[5651] in APO Printshop
Re: ordering stock for the press
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Leonard H Tower Jr.)
Sun Mar 8 19:15:56 2009
Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 19:14:57 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Leonard H Tower Jr." <tower@alum.MIT.EDU>
To: Nicole D Teague <nteague@MIT.EDU>
cc: Cat Thu Nguyen Huu <catthu@MIT.EDU>, Matthew S Goldstein <austein@MIT.EDU>,
apo-printshop-journeyman@MIT.EDU
In-Reply-To: <20090308185742.hwbv0p2h9sao0448@webmail.mit.edu>
nicole:
thanks infinitely!
$1250.54 as the current balance is good enough for me.
yiLFS -len
ps: the accounting term for this is usually "opening balance", not
"opening budget". i note you did use "current balance".
fund have balances.
projected changes (i.e. planned income and planned expense) in a
fund's balance over a period of time is a budget:
======================================================================
e.g. Spring Term 08:
starting fund balance (2/09)
+/- Spring Term 08 fund budget
= projected ending fund balance (8/09)
======================================================================
Date: Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:57:42 -0400
From: Nicole D Teague <nteague@MIT.EDU>
To: Cat Thu Nguyen Huu <catthu@MIT.EDU>
Cc: Leonard H Tower Jr. <tower@alum.MIT.EDU>,
Matthew S Goldstein <austein@MIT.EDU>, apo-printshop-journeyman@MIT.EDU
Subject: Re: ordering stock for the press
Hi everyone,
Based on old operations ledgers, control ledgers, current accounts,
ect. I have concluded that the opening budget of the press shop
fund in F02 was $1130.68 and the current balance is $1250.54. If
anyone thinks this sounds deeply flawed in some manner, please let
me know.
Nicole
Quoting Cat Thu Nguyen Huu <catthu@MIT.EDU>:
> Hi Len,
>
> To answer two questions at once, I didn't pre-order the 5 1/2 bar cream
> paneled/non-paneled announcement cards/ envelopes because I did check our
> current inventory before going to Paperworks, and it turned out that we
> still have plenty of them. We also have some of the other sized cream
> cards, but not in substantial amount, and we basically run out of white
> stock. Since all the non-announcement stock has been moved to under the
> stone desk, all the announcement stock is now on the shelves and is easy
> to quickly check, should you feel inclined to do so.
>
> I wasn't aware of the Lee size, and would also be grateful to be given a
> reminder on what it is. I'm sorry if you have mentioned this when we
> talked at the beginning of the semester, I must have forgotten about it
> when trying to remember everything from the top of my head. I was also
> aware that you want the folders, however I believe I forgot to ask you how
> many/ what sizes/ what colors you want them in, so I didn't put them in my
> original list to Paperworks.
>
> The doubling of some colors/sizes was due to my interpretation of what you
> said, which was that I should think about what and how many to order. As
> you pointed out to Matt, few press shop managers had the time to really
> get around restocking the print shop, so when someone does it's probably a
> good idea to order in large amount. I understood that you'd like the press
> shop to be restocked once a semester, and while I'm not sure whether it's
> a better approach, apparently we haven't been doing that so there's no
> reason to assume that we will do that in the future. Cost-wise, it's
> probably also a good idea since the price is likely to go up in the future
> just like everything else, and it's not like the cards will disappear if
> we don't use them before a certain time. It also optimizes other fixed
> costs such as delivery cost, which I wasn't sure whether we would need.
> Let me know if I miss something.
>
> Let me remind you that I made it very clear to Paperworks and everyone
> else that the pre-order list is subject to changes. Also, I have sent
> several inquiries to the treasurer about the structure and balance of the
> press fund before actually contacting Paperworks, but unfortunately she
> didn't reply to any of my emails. The only information that I have gotten
> from the treasurer about the press fund is when I talked to her in person
> and learned that we had no record of the balance in the recent years, and
> I accordingly raised the problem to apo-printshop. I'm grateful that you
> took the initiative and responsibility yourself in working with Nicole to
> figure this out; but if that's somehow inconvenient for you and you'd
> rather I do it, then you should first let me know and I'll be happy to
> work on it or direct someone else to work on it.
