The 4 Buckets of Firm Knowledge

Power BI is gaining on Excel for dashboards.

By Roman H. Kepczyk
Quantum of Paperless: Technology Guide & Checklist

Firm knowledge and information is usually stored in one of four “buckets.” The most obvious is within the accounting applications themselves where tax, audit and accounting programs store client files in a format that can only be accessed with that program. Files are usually indexed and accessed in designated directories so there is not much the firm can do about moving these files.

MORE: Why Digital Communications Matter | The Case for Wireless Broadband Access | Maximize Your Office 365 ROI | How the Cloud Impacts Server Replacement | Capturing Documents at the Source
Exclusively for PRO Members. Log in here or upgrade to PRO today.

The second bucket for more advanced firms is a document management application where final documents can be archived in alignment with a comprehensive document retention plan and easily searched. The 2019 CPAFMA survey pointed to 30 percent of firms utilizing their document management application for intranet purposes.

Posted on November 30, 2020

Roman H. Kepczyk

About the Author

Roman H. Kepczyk, CPA, serves as Director of Firm Technology Strategy for Right Networks, helping firms throughout North America effectively use information technology and accounting applications by optimizing their tax, audit, and administrative production workflows.

Click here for more by Roman Kepczyk

He is a contributing author to
Bridging the Gap: Strengthening the Connection between Current and Emerging Leaders in the CPA Profession

He has spent the past 20 years consulting exclusively with CPA firms and prior to that, 10 years with the CPA firm of Henry & Horne, Arizona’s largest regional firm, where he was the partner in charge of the firm’s Management Advisory Services and PC Consulting practices. Roman also served as the firm’s administrative partner where he oversaw internal accounting, marketing, human resources, and was responsible for the creation and implementation of the firm’s technology plan and budget. He is a former member of the AICPA PCPS Executive Committee and a former Chairman of the AICPA’s Information Technology Executive Committee. He has served as a member of other AICPA initiatives, including the Special Committee on Enhanced Business Reporting, eBusiness Task Force, IT Best Practices, IT Research, IT Practices Committees, and Group of 100 projects. In addition, he is a former Chairman of the AICPA Top Technologies Task Force. Roman was named by INSIDE Public Accounting as one of the profession’s Most Recommended Consultants for each of the years from 2004 through 2014, CPA Practice Advisors Top 25 Thought Leaders for 2011 through 2015, and Accounting Today’s Most Influential People for the years 2000 through 2005, 2011, 2013 and 2014. Roman is also an Advisory Board Member to the Association for Accounting Administration and has served on the Board of Directors of the Arizona Society of CPAs. On a technical level, Roman is an AICPA Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) and a Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (LSS BB). He authored technology chapters for the PPC MAP Handbook, PPC Guide to Paperless Engagements, and sections of the AICPA MAP Handbook.

Click here for more by Roman H. Kepczyk

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

Continue reading your article with a CPA Trendlines Pro membership.