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ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT: Practicing Safe Security—What You Need to Know About Responsible Password Behavior
by Michael Webb, SmartVault

It’s a mobile world we live in. Increasingly, professionals work from iPads, smart phones, and laptops on the go—in airports, restaurants, and clients’ offices. And while the convenience of “mobility” is exceptional, it does open up a world of security concerns in relation to keeping data safe. Consider that, often without thinking, you log into public networks and exchange sensitive information via email. These practices can leave you vulnerable to data theft. There are many precautions you can take to ensure the security of your data, but one of the most obvious is practicing responsible password behavior... 

ARTICLE SPOTLIGHT: IRS—Getting More Serious About Using QuickBooks Files in Small Business Audits
by Jim Buttonow, CPA, IRS Practice & Procedure Expert, Co-founder New River Innovation

NOTE: This is a full feature article; 3,000 word count (most articles in the library run betwen 750-1,500 words)

Most small businesses in the United States have entered the electronic age—especially when it comes to using QuickBooks, Peachtree and other accounting software. No one is more aware of this trend than the Internal Revenue Service and its auditors...A long-standing debate in many audits has centered on records—and the preferred format of those records—that taxpayers and practitioners make available. Tax practitioners have tried to limit the records they provide to the IRS in an audit to control the depth of the IRS inquiry. IRS agents are now starting to request client back-up files from QuickBooks and Peachtree software, and many practitioners are alarmed about how much information the IRS is requesting, and how the IRS is using the information...  

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DATA SECURITY/IRS/REGULATORY

Practicing Safe Security—What You Need to Know About Responsible Password Behavior
by Michael Webb, CTO, SmartVault

It’s a mobile world we live in. Increasingly, professionals work from iPads, smart phones, and laptops on the go—in airports, restaurants, and clients’ offices. And while the convenience of “mobility” is exceptional, it does open up a world of security concerns in relation to keeping data safe. Consider that, often without thinking, you log into public networks and exchange sensitive information via email. These practices can leave you vulnerable to data theft. There are many precautions you can take to ensure the security of your data, but one of the most obvious is practicing responsible password behavior...

Keeping Client Data Safe in an Increasingly Mobile World 
by Michael Webb, CTO, SmartVault

Mobile has become a way of life, and with the proliferation of advanced devices, it’s easier than ever to work on the go. SaaS-based applications in combination with mobile technologies enable you to deliver client documents while sitting at the airport, process a client’s payroll from home, and fulfill requests for sensitive data in real-time, at any time. And while severing the tether to desktop applications and local servers marks substantial progress for firms, it has also made the accounting profession more vulnerable to data theft because sensitive information is quite literally being carried around and accessed from multiple locations...

The Insecurities of Email—What you need to know about maintaining the privacy and security of your clients' data
by Eric Pulaski, CEO, SmartVault, 20+ year networks security expert

Email has been around a long time and has evolved into a mission-critical resource to deliver documents and communicate with clients. It’s the default for most businesses—convenient, easy, and mature—and has all but replaced time-consuming faxing and manual delivery of documents. However, while email has been a trusted delivery tool for years—is it safe?...

IRS—Getting More Serious About Using QuickBooks Files in Small Business Audits
by Jim Buttonow, CPA, IRS Practice & Procedure Expert, Co-founder New River Innovation

NOTE: This is a full feature article; 3,000 word count (most articles in the library run betwen 750-1,500 words)

Most small businesses in the United States have entered the electronic age—especially when it comes to using QuickBooks, Peachtree and other accounting software. No one is more aware of this trend than the Internal Revenue Service and its auditors...A long-standing debate in many audits has centered on records—and the preferred format of those records—that taxpayers and practitioners make available. Tax practitioners have tried to limit the records they provide to the IRS in an audit to control the depth of the IRS inquiry. IRS agents are now starting to request client back-up files from QuickBooks and Peachtree software, and many practitioners are alarmed about how much information the IRS is requesting, and how the IRS is using the information... 

Better IRS Compliance Practice Means Big Change for Practitioners—Firms prepare as their clients receive more notices and the IRS enhances technology
by Jim Buttonow, CPA, IRS Practice & Procedure Expert, Co-founder New River Innovation

Meet the new IRS. The kinder, gentler IRS. It’s an agency with processes that are fast becoming structured, streamlined—and strangely quiet. Quiet, that is, except on paper...More IRS notices are going out to taxpayers than ever before. In fact, since 2001, notice volume has increased 670%, to 201 million sent in 2009...For accounting firms, this means more work and more contact with the IRS because two thirds of taxpayers rely on their accountant each year for compliance...

