the author Amy Chua has a new book out and linkbait headlines in the WSJ will help her sell them. I understand she uses the term "Chinese Mother" to represent a certain parenting style - one that I am very familiar with from personal experience.Here's my take on it. My family immigrated to the U.S. from Taiwan in the 70s. My mother was a stay at home mom raising 4 kids and was stereotypical strict. I lived in that household where getting a B on your report card was a sign of failure. A lot of focus and pressure was placed on the first child - my older sister - in the hopes that she would set an example for the rest of us. In a very painful hindsight I think you can say too much emphasis was placed on molding my sister into the example my mother wanted the rest of us to follow. I don't blame her as she did the best she could to raise us in the U.S. in the style that she was raised ...in Taiwan.There's a culture clash you can't overlook here. The "superior" Chinese mother in my life had a strictly results driven, merit based mindset and a heavy emphasis on test scores, achievements and report cards being able to show that her daughter was better than everyone else in the class -- which in turn was a reflection on her success as a parent. However, the environment in which she raised us in was a different country. One that she has honestly never gotten used to or felt comfortable in living in. To her, the idea of having her children become "Americanized" was looked down upon as failure. The idea of allowing a more flexible stance, a softer tone or an expression of individualism was out of the question. This duality of living in a very "Chinese" household and going to school where our American teachers taught us to be free thinking and creative were constantly at odds with each other growing up.Drawing from personal experience, the reason why I don't feel this works is because I've seen an outcome that Amy Chua, the author fails to address or perhaps has yet to experience.My big sister was what I used to jealously call "every Asian parent's wet dream come true" (excuse the crassness, but it really does sum up the resentment I used to feel towards her). She got straight As. Skipped 5th grade. Perfect SAT score. Varsity swim team. Student council. Advanced level piano. Harvard early admission. An international post with the Boston Consulting Group in Hong Kong before returning to the U.S. for her Harvard MBA. Six figure salary. Oracle. Peoplesoft. Got engaged to a PhD. Bought a home. Got married.Her life summed up in one paragraph above.Her death summed up in one paragraph below.Committed suicide a month after her wedding at the age of 30 after hiding her depression for 2 years. She ran a plastic tube from the tailpipe of her car into the window. Sat there and died of carbon monoxide poisoning in the garage of her new home in San Francisco. Her husband found her after coming home from work. A post-it note stuck on the dashboard as her suicide note saying sorry and that she loved everyone.Mine is an extreme example of course. But 6 years since her passing, I can tell you that the notion of the "superior Chinese mother" that my mom carried with her also died with my sister on October 28, 2004. If you were to ask my mom today if this style of parenting worked for her, she'll point to a few boxes of report cards, trophies, piano books, photo albums and Harvard degrees and gladly trade it all to have my sister back.For every success story that has resulted from the "Chinese mothers" style of parenting, there are chapters that have yet to unfold. The author can speak to her example of how it's worked for her but it'll be interesting to see how long you can keep that gig up and pass it down until something gives.As a responsibility to herself as a "superior Chinese mother", I think Amy Chua should do a bit of research outside her comfort zone and help readers understand why Asian-American females have one of the highest rates of suicide in the U.S. -- I bet many of you didn't know that. I didn't until after the fact. It'd make a good follow up book to this one she's currently profiting from.***A few years ago I got up the guts to begin sharing the story of my sister because the more I learned about depression and suicide following her death, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated with the stigma of depression in our society. I was also shocked to learn that Asian-American females had one of the highest suicide rates in the U.S.http://www.pacificcitizen.org/site/details/tabid/55/selectmoduleid/373/ArticleID/490/reftab/36/Default.aspx?title=The_Growing_Rate_of_Depression%2C_Suicide_Among_Asian_American_Students_I have personally helped 2 young women in the last few years who reached out to me as a result of sharing my story. Both the "perfect" daughters of "superior Chinese mothers" who were sharp Ivy League grads hiding their depression from their families and friends. I was also able to play a role in preventing the suicide of a friend of mine several months ago because of the awareness I've developed about depression and suicide since my sister's passing.I want to clarify again that my sister's story is an extreme example that hits home for me. I'm not trying to say that strict "Chinese mother" style parenting was solely the cause that lead to her depression and suicide nor will it result in all kids burning out later on in life.But I do hope it shows that this parenting style isn't a proven template that results in all kids turning into the success stories that author Amy Chua gives herself credit for raising.*media: please note this answer is marked "not for reproduction"UPDATE 1/9: I emailed author Amy Chuathis evening (1/9). Expressed my disappointment about the WSJ piece andpointed to this Quora thread. To my surprise I received a prompt replyfrom her that said:Dear [redacted]: Thank you for taking the time to write me, and I'mso sorry about your sister. I did not choose the title of the WSJexcerpt, and I don't believe that there is only one good way of raisingchildren. The actual book is more nuanced, and much of it is aboutmy decision to retreat from the "strict Chinese immigrant"model.Best of luck to you,Amy ChuaWell, the editor at the WSJ who made up the headline ...and her publisher must be happy at all the buzz and traffic this excerpt has gotten. Unfortunately, I think it comes at the expense of being able to get across the "nuance" she speaks of and definitely doesn't indicate that she has since retreated from the "strict Chinese immigrant" model we're all debating. Clearly it's because we're all expected to buy the book. I get it. Hit a nerve. Drive traffic to WSJ. Make her look evil. Penguin sells books. She gets a cut and gets to say she was just kidding about being a superior Chinese mother. Everyone profits there. Is that the play? Whatever.UPDATE 1/13:It appears that the author is making her rounds in the U.S. media with a softer tone and accusing WSJ of misrepresenting her. Great strategy. Looks like it's working. Meanwhile, friends in China share that the Chinese version of her book is out soon via CITIC. Chinese title reads: "Being a Mother in America" -- Again, I have to give her credit. She plays both sides well. See link below. (h/t @goldkorn via Twitter)China version. Slightly different cover art from the U.S. version if i'm not mistaken. Maybe she'll claim she had no idea about the Chinese title too. I'm sure sales will do well in China. No shortage of Chinese mothers who dream of being able to raise their child in the U.S. and see them become "successful"http://t.sina.com.cn/1788220545/5KD0tGDgSO1