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 2006 YEAR-IN-REVIEW DIGITAL EDITION
2006 has been an exciting and busy year at the Intersection of Technology and Public Accounting! From blockbuster acquisitions to innovative new products and services from various companies, 2006 will be remembered as a year of many changes. The CPA Technology Advisor 's 2006 YEAR-IN-REVIEW DIGITAL EDITION features the "Top 10 Business Events of 2006" along with the "Top 10 Emerging Technologies of 2006." Both of these special features are available only through the special Digital Edition, which is available at www.CPATechAdvisor.com/2006inreview .
The 2006 YEAR-IN-REVIEW DIGITAL EDITION features an interactive format that lets you read it just like the print edition of the magazine, flipping through pages with a click of your mouse. It also includes exclusive podcast interviews that allow you to hear from industry thought leaders as they discuss trends and technologies that are shaping the tax and accounting professions.
COLUMN HIGHLIGHTS
Accountant Tech-Talk
Vista : Ready To Launch, But Which Version?
By Brent Goodfellow, CPA.CITP, MCSE, MST, MCT
Find out more about the five versions of Microsoft's Vista.
From The Trenches: Real-life solutions for real-life accountants
Storage and Backup is Only Getting More Important:
Make a New Year's Resolution to Handle Your Data Correctly!
By Randy Johnston
Find out what you can do to better protect your data.
Tricks & Tips
The Mouse: More Than A Peripheral
By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Technology Editor
Read about the evolution of the mouse, and see what the latest generation of mice and keyboards has to offer.
The Bleeding Edge
Tech Predictions for 2007
By Dave McClure
See McClure's top 10 predictions for technology in 2007 and find out how well he predicted the future last year.
Technology IN Practice
IT Predictions For 2007 And Beyond
By Roman H. Kepczyk, CPA.CITP
See Roman's nine 2007 predictions for technologies that are here today and on the horizon that will likely change the tax and accounting profession
The QuickBooks Advisor
What's New in QuickBooks 2007: Part Two
By Doug Sleeter
Doug continues his discussion of major new features in the 2007 version of QuickBooks and gives some ideas for how to put QuickBooks to work for your clients.
Better Technology For Better Clients
It's A New Year! Make A Resolution To Take A Fresh Look At Your Password Policies & Practices
By Lisa Kianoff, CPA.CITP
Learn more about tools and processes that can make you feel more secure with your passwords.
The eSecurity Advisor
For Your Eyes Only: Part II
By David Cieslak, CPA.CITP
Learn more about how you can protect your data when you take your show on the road.
Final Thoughts
"The perfect is the enemy of the good." — Voltaire
By Gregory L. LaFollette, CPA.CITP, Executive Editor
Learn why smart firms are the early adopters, and see what waiting for perfect can cost you and your firm.
Now you can download and listen to columns by The CPA Technology Advisor's Dream Team on your iPod or MP3 player at our Columnist Corner.
REVIEWS
A review of BNA Software's BNA Fixed Assets DesktopPro was inadvertently omitted from the December 2006 Fixed Assets review.
BNA Software offers a variety of fixed asset management solutions, including stand-alone, server-based and web-based versions. BNA Fixed Assets DesktopPro, which is primarily geared as a stand-alone system, is reviewed here. Intended for use on a single computer but with optional support for multiple user licenses, the highly scalable DesktopPro is nevertheless a powerhouse, especially with its Open Timeline function, which enables the user to track asset depreciation changes through multiple periods.
Read the full review here.
Tax Research
Have Gun, Will Travel
By Mark Weinstein, CPA
The tax library of 2007 represents a time of transition for tax research products — a time when research products have begun to deliver on the promises of dynamic linking of research materials. Tax research products have evolved greatly — changes to be measured in terms of light years, moving from print media to CD-based systems to online, web-based, real-time accessible information. We are pleased to present this year's review of tax research products — products that can deliver in-depth answers to all of your tax questions. May all your searches be on point!
Property Management
Managing Property Through The Ups & Downs
By Mary Girsch-Bock
While the four major classifications of property management differ in the way they conduct day-to-day business, all property managers need the ability to produce thorough rent rolls and owner statements. Having a maintenance board to record, assign, and monitor routine and requested maintenance is a necessity, particularly for those managing multiple units. A good property management software product will be able to do all of these things.
Your Productivity Score is calculated using a proprietary algorithm that reveals a correlation between technology adaptation and overall productivity. The Productivity Survey is FREE and available to all tax and accounting firms nationwide. It includes a series of questions relating to professional practice standards, office processes, backup procedures, paperless office technologies, connectivity and general technology utilization. You can get your Productivity Score for free at www.CPATechAdvisor.com/productivity.
