FREE DOWNLOAD: ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE DECISIONS

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EXECUTIVE PREVIEW
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 CPA Satisfaction  Buying Plans  Key Purchase Criteria 

EARLY TOP-LINE HIGHLIGHTS
 Data gathered from 559 respondents in an online survey.
– 75% are C-Class executives.
– 71% work in offices of up to 50 persons.
– 50% practice in public accounting and 36% in business or industry.
89% are currently less than “completely” happy with their current accounting software package.
 Over the next 18 months, 35% are at least “somewhat” likely to be considering a new purchase of accounting software.
Most important criteria in selecting a new accounting package:
– Ease of Use
– Features and Functionality, and
– Vendor’s Long-Term Viability

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Posted on November 27, 2006
Filed Under BSG MARKETPLACE - Products, Services and Vendors | Leave a Comment

Tax Season Strategies You Can’t Ignore

Hi-tech drives busy season forecasts.
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by Rick Telberg
At Large

Tax professionals appear to be steering toward the upcoming filing season on course, with the wind at their backs and new technology strategies as their compasses. Braced by the lessons of last season, we’re hearing that more tax offices will be going paperless, cracking down on scheduling and tightening management procedures in 2007.

They are grappling head-on with strategic issues and making new investments. For instance, the strategies that will be getting the most attention from the largest number of practitioners this year will be:
– Going paperless (i.e. scanning, storage, etc.);
– Improving client service and communications (i.e. online service and delivery); and
– Improving efficiencies (i.e. dual monitors, software upgrades, faster Web connections).
– Hi-tech drives busy season forecasts. Read more

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Posted on November 26, 2006
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Rappin’ CPAs?

“The world doesn’t need more videos of rapping CPAs or accountant-oriented movie parodies,” Bill Teague writes the current Intuit ProConnection. “Entertainment may be best left to the professionals, like the Conan O’Brien segment on cat accountants.”

But it’s fun to watch anyway:
– Rapping CPAs
– Movie Parodies
– Cat Accountants
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Posted on November 22, 2006
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MANAGEMENT MINUTE: Marketing on a Shoestring

If you don’t effectively market, your practice doesn’t grow. But say your business has not yet grown enough to afford professional marketing. Don’t fret you can market on a shoestring.

• You don’t need a public relations firm to spread the good word about what you do. Be your own P.R. machine by sponsoring local contests, volunteering and making charitable contributions, becoming active in local boards and holding open houses and social events.
• Get to know your local newspaper business editors, offer to be an information source, and submit articles; the clips can be powerful.
• Actively pursue speaking opportunities at all appropriate business and industry trade association events and at local civic and charitable events. Send out press releases in advance+; that gets coverage of the fact you are speaking and opens the door for the media to attend and publicize what you say.
• Seminars can leave powerful impressions. Make sure you provide in-depth information; network with existing clients on hand and get to know all prospects, and follow up with them. The more frequent the seminars, the better.
• Market to existing clients through such simple things as occasional calls, letters, lunches, and sending holiday cards/gifts and occasional “tchotchkes,” like those useful office supplies vendors sometimes give out at conferences. Client satisfaction surveys show you care and can help you find what clients value most.

Source: Linda Kranz and Tim Noworyta of PDI Global
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Posted on November 20, 2006
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AICPA Adds BlackBerry to Member Elite Values Program

Research from Bay Street Group leveraged for new partnership

The AICPA has added Research In Motion to its growing portfolio of AICPA Member Elite Values Programs. AICPA members can now get the best available pricing and support services for BlackBerry® handsets, software and accessories by visiting www.blackberryforthecpa.com.

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“Over the past year many members have inquired about our launching this type of program,” said Michael Cerami, VP Corporate Alliances, the marketing unit of the AICPA. “Wireless handsets are increasingly becoming a standard business tool for today’s accounting professional—for both CPAs in practice and in industry.”

The Pearl

A May 2006 survey of accounting professionals, conducted by Bay Street Group LLC, noted that 84% of those surveyed spend at least 25% of their time working outside the office; with 42% of respondents surveyed saying that they are currently giving consideration to a near-term purchase of a wireless handset.

Reseller, eAccess Solutions Inc., is the exclusive fulfillment and support services provider to AICPA members through the program. Institute members will be taken through a step-by-step process for setting up the BlackBerry wireless solution, assuring that members are up and productive with a minimal time investment. AICPA members will also receive one full year of free support from eAccess Solutions when they purchase a BlackBerry handset. “We really focused on making service a big part of the program value proposition,” said Cerami.

About CPA2Biz
CPA2Biz is a subsidiary of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), and provides marketing and technology services to the AICPA for its wide array of products and services, such as continuing education, conferences and professional literature. CPA2Biz also develops and manages client-focused business solutions programs (e.g. payroll, banking) that enable CPAs to build stronger relationships with their business clients or employers. For more information, visit www.cpa2biz.com.

About the American Institute of CPAs
The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (www.aicpa.org) is the national, professional association of CPAs, with approximately 330,000 members, including CPAs in business and industry, public practice, government, and education. It sets ethical standards for the profession and U.S. auditing standards for audits of private companies; federal, state and local governments; and non-profit organizations. It also develops and grades the Uniform CPA Examination. Read more

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Posted on November 20, 2006
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CCH Creates Small Firm Services Group

Gramlich Named President

Media Release

CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business has formed a new Small Firm Services group, enforcing the company’s commitment to best serve professionals in firms of all sizes.

CCH created the new entity following the acquisition of ATX and TaxWise to ensure that it will meet the needs of its new tax and accounting customers, while advancing its investment in and commitment to professionals who already value CCH’s market-leading software and research solutions. Read more

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Posted on November 16, 2006
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22 Great Places to Work

What they do different.
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by Rick Telberg
On Careers

If there’s anything a finance or accounting office needs more than clients, it’s professionals to handle the work. But just as we need them most, they’re hardest to find. Recruitment and retention are perhaps the profession’s biggest challenge these days.

Hiring help is no longer a simple matter of offering higher pay and better bennies than the firm down the street. Today’s accounting professionals are looking for more. In search of whatever it is that professionals are searching for, we went looking for firms that seem to have little or no recruitment problems. We didn’t find many — just 22 out of more than 400 we checked — but we paid close attention to what those 22 had to say. Read more

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Posted on November 15, 2006
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Are You ‘Clocking In’ When You Should be ‘Tuning Out’?

‘Getting Away From It All’ Going Out of Style?

NEW YORK (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) — More than one-third (37 percent) of U.S. workers anticipate not using all of their time off this year, according to a new Hudson survey. In fact, one in four workers (24 percent) have not taken any time off this year, and an additional 14 percent have not taken a vacation longer than a long weekend. Read more

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Posted on November 15, 2006
Filed Under BSG FINANCE PROFESSIONAL | Leave a Comment

TAX SEASON 2007: TECH STRATEGIES

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New Tech Investments Drive Profit Forecasts for‘Busy Season’

EXECUTIVE PREVIEW

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KEY FINDINGS
The Key Strategic Issues professionals face this busy season, are:
 Going Paperless (Scanning, storage, etc.)
 Improved Client Service and Communications (online service and delivery)
 Improved Efficiency (dual monitors, software upgrades, faster internet connections)

MORE… Read more

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Posted on November 14, 2006
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