Protecting Client Data and Maintaining Compliance in an Emerging SaaS World— Eight Critical Questions to Consider with SaaS Vendors
by Ed Jennings, CEO, Copanion

As the tax and accounting profession continues its transition to SaaS, client data continues its move outside the walls of firms and into the “cloud.” All firms should be concerned about data security and compliance regarding their client’s data. Even though the power, convenience, and cost-effectiveness of SaaS applications is widely accepted, professional standards call for healthy skepticism when it comes to safeguarding client data...

FIRM INSIGHT/PRACTICE

Big4 Accounting Firms Performance a Bellwether for 2010 Economic Recovery
by Casey Quinlan, Contributing Writer, Big4.com

A look at the 2010 performance of the world’s largest accounting firms in an analysis  published by Big4.com shows how the big professional services players mirror the market experiences of mid-size and small firms as the global economy works to recover from its worst recession in 70 years. Firms analyzed include Deloitte, Ernst & Young, KPMG, and PricewaterhouseCoopers PwC. In a comprehensive review of revenue and growth for all four accounting firms, the numbers tell the tale... 

Social Media—Extend Your Reach to the New Pool of Prospects
by Jody Padar, CPA, New Vision CPA Group

I’ve personally never been to an event at my local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club. I’ve not even been to a BNI (Business Networking International) meeting. And while I understand and appreciate the value of onsite networking, I feel strongly that social media should be the primary networking forum. It’s simply the right choice for today’s busy firm. My life is already crazy busy, so I choose not to add more to my calendar by scheduling visits to local networking organizations. There’s also the cost of membership and the time commuting to events that I find hard to swallow. That said, I am a big proponent of networking, and as a partner, it’s up to me to “make it rain.” I simply choose to use networking tools that provide me with far more reach into a focused prospect pool and require less of my time...

#FirmFail—Common Issues that will Inevitably Cause the Downfall of Firms
by Jason Blumer, CPA, Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC

If you are at all familiar with "twitterease" then you know the title of this article is a hashtag, made popular by Twitter. A hashtag simply summarizes a topic that can later be searched on Twitter. And the topic of this article is meant to address the change needed in this era of the CPA firm. As I see it, this hashtag represents the state of the CPA firm today:
Fail. As I've run my own firm and been challenged to change by the younger generations that we serve, I've noticed two common issues within the CPA firm landscape. I believe they run deep in our industry, and are likely a trend that can't be changed without drastic measures. Distinct on their own, and yet related, Value and Innovation are these trends,
and the topics of this article...

Numbers Tell Stories... Getting to the good numbers—the outcome of (1) relationships, (2) processes and (3) knowledge
by Jason Blumer, CPA, Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC

The title of this article is the tagline of our firm. It's a constant reminder of the purpose behind our industry and our firm. The numbers we deal with everyday are outcomes of (1) relationships, (2) processes and (3) knowledge that run deeply throughout every client's business.  Numbers are simply depictions of the good and bad interactions of these three core concepts...

Trust is the Foundation of Firm Culture
by Jason Blumer, CPA, Blumer & Associates, CPAs, PC

Building culture used to be an esoteric activity the dot-com companies, marketing agencies and cool startups thought about. But building culture is just as important for CPA firms as it is for the next Silicon Valley success. Building culture takes a lot of work, is highly strategic at its core, and is done over an indefinite period of time...



MARKETING/BRANDING/SALES & PUBLIC RELATIONS

Great Marketers are Educators First
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

Sure. Price is a factor in marketing. We drive an extra mile to save a few pennies on gas; we buy generic pain medicine; and who hasn’t gone for the BOGO (Buy One Get One free) shoe deal now and again? However, these are examples of standard commodities. What is there to really know? My car needs gas; I put it in and it runs. My headache requires an extra-strength aspirin…my feet need flip flops. Price-based marketing works well for these products because there is little that needs to be explained to the consume...

Marketing in Baby Steps
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

Marketing is still a fairly new concept for firms. In the minds of most, “marketing” consists solely of referrals. And while a solid referral program is a strong component of a broader marketing plan, it only scratches the surface of a firm’s marketing potential.

