2012 Review of CaseWare International, Inc. – Working Papers

CaseWare International, Inc. - Working Papers
800-267-1317
www.caseware.com

 From the Feb. 2012 Review of Engagement Systems.

BEST FIT
Accounting firms desiring a single platform to perform end-to-end work on tax and accounting engagements

STRENGTHS

• Fully contained, all-in-one product
• Easily adapted to any engagement client type and need
• Handles virtually any file type with ease
• SmartSync technology allows effortless collaboration when not connected to a network

POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS

• Some accounting firms may not require all included features, especially for smaller engagements
• A hosted solution is currently available through third parties in the USA. CaseWare International is working on their own hosted solution which will be available shortly.

Working Papers is the central software solution offered by CaseWare International, Inc. Working Papers is a comprehensive, all-in-one solution allowing accounting professionals to manage nearly any tax and accounting related engagement. From desktop installation for small firms to full network installation for larger firms, Working Papers may easily be adapted to meet the needs of accounting firms of all sizes.

BASIC SYSTEM FUNCTIONS (5 Stars)

Working Papers has a simple interface and is easy to navigate. The main screen is composed of three parts with traditional drop down navigation and shortcut icons at the top, the engagement structure in the middle and a recycle bin detailing any deleted documents at the bottom of the screen. The screen interface may not be altered though the recycle bin area may be minimized to allow more visibility of the engagement structure. The engagement structure is displayed much the same way as Windows Explorer, so there should be a high level of comfort by most users. The navigation with each engagement is accomplished through folders which may be added or deleted depending on the needs for the engagement.

As an all-in-one solution, a trial balance module is built in and offers a number of features. Data may be imported to the trial balance from over 60 accounting software packages, as well as from Excel and ASCII files. The trial balance module also allows users to create financial reports on virtually any accounting basis. Multiple entity trial balances and multiple funds may also be consolidated within the trial balance. Once the trial balance is imported, it may be mapped to various grouping schedules within Working Papers to produce a variety of financial and tax related reports. Once accounts are mapped, no additional user involvement is necessary for future engagements as the mapping rolls forward with each engagement.

Each engagement structure may be controlled by templates. Templates may be built based on existing engagements or from scratch by the users based on firm requirements. Users that require custom templates and do not have the time or resources to build them may purchase predesigned templates directly from CaseWare or a variety of third-party CaseWare support vendors.

ENGAGEMENT MANAGEMENT (4.75 Stars)

All user permissions within Working Papers may be tightly controlled. Working Papers provides full integration with Active Directory, for those on the Windows Server platform, and provides users single sign on access to both their Windows desktop and the Working Papers interface. All users may also be controlled globally, per engagement and even per file as needed. Working Papers allows for multiple users to be in files, based on licensing options, and any changes made by users are seen in real time throughout the system.