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We're All About the Bunnies
Many people know us as the "bunny slipper people"
because we give away warm, snuggly, comfy bunny
slippers at most conferences we sponsor. Why bunny
slippers? It is the best way we can convey one of
the biggest benefits of
e-Accounting - working when and where it is
right for you. You know... put on your bunny
slippers, kick your feet up, and get your work
done. From anywhere. Even your couch. |
Quick Links...
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Upgrade QuickBooks?
Intuit's
QuickBooks 2008 products include a number of new
features to make accounting for business easier than
ever. A few of the new features included are:
- the ability to send emails using Microsoft
Outlook
- the ability to easily import list data via
Microsoft Excel
- the ability to track billable time directly
from Outlook calendars
- the ability to validate and pre-authorize
funds through QuickBooks Merchant Services
e-Accounting is currently testing the Pro, Premier
and Enterprise editions for deployment on the
CPAASP hosting platform. Email sales@cpaasp.com
or call us at 866-206-1781 for more information on
when hosting services for QB2008 versions will be
generally available. |
e-Accounting won a QuickBooks Awesome Add-On
Award at the 2008 Accounting Software Consultants
Conference
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A recent survey by the American institute of
CPAs cited "staffing needs" as the top
concern of CPA firms. The survey found that
"the need for qualified staff at all levels
was the most critical concern for the
majority of firms with multiple
professionals in the US". Go figure.
In case you haven't noticed, staffing has
been a top MAP issue for years. The 2000
edition of "The Supply of Accounting
Graduates and the Demand for Public
Accounting Recruits" clearly identified the
downward trend in the number of general
accounting graduates, and the relatively
high percentage of graduates becoming more
specialized and seeking advanced degrees.
The statistics indicate that there is a
continuing downward trend in the number of
credentialed professionals being produced
annually. Those who are graduating and
going into practice area are focusing more
on public accounting rather than business
and industry. This trend is resulting in a
general shortage of internal resources for
business, and is creating even greater
demand for outsourced accounting services.
The percentage of accounting versus
non-accounting hires reported by accounting
firms continues to indicate that
administrative and technical support staff
is being added at a much higher rate than
professional staff. And, as the available
pool of trained accounting professionals
decreases, the increased pressure on
technology will naturally generate an
increase in the use of outsourcers.
In order for an outsourced model to work
well, the technology and platform must be
adapted to incorporate processes and
workflows involving individuals in diverse
locations. The e-Accounting technology
model is specifically suited to helping
businesses connect seamlessly with their
accounting and back-office service
providers. By providing secure access to
hosted business applications and data, users
are able to work together just as though
they were on a local network regardless of
their physical location. This allows
bookkeepers, accountants, data processors,
and client users to all access the business
data when and where it is required,
improving efficiency and delivering greater
value in the relationship.
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A Return To Server Based Computing
CPA firms have used computers ever since it
has been economically feasible. In the
early years, mainframes were the large
centralized units which processed the data
and dumb terminals were used for data
entry. In the 1980s, PCs emerged and
accountant-specific software became readily
available, so firms started using standalone
PCs which then evolved into PC networks.
PCs became an important part of staff
productivity. And, while the advent of
Windows increased the number applications a
PC could run simultaneously, it also
increased the technical expertise needed to
manage the in-house machines and network.
Installation and management of software in a
CPA firm has become a daunting task.
As the programs and data files become larger
and the workforce becomes more
geographically dispersed, the issues
revolving around the technology have created
a new set of challenges to overcome, such as
- performance degradation
- data corruption
- technical expertise required to
implement and support
- continued investment in PCs,
switches, firewalls, file servers
- support for satellite offices and
remote or mobile workers
Returning to a centralized processing model
(or server based computing) enables
traditional Windows-based software to be
used as online applications, with little or
no changes to the software. The benefits to
your firm include,
- allows you to use existing
CPA-specific Windows applications
- reduces the volume of data
distribution and centralizes processing
- doesn't require software vendors to
re-engineer their applications so you
can use them via the Internet
- keeps data protected yet available
to permitted users
- helps team members and clients work
closer in real-time
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Now's
the time to think about how you are
going to handle tax season.
Before it's too late - get your clients
working online. Crunch time is not the
right time to launch you or your clients
into a new working model. Get them set up
now, and give yourself time to get used to
the freedom and flexibility of working when
it's right for you. Imagine having the
ability to quickly and easily answer
questions, help with problems, and produce
reports at the height of the busy season.
You can, if you have your applications and
client data
at your fingertips.
The e-Accounting Center |
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