How important is a number pad or 10 key for an accounting student?
Just wondering, I am considering buying a laptop with a number pad or a laptop without a number pad. Just wanted to know if a number pad is very useful in accounting and banking or is it just more copy and pasting shortcuts?
Thank you!
Will you be majoring in accounting? If so, I am just wrapping up my BS in accounting and only used my laptop for a basic Excel/PowerPoint/Word/Access class. I never needed a keypad.
Yes, I currently am an accounting major however, I am only at community college and so far most of my accounting work is not done in excel. Do you think if I got a macbook i would have any problems as an accounting major with it? If I had office for mac on it and partitioned the hard drive to have windows 7 on it if I really needed it?
Thank you.
I would not worry about it. Every college has a computer lab, so even if you get a Macbook and then need Excel every day, it should not be a problem.
I have a Macbook Pro and only needed Windows once for an AIS class. I used my parent's PC, but several kids just used one in the computer lab.
You're not gonna be using that laptop for work, so it doesn't matter anyway.
The Big 4s will give you an external one.
I don't work in accounting, but if I didn't have a 10 key I would blow myself up.
currently on an internship at a big 4; you definitely need one if you are working, but I am not quite sure about how much data entry you do in class
Speaking of interning at a big 4, what does a firm like that usually look for when giving somebody an intern position?
Buy a laptop with a number pad and start using it during your studies/calculating something. If you learn to use the number pad, you will be muck quicker when entering data containing numbers - the pad allows you typing in numbers without looking at the keyboard at all. Very helpful for any job in accounting or finance. It's just inefficient and looks unprofessional when using the "normal numbers" instead of the pad.
Yes, it's pretty easy to learn, but it's efficient as well. Routine/repetition during private use of your laptop/PC is the easiest way to adopt something w/o any pressure - w/o routine you won't start using the number pad at all but will always start your old routine via normal numbers. If you have to type in a lot of numbers, it's just not efficient/professional to use the normal numbers.
You are right, it's not a key issue. But it looks somewhat ridiculous if someone is using shortcuts to navigate through Excel/not using the mouse but doesn't use the num pad.
btw: External keypad with num pad is a very good idea!
If you want to get a head start, you could try to use a numeric keypad as much as possible because learning how to use one without having to look at it is a pretty good skill to have anymore, and the more you do it the faster you get. That being said, I would advise NOT to get a laptop with one because it will probably be a heavier laptop and you don't really want that in school. As stated before, any accounting firm will provide you with an external numeric keypad when you're working for them because their laptops will not have one either. Just buy one on Amazon or eBay if you want it; they are probably $5.
My main desktop computer at home is a brand new lenovo win7. I was just asking because I wanted a mac but I thought it might be a problem that I do not have a numberpad. I use the number pad all the time on my desktop!
You can just spend 10 bucks and buy a basic USB keyboard with the number pad, or go a little farther and get a bluetooth. Even getting a lappy with a 10 key, they usually have to cram the enter button in or whatever, so buying a full size extra is definately worth it. However, I'm talking for personal use. I always did my work on the campus computers, and any job will provide you with a desktop obviously. It wasn't the keyboards that got me to do all that work outside of home though, its the dual monitors. Ain't nobody got time to excel without a second display!
Also something to note, Excel for Mac blows, almost as much as Numbers does. So if you got a mac of any sort, bootcamp windows on there specifically for excel, you won't regret it. And make sure your F2 and F4 buttons work.
Thats what I figured I would do, partition the HD. I can get a used MBP for around $750 4gb ram 750hd or a new lenovo thinkpad edge 6gb ram 500gb hd win7 for $725. Which should I go with?
hmm i'm not sure, but I go to Northeastern University and the Boston offices recruit there. If anything, Big 4 from the NY office would recruit there(or NJ not sure how that is tho).
I was wondering the same thing as well, would the 10 numeric keypad in a laptop useful for S&T? Since I'm planning to get a laptop mainly for Trading.
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