My Perspective
M. Darren Root

  • SmartVault Debuts in Intuit AppCenter
    By M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP; Executive Editor - Tuesday March 12, 2013
    From Darren's "My Perspective" blog. SmartVault is the first to offer integrated online document management for QuickBooks Online customers, which is now available in the Intuit AppCenter. The integration allows QuickBooks Online users to attach and view source documents (such as receipts, bills, and invoices) directly from within QuickBooks Online—supporting a completely digital and collaborative accounting workflow. SmartVault shared with us a few key features of the integration, including the ability to: Attach and view files directly to entries in QuickBooks Online Increase efficiencies in workflow with a built-in electronic Inbox View files instantly in a browser without having to download files initially Access...

  • SmartVault Integrates with QuickBooks Online—Fantastic!
    By M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP; Executive Editor - Wednesday December 5, 2012
    From Darren's blog, My Perspective . The awaited SmartVault integration with QuickBooks is now available—allowing QuickBooks Online users to attach and view source documents (such as receipts, bills, and invoices) directly from within QuickBooks Online. This is great news for firms because the integration supports a completely digital and collaborative accounting workflow. Eric Pulaski, founder and CEO of SmartVault, stated, “QuickBooks Online is experiencing record growth as small businesses are looking to adopt an online accounting system that gives them access to their data whenever they need it. Integrating that availability with anytime-anywhere access to source documents delivers a true paperless office and literally...

  • New River Innovation Releases Web-based IRS Research Application—Beyond415Guidance
    By M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP; Executive Editor - Wednesday October 17, 2012
    From Darren's CPA Practice Advisor blog: My Perspective. Just this week, a new cloud-based IRS “research center” application was released to the tax and accounting profession—Beyond415 Guidance. The stand-alone app from New River Innovation offers practical and up-to-date guidance for resolving issues after tax filing. Product features include searchable guidance that covers individual, business, and payroll areas of IRS practice and procedure. The company’s cofounder, Jim Buttonow, CPA and IRS expert, explained, “Based on feedback from hundreds of firms, we know that practitioners require a practical and easy-to-navigate research tool for IRS practice and procedure. Instead of sifting through outdated books or searching...

  • New River Innovation Announces Major New Product Release— Beyond415 TeamWork
    By M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP; Executive Editor - Friday September 14, 2012
    Dedicated to keeping the profession up-to-date and informed on new technologies as they hit the market, I want to announce the latest major update of Beyond415—a leading web-based post-filing solution. The developers of the application, New River Innovation, recently announced the release of Beyond415 TeamWork . Developed with large firms in mind, TeamWork allows firm experts to share their knowledge by adding unique processes to the application’s extensive guidance database and creating custom templates and document sets. New River Innovation co-founder, Jim Buttonow, CPA and IRS practice and procedure expert stated, “TeamWork offers all the functionality and features of Beyond415, with added options such as the ability to...

  • Transitioning from Technician to Business Leader: The First Step in Becoming a Next Generation Accounting Firm
    By M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP; Executive Editor - Wednesday June 27, 2012
    This is a topic I wished someone had presented to me before I launched my own practice. Working as a technician means you are only capable of working ‘in’ your firm. As a true business leader, you master the ability to work ‘on’ your firm at a higher level—growing the business and managing people effectively. I began my career as a technician, but learned that this mode of working would never allow for any balance between my professional and my personal lives. When I started my small firm, I knew how to execute tax returns and financial statements, and believed that this was all it took to run a profitable firm. Over the next few years, I grew my practice to include more than 20 employees, yet found myself often working seven...
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