>
> I think you somehow have the impression that initiatives on things
> involving the printshop have to come from the press shop manager. To make
> it unambiguous: this is not true. While all decisions regarding the
> printshop should be made under the approval and responsibility of the
> manager, everyone is welcomed to contribute ideas and give opinions, and
> in fact that's what people have been doing. Relating this point back to
> things that we're currently dealing with: if you somehow think that it
> would save you much effort and time if you ordered and restocked the press
> shop, and would rather do it yourself, then please by all means let me
> know. It would indeed also save me a lot of time and effort.
>
> I hope that answered all your questions, in enough details and
> transparency.
>
> Cat
>
> On Mar 4, 2009, at 12:02 AM, Leonard H Tower Jr. wrote:
>
> > hi all,
> >
> > i'll cover:
> > why is Press Fund being budgeted?
> > what to order from Paperworks + why
> > yes, we can afford this
> >
> > * why is Press Fund being budgeted?
> >
> > it's been mentioned that the Press Fund had a budget of $50.00 this
> > term
> >
> > is this from the Chapter Fund or Press Fund?
> >
> > what is this money meant to be used for?
> >
> > why is the Press Fund budgeted at all?
> > (it's unusual for this kind of fund to be budgeted, in the way AX
> > does budgeting - it's a manufacturing operation from an accounting
> > prespective, and is usually handled quite differently)
> >
> > * what to order + why
> >
> > lorit told me that paperworks no longer have 500 envelopes in a box,
> > and so their websight confirms - http://www.paperworks.com/
> >
> > so all the counts should be 250/box
> >
> > the following is my understanding of what cat suggested ordering
> > (i added counts at the front,
> > fixed the typo -> "6 bar cream plain (non-paneled)")
> >
> > 250 - 4 bar white paneled cards
> > 250 - 4 bar white envelopes
> > 500 - 4 bar cream paneled cards x2
> > 500 - 4 bar cream envelopes x2
> > 500 - 5 1/2 bar white paneled cards x2
> > 500 - 5 1/2 bar white plain (non-paneled) cards x2
> > 1,000 - 5 1/2 bar white envelopes x4
> > 500 - 6 bar white paneled cards x2
> > 500 - 6 bar white plain (non-paneled) cards x2
> > 500 - 6 bar cream paneled cards x2
> > 500 - 6 bar cream plain (non-paneled) cards x2
> > 1,000 - 6 bar cream envelopes x4
> >
> > i should have asked cat for the present inventory, but i suggested
> > she do that before putting an order together, so i assume she has
> > taken the present inventory into account
> >
> > the Press Shop has for most of it's the four decades, brought the
> > inventory up @ least once each term to:
> > - 250 or each size and color of announcement card, and
> > - 500 of each size and color of announcement envelope
> >
> > cat's proposal is more generous than that, which allocates more
> > funds to the inventory
> >
> > imho, it be more useful to use those funds to also the stock the
> > "Lee" size in each color, as well as the foldovers, so reducing the
> > amounts cat suggested is a better use of the funds
> >
> > note, that jobs using this stock, seldom use more than 150-200
> > sets. so why do we need more than 250 of each kind?