Because marketing is a foreign concept to many, it can seem overwhelming. After all, what’s scarier than the unknown? However, like anything else, you have to move forward, educate yourself, and go through a bit of trial and error Hades to get to a marketing plan that works for your firm. The good news is that you don’t have to launch a full marketing program from Day 1. It’s best to take it slowly...in baby steps.

Rock Paper Scissors—A Simplified Approach to Firm Evolution
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

Who hasn’t enjoyed a round or two of the fast-paced (and dominantly nostalgic) game Rock Paper Scissors…whether as a child or an adult? As a kid, it was just good fun. As an adult, it can still serve as a simple and friendly way to decide who has to do the dishes or let the dog out.

Contrary to what most think, Rock Paper Scissors (RPS) is not a game of mere chance. There IS a science behind it. From a mathematical perspective, it’s true that the optimum RPS strategy is to play randomly. However, this strategy hosts two fatal flaws. First, the “law of random” dictates that a person will win, lose, and draw an equal number of times, which is hardly a winning long-term strategy. Second, and more importantly, humans are the worst at being random. Try as they might, it is simply not in our nature to react randomly on a consistent basis. In fact, it is far more likely that people will begin to approximate the randomness of their RPS opponent and then react based on their opponent’s actions. The result—predictable randomness. And where there is predictability there is the ability to develop a sound strategy...

Let's Hear it for the Blog!
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

Blogs, schmogs…hasn’t everyone had just about enough of all the blog talk? Oh, who’s kidding who? Of course you haven’t. It’s all about blogging these days…who’s writing, what’s being said, and what to do with the information. Like other social media, blogs (or web logs) are slowly becoming an integral component of a firm’s communication program. In fact, many accounting professionals are not only actively reviewing third-party blogs for relevant, timely information, but more and more firms are creating their own and blogging internally... 

Brand-to-Brand Combat...Are You Winning?
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

Branding any business is not an easy task. It takes dedication, time, and a true understanding of what branding is and how a strong brand image is developed. The biggest issue with most firms is that once they start down the road of building their brand, they never look any further than their own four walls. And that is a critical mistake...A sound brand cannot be developed unless you step out into to sun once in a while. Unless you are a caterpillar, you can’t expect brand metamorphosis by staying nestled within the protective cocoon that is your firm...

The Art of the Spin—Firms that Stay in Motion are Those that Will Continue to Prosper
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

Everyone remembers the Law of Inertia. Physics 101…an object in motion will remain in motion; an object at rest will remain at rest. Newton may have explained it with a bit more detail, but that’s the gist. The law of inertia can be applied, ever so loosely, to today’s accounting firms. A firm in motion is one that is continually moving and growing. A firm at rest is one that has failed to keep up with change and finds itself at an exceptionally slow moving pace or a complete stand still...

Death to the Time Clock! Hail to the New Value-Driven Work Mentality!
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

It’s a new era…and the profession’s next generation of leaders put life-work balance at the top of the priority list. The way firms communicate with their various audiences: clients, existing staff, and new recruits, has to make a connection in order to continually strengthen relationships and elevate business upward and onward..

The Great PR Opportunity—Tips and Truths about Public Relations for the Tax &
Accounting Profession
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360

James (Jim) C. Bourke, CPA.CITP, WithumSmith+Brown, PC.

The successful 21st Century Accounting Firm has one major, significant difference from the firm of 10 years ago: Technology. Today, the right technology, and how that technology is deployed within the firm, can be instrumental in determining success or failure. This report focuses on document/content management and the use of cloud computing through the SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) model as two mission-critical technology components that firms cannot ignore if they plan to remain competitive and continue to grow. I will also discuss the use of multiple monitors, firm-wide, as a third key strategy for successful firms...

Achieving Ultimate Efficiency with a Paperless Tax Workflow—Six Best Practices that Get You There
by Ed Jennings, CEO, Copanion

Streamlining workflow is a constantly neglected to-do item for many CPA firms, especially as client demands increase and new regulations continue to come down the pike...in the tax and accounting industry time is money, which is why accountants are always searching for ways to improve efficiency in their firms. These Six Best Practices are the key steps that will ease the transition to a paperless tax workflow...

