Hello Finance Friends! I hope your budget submissions have wrapped up smoothly and received approval with minimal revisions.
October Habits & Learning:
October is the perfect month to cultivate new habits. This week, we delved into the 21/90 rule. (For those unfamiliar, the 21/90 rule suggests that it takes 21 days to create a habit and 90 days to establish a lifestyle.)
Inspiration of the Week:
"Not every picture is a banger," says Peter McKinnon. If you're passionate about photography and cinematography and haven't come across Peter, you're in for a treat. Based in Toronto, his video released on October 4th was a source of inspiration for many. As artists, we must remember that experimentation is key. Not every shot, or in our case, presentation or meeting, will be perfect. And that's okay. It's all part of the learning curve.
Updates from APL Innovation:
Secret project? Well, not exactly! We're buzzing with activity in the studio, gearing up to unveil something exciting for our community. Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks!
On the business front, we're in the midst of rolling out a custom solution for financial statement consolidation automation. Think along the lines of HFM or SAP BPC, but tailored for medium-sized businesses in need of a swift, effective solution. If this piques your interest, we're just an email away!
Things to Ponder:
AI, and particularly ChatGPT, is making waves on social media. While there's a lot of chatter about automation and leveraging ChatGPT for various tasks, here's our two cents: Think of ChatGPT more as an intern or an assistant. It's a tool to overcome challenges, brainstorm, and acquire new knowledge. Embrace it, but don't fear it. And before you jump on the automation bandwagon, pause and reflect. Is the task in question truly adding value, or is it just busywork? Streamlining is as crucial as innovating.
New on Our Blog - "Keep It Simple":
We're thrilled to introduce our latest blog series, "Keep It Simple." Our aim? To share bite-sized tips that can be seamlessly integrated into your daily work routine. Whether you're navigating Excel, Power BI, Office 365, Windows, Mac OS, or diving deep into Finance, we've got you covered. We're experimenting and innovating, all to deliver maximum value to you, our cherished readers. This week, we've rolled out two fresh posts:
- Mastering Dates in Power Query (for both Excel & Power BI enthusiasts)
- Top 10 Excel Formulas we believe every new team member should get acquainted with!
In Conclusion:
As we wrap up this edition, remember that growth often lies in simplicity and continuous learning. Whether it's a new habit, a photography tip, or an Excel trick, every piece of knowledge adds a layer to our expertise. We're here to journey with you, sharing insights and innovations every step of the way. Until our next update, keep experimenting, keep learning, and most importantly, keep it simple!
Thank you for reading
Alex Langlois
