More than half chalk it up to isolation from peers. What’s your stand?
[As seen in the AICPA Insiderâ„¢]
by Sukanya Mitra
[Managing Editor of the AICPA Insiderâ„¢ electronic newsletter group]
The right attitude and self-discipline will take you a long way toward working successfully outside a large office, according to three out of four (74%) accountants responding to a recent poll of CPA Insiderâ„¢ readers conducted by Bay Street Group LLC. READ MORE →
What’s on your holiday wish list? Sound off here.
by Rick Telberg
At Large
That shiver you feel could be the first chilly breezes before winter. Or it could be the imminent start of busy season.
With tax prep being a core revenue-producing application in many practices, the time to consider what your office will need is well before the end of the year. But let’s not forget auditors and finance managers. They’re facing busy seasons of their own. And many will have the same questions, issues and wish lists.
Judging from the buzz in the profession, the top issues this year seem to be paperless office, dual monitors, Microsoft Vista and possible post-holiday hardware price cuts.
It doesn’t matter whether the upcoming tax season is your first as an independent preparer or you’ve been grinding out returns for years — it pays to completely assess your needs each and every year. In performing this assessment, consider five critical areas: software, hardware, infrastructure, procedures and — the new one this year — connectivity. READ MORE →
Private Entities Research Effort Marks First Time a College or University Focuses on Valuation Research
TAMPA, FLA. (News Release) – The Financial Consulting Group L.C. has entered into an agreement with the University of South Florida School of Accountancy to fund and support the Private Equities Endowed Research Initiative at USF. The School will conduct research to create and manage value in closely-held profit and non-profit entities. READ MORE →
If you’re marketing your services to small and mid-sized business (and what CPA firm isn’t?), then take a look at what leading marketers are saying.
SMB marketers are spending most of their money on direct mail and telesales for generating leads. But according to Warrillow & Co., they are shifting big dollars into electronic media:
– Email marketing
– Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
– Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The Question: How long can CPA firms stand by the sidelines? READ MORE →
How NOT to use color in financial reports.
by Rick Telberg
for Hewlett-Packard
With color printers becoming commonplace in business, it’s surprising so few tax and accounting professionals have taken a moment to learn a few basic rules about how to use color effectively.
After all, crunching numbers is only part of your job. And crunching numbers, by itself, isn’t enough these days. The numbers are useless – even your analysis is useless – if you can’t communicate effectively. This is where the smart use of color in printed reports becomes essential. You don’t need a degree in art or design. But some guidelines may help. READ MORE →
What professionals are looking for.
Join the study; get the instant download.
by Rick Telberg
If only software lasted as long as a good hammer, wouldn’t that be nice? You buy Hammer version 2.0 not long after you buy your first house, use it for 50 years, then hand it down to the next generation.
But it isn’t often you hear a CPA say, “Son, I used this software application before you were born, back when we didn’t even have fax machines, and it’s still got a lot of good use in it. I hope I can trust you to take care of it, appreciate it and hand it down to your children.â€
It’s good that software obsolesces, of course. A little expensive, but good. Yesteryear’s software seems dumber than your father’s hammer, and the version that just came out practically guarantees to let you do a week’s worth of work before lunch on Monday. READ MORE →
You’re not alone.
What do CPAs want? Join the study; get the instant download.
by Rick Telberg
At Large
Finance and accounting professionals seem to have a love/hate relationship with their most-used software applications. But nowhere is this more apparent than their relationships with their accounting software.
So, if you’re shopping around for new accounting software, you’re far from alone.
Bay Street Group Research is showing that the percentage of CPAs considering switching accounting software packages far exceeds the 50 percent divorce rate for American marriages. READ MORE →
