Accounting Best Practices, Fifth Edition

13–27. Create Computer-Based Training Movies

There are several major problems with any in-house training program. It must be carefully scheduled so that the maximum number of people can attend (which means that some people will not be able to attend, or at least will be seriously inconvenienced). Also, an expensive trainer and training facility must be used. Furthermore, people must travel to the training site for classes, which may entail great expense. All of these problems can be avoided through the use of computer-based training movies.

A computer-based training movie is one that replicates on-screen the actions of someone who is walking through a standard set of activities, while explaining each action through a microphone. The resulting movie will show a user exactly what is being done to process a transaction while the accompanying voice recording explains what is going on. Just as is the case with a movie that is stored on a DVD, this movie format contains on-screen buttons for rewind, pause, play, and fast forward. Each movie is easily created—just plot out the steps to be followed during the movie, practice them a few times, and then press the “record” button and start recording the movie. The audio portion of the movie can be added concurrently, or at a later time.

By storing computer-based training movies at a central intranet location, a company can make it available to all employees at all company locations. Employees can download it at their leisure and review those ...