Grace again! Today was the last day of the work experience, and it sure was a productive one! We learned more about the mathematical details of CRS, learning that they outfit about 75 countertops every day, with two slabs of granite per counter, along with 56 slabs per “container”. We also tackled some more invoices and purchasing details, making sure the paid invoice amounts were in order. I had lots of fun and learned so much!

My delicious lunch from the new Italian eatery in Brier Creek, Positalia!

A CRS truck on its way to deliver some slabs!

Just some of the paperwork we filed 🙂
P.S. if you want to read up on how granite gets from mountaintop to countertop, take a look at this informative video CRS made! We learned all about it and it’s really informative and interesting:From Mountaintop to Countertop

(that’s the name of a popular, black granite type, by the way.) 
Grace again! Today was another paperwork day, where we went further back into the records and consolodated more delivery reports and invoices of previous months. Also, Charlene described to us the process of wholesaling, where she contacts the sellers and creates a business deal solely through email, arranging shipping, order amount, and transport. We learned the process of how the granite is purchased, displayed, and sold, and even got to walk through the warehouse following customers to see the process of picking out granite!

The beautiful warehouse itself, what a nice day!

The granites are impressive and beautiful, even from an amateur perspective. Vitoria Regis (the one in green in the picture) is one of my favorites!

Hey, Grace checking in today! After being gone Friday, Khushi and I are back with some more finance work at our location for this week, CRS Granite. A family owned granite wholesaler, we toured around the warehouse before settling in, spending the day engrossed in delivery reports, reciepts, and invoices. We organized, filed, and fact checked the numbers across the company’s expenditures, getting a taste of what bookkeeping was like at a small corporation. I had tons of fun and can’t wait for tomorrow!

A sneak peek of how much paperwork we filed!

Today is our last day at SAS, and Khushi and I end our day with bittersweet emotions. We’re both really going to miss our new friends we’ve met along the way, but we had such a fun day! We started the day with a talk about SSOD, SAS Solutions on Demand, with Milinda, while we consumed donuts for Chris’s (another employee in GR&A) birthday. Afterwards, we got to listen to a weekly audio call with the financial directors from all over the world in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East, Asia), hearing the top financial correspondents from Belgium, Czech Republic, UK, and Sweden as well as David, the vice president and Chief Accounting Officer at SAS discuss their weekly agenda. Afterwards we walked a 5k, complete with food trucks and Zumba for Employee Fitness Month, and finished the day by talking about legal reporting. We both loved our experience here, and would love to be back!

-Grace

The delicious donuts. Happy Birthday, Chris!

 

The view of Dr. Goodnight’s house from the walk.

The financial directors we listened to during the conference call. Previously a director had told Lisa to put a particular issue in the ‘parking lot’, and today asked if he could drive out the ‘car’. Lisa replied with a witty, “No, because you drive on the wrong side of the road!”

The finish line of the 5k!

We opened this morning with a staff meeting of the lovely Global Research and Analysis group in the conference room, where they discussed everything from what information to disseminate to the rest of the company to deadlines regarding financial reports. The dynamic was exciting, and talk of business was lightened with inside jokes and funny visuals. At the end of the meeting, Khushi and I were incredibly surprised and humbled with a gift from the SAS group! We each received our own SAS labeled Camelbaks, as well as SAS’ signature snack, M&M’s! We then learned a bit more about SAS’ financial management software and the dimensions and functions that create reports with Kristina, and had breakfast for lunch and gelato with two other interns, Courtney and Adanna. In the afternoon, we learned about Accounting Operations and finished off the day with a bit of international tax talk.

– Grace 

Our amazing gift from our new friends at GR&A! Did you know SAS is the largest corporate consumer of M&M’s at 22 tons a year??

Khushi and I posing with our gelato.

SAS has two on-campus Starbucks, which are heavily subsidized to give employees the best deals.

Today’s meal was breakfast for lunch!

Hi, Grace checking in here! Our morning started off with a bit of capital planning and depreciation, exploring further into the details of budgeting and the new globalized system SAS has switched to. Afterwards we toured the beautiful campus with Bethany, a recruiting coordinator from Human Resources, getting to peruse the amenities and benefits that SAS is renowned for, such as an on campus pool, pharmacy, cafeterias, and even a goat-inhabited solar farm! After an amazing sushi lunch, we finished the day with lessons in management and treasury functions.

Citrus Peach juice, Red Dragon sushi roll, and a lemon, raspberry, and green tea cookie sandwich is not what you expect for a cafeteria meal costing less than $10!

Just some of the available dessert choices in Building C.

SAS’ famous C building was featured as Stark Industries in Iron Man 3!

The library in the R building is well decorated with artwork and succulents.

The view from the R building cafeteria, designed after the Tennessee Grand Ole Opry.

The amenities at SAS include pool tables overlooking a full sized basketball court.

This week another student, Khushi and I, Grace, are shadowing the Global Research and Analysis team at SAS under Lisa. This group works within the Finance branch of SAS, analyzing, collecting, and managing the ledgers and expenses SAS undergoes. We learned the ins and outs of SAS financial analysis, from the data collection systems to how to coordinate international marketing, as well as budget distribution amongst the SAS community. We even got to attend a finance department meeting!

The breakroom perks at SAS contain a generous supply of M&M’s.

The T building on SAS’ campus has a beautiful water fountain! (no sign to be found, though.)

Receiving my badge for the week in the main lobby.