December 2012

Business Management

Firms are adopting CRM systems to grow stronger

Firms who recently saw a loss of clients are now looking to shore up and consider building again, not only building bigger firms, but building more successful ones.

Associations

4 reasons undergraduate accounting programs should add CPA exam review

Few colleges make it a curricular priority to actually include the review and test preparation process needed to pass examination and obtain licensure as a CPA.

Baby Boomers: Take the time to know the Gen Xers

CPA firms, as well as their small business clients headed by those of the “baby boomer” generation, may feel the urgency for an in-house succession plan to be certain their firm or business is headed in the right direction-to build business value and secure a future for themselves as well as their key employees.

E-Tools

The Bleeding Edge: Tech Predictions for 2013

Judging from the media coverage, technology hardly existed at all in 2012. Instead, the nation sat enthralled, week after week, by billions of dollars in political ads, four debates and nearly-endless campaign speeches.

Firm Management

A Holistic Approach to Tax Practice Management

Every business owner knows that flexibility is a requirement for success. Being able to adapt to changing customer needs, vendor issues and work schedules is a part of the job requirement, whether the business is a shoe store, a restaurant or an accounting firm.

Product & Service Guide

2012 Review of Thomson Reuters – Checkpoint

Thomson Reuters – Checkpoint 800-950-1216checkpoint.thomsonretuers.com From the Dec. 2012 review of tax research systems. BEST FIT: Tax and accounting professionals looking for a consistent tax and accounting research solution STRENGTHS: User-specific customization Comprehensive search function Synchronization between mobile and full versions of the site POTENTIAL LIMITATIONS: Numerous search options may be burdensome for new or […]

Product & Service Guide

2012 Review of Intuit – Tax Research for Lacerte and ProSeries

Intuit – Tax Research for Lacerte & ProSeries 800-200-7599lacerte.intuit.com/products/tax-researchproseries.intuit.com/products/tax-research From the Dec. 2012 review of tax research systems. BEST FIT: Tax firms that currently use Intuit’s Lacerte and/or ProSeries tax solutions. STRENGTHS: No additional fees for multiple users Uses Google’s Search Engine Access to Intuit’s online forum for Lacerte and ProSeries users Direct integration with […]

Product & Service Guide

2012 Review of CCH IntelliConnect

CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business – IntelliConnect888-224-7377CCHGroup.com From the Dec. 2012 review of tax research systems. BEST FIT: Tax, accounting and legal professionals looking for a comprehensive tax and research solution. STRENGTHS Available on iOS and Android mobile devices – CCH Mobile Various search options tailored to the user’s needs and preferences Can have up […]

Accounting Research

2012 Review of BNA Tax & Accounting Center and Financial Resource Center

Bloomberg BNA, Inc. — Bloomberg BNA Tax & Accounting Center and Financial Resource Center800-372-1033www.bna.com From the Dec. 2012 review of tax research systems. Best Fit: Tax, accounting and legal professionals who want up-to-date tax law content, news and analyses. Strengths Complete integration of primary source documentation with Bloomberg BNA portfolios, which are written by experts […]

Accounting Research

Ever-Changing Tax Laws Require Professional Research Solutions

As changes are made to tax laws and technology, the business owners interact with their customers and tax and accounting professionals change. Many tax professionals find themselves moving from the role of tax return preparer to year-round consultant.

Accounting

2012 Review of Fixed Asset Manager for TaxWise & ATX

CCH Small Firm Services – Fixed Asset Manager for TaxWise & ATX800-681-1750; www.taxwise.com800-681-1752; www.atxinc.com From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Professional tax and accounting firms using, managing the asset depreciation strategies of multiple clients. The system also offers direct integration with TaxWise and ATX. Strengths Easy to use and […]

Accounting

2012 Review of Intuit ProSeries Fixed Asset Manager

Intuit ProLine – ProSeries Fixed Asset Manager800-934-1040http://accountants.intuit.com/tax/proseries/add-ons/fixed-asset-manager.jsp From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Professional firms serving the tax and accounting needs of clients with asset bases that are growing more complex in terms of size and strategic depreciation planning. As it offers direct integration, it is most beneficial to […]

Accounting

2012 Review of BNA Fixed Assets DesktopPro

Bloomberg BNA – BNA Fixed Assets DesktopPro800-424-2938www.bnasoftware.com From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Accounting professionals serving the asset management and depreciation needs of mid-sized and larger clients with potentially complex depreciation strategies. The system is also widely-used in-house by enterprises and government entities. Strengths Global/group/departmental edit capabilities Intuitive interface […]

Contributors

Practicing the Three Os – A Great Practices Feature

Standardization has a new poster child—and her name is Laura Redmond, owner of Redmond Accounting. For those that pride themselves on being ultra organized…you may have met your match.

