It is especially important to take sound financial advice where income is received in a foreign currency, which is often the case with journals, and buying or selling currency forward should be investigated. The use of credit cards, in spite of the commission involved, enables currency problems to be circumvented for a growing number of purchases. The financial policies of the society may involve the allocation of general overheads, such as the costs of running the building, to different functions within the society. There are also specific overhead costs such as telecommunications, and postage, which are obviously applicable. However the forecasting of how much staff time publishing takes is a particular problem.
Many operations involved in publishing are labour-intensive.
An obvious example is the sending off of parcels of books. Some functions, for example marketing, may involve the employment of specialised and more expensive staff. Many learned societies have made the mistake of underpaying staff who in consequence may not always have the expertise required. A realistic assessment of staff-time involved in publishing operations should be part of financial planning. The setting of the price is one of the most important decisions to be made for any publication.