Isaac M. O'Bannon is the managing editor and digital content manager for CPA Practice Advisor (www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com), drawing on two decades of experience covering the areas of professional accounting, taxation, business productivity and consumer technologies.
Prior to CPA Practice Advisor, O'Bannon was a consultant at firms in San Francisco, Denver and Tulsa, serving clients that included Logitech, Polycom, Hilti, Microsoft, the Stanford Research Institute, the University of Oklahoma's College of Engineering and other technology leaders. He is a U.S. Navy veteran.
Email: isaac.obannon - @ - cpapracticeadvisor.com
September 5, 2014
2011 Overall Rating 3.75 650-952-1773 www.orangedoorinc.com Product Delivery Methods: _____ On-Premises __x__ SaaS _____ Hosted by Vendor Best Firm Fit: Small practice with less complex clients, primarily 1040-focused, who need mobility or remote access, and ability to quickly ramp up/down the number of users Strengths: Fully web-based Client portals/collaboration tools Instant ramp-up/down...…
September 5, 2014
2011 Overall Rating 4.5 800-890-9500 www.DrakeSoftware.com Best Firm Fit: 1040-focused practices looking to broaden their services with integrated write-up and tax planning options, as well as retail environments with multiple locations. Strengths: – Exceptional live support – Affordable all-inclusive pricing includes all entities, states, e-filing, plus tax planning, document management & write-up with ATF...…
September 5, 2014
2011 Overall Rating 3.5 888-236-9501 accountant.intuit.com Product Delivery Methods: _____ On-Premises __x__ SaaS _____ Hosted by Vendor Best Fit: Small practices with generally less complex clients, primarily 1040-focused who need mobility Strengths: Web-based No IT headaches Inexpensive Instant ramp-up/down Any number of users On-demand use PC & Mac friendly Potential Limitations: Lack...…
September 5, 2014
800-755-9473 www.taxwise.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Firm Fit: High-volume, time-sensitive focused practices employing non-professional data-entry staff. Also a fit for those looking to grow their business through office expansion and additional customer offerings such as full-year accounting services like write-up and payroll. Strengths – Support for all entities at federal & state level...…
September 5, 2014
800-681-1752 www.atxinc.com 4.5 – 2011 Overall Rating Best Firm Fit: Small and mid-sized full-service accounting firms with generally less complex clients, yet with broader entity needs, including payroll and wage compliance. Strengths: – Support for all entities at federal & state level – W-2/1099 & wage reporting – Form & interview-style input – Excellent training...…
September 5, 2014
800-230-2322 www.taxworks.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Product Delivery Methods: __x__ On-Premises _____ SaaS _____ Hosted by Vendor Best Firm Fit: Small 1040-focused tax offices with limited to moderate need for additional entities. Strengths: – All federal and state entities – Integrated bank products – Good client communication templates & e-mail integration – Data...…
September 5, 2014
800-934-1040 www.proseries.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Firm Fit: Small to mid-sized firms with mostly 1040s, but also diverse business taxation needs with some moderately complex clients. Strengths: – Supports all entities, states & most local taxes – Options for research, fixed assets, document management & W-2/1099 reporting – Integrated billing system – Optional innovative...…
September 5, 2014
Column: Tricks & Tips From the April/May 2011 Issue As the technology editor for this publication for nearly nine years, I’ve witnessed many significant, and even a few monumental changes in the technologies and workflow practices of tax and accounting firms. From the transition to the paperless office, to automated tax documents, the ongoing SaaS...…
September 5, 2014
?9222 In economic climates such as this, when jobs are somewhat scarce, markets are in flux and retirement can seem so far away, it’s natural for some to cling to what levels of stability they have, whether it’s Linus and his “security blanket,” or a comfortably permanent job as an in-house accountant for a large...…
September 5, 2014
6363 Over the past two decades, payroll processing has had an ebb and flow relationship with many professional practices. Small and mid-sized business owners or management either try to manage payroll themselves without assistance, or they instinctively turn to their public accountant. In the first case, most will inevitably face penalties for missing due dates...…
September 5, 2014
800-267-1317 www.caseware.com CaseWare has long been a mainstay in large legal practices and the top 100 accounting firms in the country, offering a suite of professional applications focused on time and billing, engagement management, financial analysis, audit applications, benchmarking tools and advanced database engine tools. CaseWare’s Time program houses the time and billing capabilities, providing...…
September 4, 2014
TaxJar, an online service that manages sales tax filing for ecommerce merchants, has announced the availability of its service to all Square sellers. More business owners can now easily eliminate the complexity and time involved in filing state and local sales tax by linking their TaxJar and Square accounts.