Can you improve your score?
You can, by improving your implementation and utilization of various technologies. Answers to the survey questions in four major categories are scored by awarding (or subtracting) points based on the relative importance of the specific question. Some answers are additive only, while others are subtractive. Some answers result in very small changes to a score while others change the overall score quite significantly. Certain questions are paired and their answers scored based on their combined answers. Each firm taking the Productivity Survey will receive an individualized report that includes suggestions for improving the productivity in your firm based on recognized "best practice" processes. Firms are encouraged to re-take the survey (up to three times per year) to see if their results have improved after implementing the suggested changes.
The Productivity Survey and Score are sponsored by Thomson Tax & Accounting.
Take the survey now.
SPECIAL FEATURES
 The 2006 Readers' Choice Awards offered those in and around the tax and accounting professions an opportunity to speak their mind by selecting their favorite programs, hardware and other resources from more than 25 categories. From their favorite tax preparation program, the core of many tax and accounting practices, to other systems they use in their practice to service clients, as well as the programs they favor their clients using in their businesses, the Readers' Choice Awards have proven to be an extremely popular outlet for professionals to have their opinions recorded. While reviewing the results of the awards, keep in mind that this was not a scientific survey, but rather a method by which professionals could express their support for specific vendors or brands. Remember, too, that some vendors actively solicited their users' votes, and in the spirit of Chicago politics encouraged them to "Vote early..." [But not necessarily often since readers could only vote once.] Others chose to remain above the fray and let the chips fall where they may. Both approaches are appropriate, and we suggest that readers keep in mind that these philosophical differences most probably impacted the voting. As the results show, some of the brands and companies have extremely loyal user bases that actively evangelize the systems they use. This occasionally resulted in products or services receiving a larger percentage of votes than their market share actually supports. But what a wonderful predicament! Keeping customers satisfied is crucial to any business, whether a professional tax or accounting firm, or a software company that makes the systems those professionals use. Actually keeping your customers happy to the point where they will actively promote your product... well, that's going above and beyond, and it deserves recognition.
Productivity IN Practice
Fiducial Matters
By Isaac M. O'Bannon, Technology Editor
See how one firm has scored on The CPA Technology Advisor 's Productivity Survey and learn more about what practices have worked and not worked for this firm. We hope you'll see your firm in these pages... or at least a firm very much like yours.
Tax Season Survival Guide
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THIS IS YOUR PROFESSION - WE INVITE YOU TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD |
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DECEMBER 2006 SURVEY RESULTS
Regarding your firm's website...
53.3% - We manage it using a general tool (i.e, FrontPage, DreamWeaver, GoLive, etc.).
0% - We manage it in-house but using horizontal web software (GoDaddy, MoonFruit, Yahoo!, etc.).
6.67% - We manage it in-house using web tools designed for accountants (Drake, ProSystem fx Site Builder, WebBuilder CS, etc.).
33.33% - It's managed by a third-party advertising agency or web development firm
0% - It's managed by spouse/nephew/niece/uncle Bob/other relative or friend.
6.67% - We don't have a website. |
| For a free assessment of your firm's use of technology, take the Productivity Survey located at www.cpatechadvisor.com/productivity. |
| Check out our Intersection Live! podcasts for updates on the latest news, trends and products from the intersection of technology and public accounting. |
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EDITORIAL CALENDAR |
| April/May 2007: |
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Tax Prep Suites |
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Document Management |
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Contractors/Construction |
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Specialized Hardware |
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Who's Who Among Technology Vendors Serving the Accounting Profession |
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| June/July 2007: |
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Estate Planning |
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Document Storage |
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Small Business Accounting |
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SOX Comes Calling |
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Technology's Role in Client Communications |
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MEDIA INFORMATION |
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No matter what your current marketing plan, custom reprints enhance your efforts. Among other applications, reprints are excellent tools for marketing presentations, trade shows and media kits. To discuss details on how you may obtain reprint information contact:
Mary Mullen Cygnus Reprint Services
Phone:
800-456-0864 ext.2104
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Advertisers: Plan to include this magazine or our website in your media schedule. To request a copy of the The CPA Technology Advisor media kit, click here . |
To request online advertising information, contact: Susan Douglas by e-mail or at 800-456-0864 ext. 2103.
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Newsletter Archives
The CPA Technology Advisor, The NSA Technology Advisor
& The CSEA Technology Advisor
110 North Bell, Suite 300 , Shawnee, OK 74801
Phone: (800) 456-0864 or Fax: (405) 275-3101
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