ACELAB

 

The Howard A. Winer Accounting Center for Electronic Learning and Business Measurement (ACELAB) is located in a newly renovated facility in the Jennison Classroom Building. The ACELAB is usually packed with undergraduate and graduate students working on fast-paced accounting tutorials or state-of-the-art software programs such as SAP or ACL. Many of Bentley’s top accounting majors work in the ACELAB, providing individual tutoring services to assist students through the sometimes challenging areas of accounting.

Objectives

The objectives of the ACELAB are:

  • To integrate technology into current and developing accounting courses
  • To form partnerships with business and not-for-profit entities who can provide software and case materials for student use
  • To help students become the "whole business person."

 

Integration of Technology

Just as a sampling of what goes on in the ACELAB, students in the introductory accounting courses get hands-on experience with commercial accounting software such as Peachtree. Establishing customers, entering sales, and recording entries allow students to understand how technology eases the flow of information up through the financial reports.

Our intermediate accounting students use electronic research software such as FARS to help develop well-thought out and documented conclusions to complex reporting issues.

Auditing classes, accessing top-end audit software, simulate data sampling and analysis on company’s records. Establishing risk parameters and interpreting the results of samples from journals recorded in leading accounting packages such as SAP are commonplace tasks in the ACELAB.

Students studying taxation utilize TurboTax, a leading software package for the preparation of a complete business or individual return. Students review planning features and compliance issues as the software guides them through the complexities of an ever-changing tax law.

Form Partnerships

Bentley has formed partnerships with software companies to enhance the learning experience of the students. Follow the links below to those business who support us.

Peachtree
TurboTax
ACL
FARS
Great Plains
Learning Insights

 

Whole Business Person

The ACELAB helps the student in becoming the "whole business person" by integrating teaching materials with other Bentley departments to improve communication skills and interdisciplinary cases so that students learn how to develop and communicate meaningful accounting information. The AICPA Vision Statement amplifies this by stating that the accountant’s role is:

  • Communicating the total picture with clarity and objectivity
  • Translating complex information into critical knowledge
  • Anticipating and creating opportunities
  • Designing pathways that transform vision into reality

The lab assistants frequently work with student groups as they put their final touches on PowerPoint presentations or Excel spreadsheets.

Facility

The newly renovated ACELAB comprises two facilities. The first is a classroom with 36 networked Pentium III computers and a dedicated Sony projector that can be used for classroom work and presentations. A high-quality, networked laser printer provides clear, distinct output for reports.

The second facility is the Breakout Room, a state-of-the-art facility that features 10 individual workstations, five group workstations with 42" Panasonic plasma display screens, and a conference room with a Mitsubishi projector.

 

Faculty Conference Hours

Many faculty members teaching the introductory and upper-level accounting courses hold their office hours in the ACELAB. The faculty are available to answer questions from students in any of the accounting sections.

 

Beta Alpha Psi

The accounting honor fraternity maintains a strong relationship with the ACELAB. Members are frequently found in the ACELAB working on projects and presentations. In addition, BAP members volunteer time to tutor the upper level course such as Taxation, Accounting Information Systems and Advanced Accounting.

 

Classroom Use

In addition to self-paced student use of tutorials and software, the ACELAB is available for classes. Faculty can demonstrate software to their class in a state-of-the-art classroom featuring projection equipment and 36 workstations and  follow-up with immediate hands-on applications. The lab assistants are available to assist the students at their own machines. With the 36 workstations plus additional lap-top ports, large classes, external groups or programs can meet in the ACELAB when scheduled in advance.