> >
> > so change the amounts cat suggest to:
> >
> > 250 - 4 bar white paneled cards
> > 250 - 4 bar white envelopes
> > 250 - 4 bar cream paneled cards
> > 250 - 4 bar cream envelopes
> > 250 - 5 1/2 bar white paneled cards
> > 250 - 5 1/2 bar white plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 500 - 5 1/2 bar white envelopes x2
> > 250 - 6 bar white paneled cards
> > 250 - 6 bar white plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 250 - 6 bar cream paneled cards
> > 250 - 6 bar cream plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 500 - 6 bar cream envelopes x2
> >
> > add these missing envelopes
> >
> > 500 - 6 bar white envelopes x2
> >
> > add 5 1/2 Cream
> >
> > 250 - 5 1/2 bar cream paneled cards
> > 250 - 5 1/2 bar cream plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 500 - 5 1/2 bar cream envelopes x2
> >
> > add the Lee size
> >
> > 250 - Lee white paneled cards
> > 250 - Lee white plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 500 - Lee white envelopes x2
> > 250 - Lee cream paneled cards
> > 250 - Lee cream plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 500 - Lee cream envelopes x2
> >
> > add the Foldovers in (no more envelopes - it be rare that all three
> > style in one size and color will be used in a term)
> >
> > 250 - 4 bar white foldover paneled cards
> > 250 - 4 bar cream foldover paneled cards
> > 250 - 5 1/2 foldover bar white paneled cards
> > 250 - 5 1/2 foldover bar white plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 250 - 5 1/2 foldover bar cream paneled cards
> > 250 - 5 1/2 foldover bar cream plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 250 - 6 bar white foldover paneled cards
> > 250 - 6 bar white foldover plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 250 - 6 bar cream foldover paneled cards
> > 250 - 6 bar cream foldover plain (non-paneled) cards
> > 250 - Lee white paneled foldover cards
> > 250 - Lee white plain foldover (non-paneled) cards
> > 250 - Lee cream paneled foldover cards
> > 250 - Lee cream plain foldover (non-paneled) cards
> >
> > i couldn't find the 4 and 5 foldovers on the websight, but cat could
> > double check that Paperworks really does not carry them
> >
> > add enough of each color of Ideal Jersey round corner card stock
> > so the inventory of each color is between 3 boxes (1500) and 4 boxes
> > (2000) - Ideal Jersey Cards only come in one size
> >
> > my recommendation here is based on what's happened in the past,
> > while allowing for reasonable growth in what's printed in the Press
> > Shop as the number of jobs it does grows.
> >
> > other comments?
> >
> > * yes, AX can afford this
> >
> > ** first, keeping samples in the shop, and ordering as needed doesn't
> > work well in practice
> >
> > for training and qualifying runs, it would add too much time to
> > the run to have the trainee/qualee do it (8 to 10 hours is already
> > VERY long to learn a chapter skill), limit the design choices
> > (design is a key part of printing, and the most fun part of
> > the process for many), etc.
> >
> > it also lengthens how long it takes to get a job done between the
> > time a press op accepts an order, and the time it's delivered to
> > the client. though in theory, one can call Paperworks, and go out
> > that day, or in a few days (depending on whether they have the
> > stock in Allston, or have to order it themselves), most busy mit
> > press ops don't have the time to do this
> >
> > and if either someone doesn't go out to Allston to pick up the
> > stock, then someone has to spend a morning or afternoon waiting in
> > the APOffice for the call from the loading dock to come down and
> > get it from Paperwork's driver (and they charge added shipping in
> > this case, which the press shop has to charge the client, some
> > way). also the press shop manager and treasurer has more
> > paperwork and transactions to deal with
> >
> > which is why the Press Shop has kept a broad inventory, that
> > allows jobs to get done more quickly
> >
> > ** i spoke with Nicole last week about the Press Fund balance
> >
> > - she verified that when the switch to the gnu cash on-line system
> > was made, the press fund balance started @ $0.00 (zero ) in Fall
> > 2002
> >
> > - she said it currently showed a little over a $100.00
> > (i forgot to write that down)
> >
> > - we quickly looked through the safe and found the journal that
> > showed the Press Fund had a balance of $1000.96 on 30 june 2001.
> > (this is what i remembered it having about that time)
> >
> > i need to do a number of things before nicole can reset the
> > balance, but it appears we have around $1,100.00 in the Press
> > Fund
> >
> > these include: looking for the treasury records between 30 june
> > 2001 and Fall 2002. checking against the records the Press
> > Shop have. looking over all transactions for the Press Fund in
> > the gnucash system since it started
> >
> > this currently has priority behind train/qual runs, the small
> > press cart, and answering cat's and press ops questions
> >
> > ** even if the Press Fund doesn't have the money, the Chapter Fund
> > can in effect lend the Press Fund the money
> >
> > the Press Shop inventory has value, and is sold, and the cash
> > comes back
> >
> > it's not like, e.g., food for a meeting, that is brought and gone
> > forever
> >
> > cat: so i suggest you go ahead and order what the Press Shop needs
> >
> > yiLFS -len
>
>