Accounting

MobileAsset Professional Offers Solution for Businesses with Location Tracking Needs

Wasp Barcode Technologies – MobileAsset Professional Version214-547-4100www.waspbarcode.com This article is from the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset mamagement systems. While most of the programs in this review section are primarily focused on managing depreciation strategies for fixed assets, the MobileAsset Professional program from Wasp Barcode is designed to give businesses an efficient way to […]

Accounting

2012 Review of Thomson Reuters – Fixed Assets CS

Thomson Reuters – Fixed Assets CS800-968-8900CS.ThomsonReuters.com From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Full-service accounting firms providing depreciation management and tax services to multiple clients with moderate to complex asset bases. Most beneficial when used as integrated part of the CS Professional Suite. Strengths Easy to use with wizards for […]

Accounting

2012 Review of Sage Software – Sage Fixed Assets 2013

Sage Software – Sage Fixed Assets 2013 (formerly Sage FAS Fixed Assets)800-368-2405www.SageFixedAssets2013.com From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Any organization, including U.S. and Canadian businesses, as well as U.S. government and non-profit entities, with large asset bases and complex management and reporting requirements. The system can also be used […]

Accounting

2012 Review of Red Moon Solutions LLC – Fixed Assets Manager

Red Moon Solutions LLC – Fixed Assets Manager800-224-1260www.redmoonsolutions.com From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Fixed Assets Manager is designed primarily for use by companies and organizations with extensive or complex asset management and depreciation strategies, such as those with large asset bases, multiple locations and departments. It can also […]

Accounting

2012 Review of MoneySoft – Fixed Asset Pro v13

MoneySoft – Fixed Asset Pro v13800-966-7797www.moneysoft.com From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Fixed Asset Pro is best suited to small and medium organizations with asset bases of any size or complexity. With multi-entity capabilities, it can also be used by firms managing the depreciation strategies for multiple clients. Strengths […]

Accounting

2012 Review of CCH ProSystem fx Fixed Assets

CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business – ProSystem fx Fixed Assets800-PFX-9998www.tax.cchgroup.com From the Dec. 2012 review of fixed asset management systems. Best Fit: Full-service accounting firms serving clients with large or complex databases that may be assigned or located in multiple divisions, geographic locations. Strengths Handles any number of clients/assets Offers all depreciation methods and treatments, […]

Accounting

Why Professionals Need to Have an Asset Strategy Meeting with Clients

There are few professionals who find fixed asset management to be an exciting area of their client service, but for some types of businesses, developing effective depreciation strategies can make a significant difference to their bottom line, as well as to cash flow on a month to month basis.

Contributors

In Firm: 2013 IT Predictions and 2012 Results

Wayne Gretzky’s famous quote on achieving greatness was in “knowing where the puck is going to be,” which allowed him to move in that direction before anyone else. CPA firms are no different and by knowing where the “Accounting IT Puck” could be going in the future...

Accounting

How Client Accounting Fits Into Firm Workflow

The strategic decision to move outsourced client bookkeeping processes into the cloud offers accounting professionals a choice on how they will work with client information. Practitioners in the cloud experience a wide range of benefits, which include direct importing of transactions...

Practice Management

Is CRM Part of Your Firm’s Strategy?

Client relationships are the lifeblood of any accounting firm and should be maintained in an efficient, organized system. Too often, firms relay on a number of disparate back office systems to manage this critical information resulting in redundancy, inconsistency and missed opportunities.

In this issue

Firms are adopting CRM systems to grow stronger

4 reasons undergraduate accounting programs should add CPA exam review

Baby Boomers: Take the time to know the Gen Xers

The Bleeding Edge: Tech Predictions for 2013

A Holistic Approach to Tax Practice Management

2012 Review of Thomson Reuters – Checkpoint

2012 Review of Intuit – Tax Research for Lacerte and ProSeries

2012 Review of CCH IntelliConnect

2012 Review of BNA Tax & Accounting Center and Financial Resource Center

Ever-Changing Tax Laws Require Professional Research Solutions

2012 Review of Fixed Asset Manager for TaxWise & ATX

2012 Review of Intuit ProSeries Fixed Asset Manager

2012 Review of BNA Fixed Assets DesktopPro

Practicing the Three Os – A Great Practices Feature

MobileAsset Professional Offers Solution for Businesses with Location Tracking Needs

2012 Review of Thomson Reuters – Fixed Assets CS

2012 Review of Sage Software – Sage Fixed Assets 2013

2012 Review of Red Moon Solutions LLC – Fixed Assets Manager

2012 Review of MoneySoft – Fixed Asset Pro v13

2012 Review of CCH ProSystem fx Fixed Assets

Why Professionals Need to Have an Asset Strategy Meeting with Clients

In Firm: 2013 IT Predictions and 2012 Results

How Client Accounting Fits Into Firm Workflow

Is CRM Part of Your Firm’s Strategy?