Going Green—Good for the Environment, Good for Everyone
by Ed Jennings, CEO, Copanion

The Green Movement is gaining momentum in the tax and accounting profession. For firms that are going green, eco-friendly initiatives are taking place at the process level. With a focus on reducing the use of paper, accounting professionals are implementing technology innnovations like scanning and client portals to "digitize" workflows that traditionally relied on volumes of paper. And of course reducing the use of paper is not only good for the environment, but it significantly reduces costs associated with paper and manual tasks...

LEARNING/ NETWORKING/COMMUNITIES

An Evolution in CPE—Integrating the Tablet, Wi-Fi, and the Cloud
by John Higgins, CPA Crossings

The onsite learning model is a long-standing, tested and proven platform for interactive and rich exchange of information. Unlike online forums, onsite education provides participants with a level of energy and discussion that is difficult to reproduce in a web-based environment. And now, with the introduction of a new learning model that integrates electronic tablets, Wi-Fi, and the Cloud into the education process, on-ground CPE is positioned to accelerate participant engagement to a whole new level. 

Rockin’ It Old School—Face-to-Face Networking Has a Magic Online Forums Can’t Match
by Kristy Short, Ed.D., SAS Communications 360 

I’m all a’Twitter”; ”It’s a Tweet life”; “Incurable Tweaker” (i.e., someone so addicted that they sneak tweets)…by now you’ve heard all the cool play on words surrounding this social media phenomena. In fact, it seems like everyone is writing about social media in general these days—offering advice on appropriate implementation or reporting on success stories. It’s there at every turn of the page.

This is certainly not a criticism. Social media, applied purposefully, is a smart addition to any marketing communications program. Without question, the value of social media cannot be overstated; however, neither can the value of networking live and in person. What it comes down to is finding the right balance between the two...

Taking a Targeted Approach to Social Networking—Niche Sites Provide the Accounting Profession with Far More Bang for the Buck
by Scott Cytron, Big4.com Staff Writer

On a personal level, social media offers an easy-to-use platform to share information and connect with friends. In business, we are just now beginning to understand and grasp the value associated with using various networking sites, especially in the accounting profession and business marketplace.

Most of the time, accountants want to know what kind of ROI they can expect; any time spent on non-billable functions must relate back to growth. Still in its infancy, social media offers a practical means to build business and turn prospects into clients or customers, while building knowledge and holding discussions that directly relate back to our work...

When Great Minds Come Together…
The Exceptional Value of Onsite CPA Communities
by M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP, RootWorks

Over the past few years, social media has gained momentum in the tax and accounting profession. Sites like Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube enable professionals to exchange information in real-time, while accounting-specific blogs keep CPAs apprised of the latest technology trends and efficiency-elevating innovations. There is no denying that the Internet provides exceptional convenience; however, the power of face-to-face network communities cannot be overstated...

WEB/SAAS/CLOUD COMPUTING

Setting Up Shop in the Cloud: What accounting firms need to know about cloud computing
and making the leap to online document management.
Eric Pulaski, CEO, SmartVault

Moving applications and data to an online environment is inevitable. It’s simply part of the accounting profession’s evolution. If you look at the continuum of change, it becomes clear where next generation accounting firms are heading. Pencil and paper to green bar reports and manual data entry…DOS to Windows…software CDs to web download…and finally on-premise-based IT solutions to SaaS (Software-as-a-Service)...Learn more about the Cloud, what it means to today's firms, the right time for adoption, and how to take the fear out of the transition to cloud computing...

by Ed Jennings, CEO, Copanion, Inc.

For years, tax professionals have dealt with a recurring issue during busy season: getting client source documents in a timely manner. You know the drill all too well. Tax organizers are sent to clients at year end, usually in November or December. The information comes back in drips. You start client follow-up calls in March to request forms, and then call again in April for outstanding source documents. It’s a frustrating and time-consuming process, and has proven to be a major challenge for firms...

A Tale of Two Firms: Identifying the Rules for Rolling Out a Successful Paperless Tax Workflow
by Ed Jennings, CEO, Copanion, Inc.

Paperless doesn’t happen overnight, especially considering the tax workflow, which is a paper-intensive process that involves people throughout the firm. A successful transition takes planning, dedicated effort, and an educated firm. To show the importance of planning and preparation during rollout, we compared the implementation experiences of two real-life firms, complete with practical examples. This provides an excellent comparative case study that highlights disparities in approach and two very different outcomes...

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