September 2011 - CPA Practice Advisor

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In this issue

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Payroll

Paylocity Corporation — Paylocity Web Pay

866-304-3800 www.paylocity.com Best Fit Companies who want a web-based payroll and human resources application that integrates with many entry-level and mid-range accounting and ERP applications. Strengths Uses a single database for payroll and HR data, and allows documents to be attached to electronic personnel files in their native formats. Provides integration with many popular […]

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Payroll

QuickBooks Payroll Enhanced for Accounting Professionals by Intuit ProLine

888-236-9501 www.accountant.intuit.com/payroll Best Fit Accounting professionals who do client bookkeeping/write-up or payroll preparation in QuickBooks for Windows, as well as those who need support for payroll integration with job costing in QuickBooks. Strengths Tightly integrated with the Windows version of QuickBooks; however, there is no support for QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks for Mac or third-party […]

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Technology

A 12-point Checklist for Disaster Recovery Planning

By the time you read this, I will have delivered a new presentation, “Crisis Communications: What Would You Do if BP Happened to You?” for the Kansas Society of CPAs. I was fortunate to be invited to speak during the KSCPA’s Business & Industry Expo in August to an audience of tax and accounting professionals […]

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Technology

A Challenge to the 2011 40 under 40 Honorees: Create a Vision

Congratulations to the 2011 “40 under 40” tax and accounting profession leaders! I envy young professionals today because we are keenly aware of the importance of networking and programs that help to polish leadership skills. The Kansas Society of CPAs has its “20 up to 40,” one of many successful leadership development programs sponsored by state CPA societies, and the AICPA is ready to launch its third Leadership Academy.

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Payroll

Thomson Reuters — Accounting CS Payroll

800-968-8900 CS.ThomsonReuters.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit Accounting firms who use the Accounting CS application to work with clients on payroll and bookkeeping, as well as accounting professionals who use other CS Professional Suite tools for accounting, tax or document management. Strengths Uses combination of SaaS & hosted technologies to facilitate collaboration […]

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Payroll

2011 Review of Crest Payroll

888-400-1613 www.crestpayroll.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit Companies and firms who want a sophisticated, web-based payroll product that integrates with their existing websites, as well as organizations that use Paramount’s other applications (eVault 365 DMS, Meridian MSP recruiting). Strengths Website integration feature, included employee portals & firm-specific branding makes even the smallest […]

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Payroll

SurePayroll for Accountants

877-954-7873 www.SurePayroll.com 2011 Overall Rating Best Fit Clients or firms who want a robust, web-based payroll solution with strong features such as a mobile application, employee self-service portals and integration with numerous accounting software applications. Strengths Interfaces provided for QuickBooks, Sage Peachtree, AccountEdge & Intacct (data transfer may require users to pay a fee). […]

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Payroll

Cheque-Mate International, Inc. — Cheque-Mate Payroll Solutions

800-755-7846 www.chequemate.com 2011 Overall Rating Best Fit Payroll processors with large numbers of payroll clients who need an application with an inexpensive entry point but do not need general ledger (GL) integration. Strengths Includes support for multiple payroll frequencies, job costing & direct deposit. Call Calendar helps staff manage multiple priorities & shows […]

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Payroll

CCH Small Firm Services — ATX Payroll & TaxWise Payroll

ATX: 888-455-0183; www.atxinc.com TaxWise: 888-455-0182; www.taxwise.com 2011 Overall Rating 4 Best Fit Accounting firms and small companies who need a live and after-the-fact payroll preparation tool designed to work with the ATX and CCH write up solutions, as well as firms who are using ProSystem fx Practice Management, or need check in/checkout […]

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Payroll

Intuit Online Payroll for Accounting Professionals by Intuit ProLine

888-236-9501 www.accountant.intuit.com/payroll 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit Small businesses and accounting professionals who want a web-based payroll application that provides the ability to collaborate with users at other sites. It’s also a good fit for QuickBooks for Mac and QuickBooks Online users who want a payroll tool that integrates directly with their […]

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Payroll

4 Models To Position Payroll As A Profit Center

Payroll is an important part of any business, and most payroll solutions currently available are capable of providing support for all business types and sizes. Although technology and automation have made compliance much easier, payroll continues to grow in complexity.

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Payroll

Advanced Micro Solutions, Inc. — 1099-Etc, A-T-F Payroll

800-536-1099 www.1099-Etc.com 2011 Overall Rating Best Fit Accounting professionals and small businesses who need a value-priced program for after-the-fact payroll & employment tax compliance, as well as firms who prefer locally installed applications to web-based tools. Strengths Good tool for year-end reporting & interim after-the-fact payroll & tax compliance. Electronic wage detail filing is […]

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Payroll

RUN Powered by ADP Payroll for Accountants

800-Call ADP (225-5237) www.accountant.adp.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit Firms who manage payroll and compliance needs for multiple client businesses, but who prefer most compliance work to be outsourced. It’s also a good fit for professionals who want to provide human resource tools and workers’ compensation premium payment solutions. Strengths Available in full-service […]

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Payroll

Sage HRMS

800-424-9392 www.sageabra.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Fit Companies who want a solid on-premises or third-party hosted payroll system with full human resource management capabilities. Strengths Strong payroll capabilities, including support for both U.S. and Canadian payroll. Employee portal module (Sage Employee Self Service). Human resources management functionality is a leader in […]

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Payroll

Red Wing Software, Inc. — CenterPoint Payroll

800-732-9464 www.redwingsoftware.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit CenterPoint Payroll is a good solution for most small businesses and payroll service providers who process payroll for multiple companies and who may want some limited human resource management capabilities. It’s also a good fit for organizations that use Red Wing’s CenterPoint or TurningPoint accounting software […]

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Payroll

PenSoft Payroll Solutions — PenSoft Payroll Accounting Edition

888-736-7638 www.pensoft.com 2011 Overall Rating 4 Best Fit Accounting professionals who provide payroll processing for multiple clients and prefer an on-premises application. Strengths Drag-and-drop report modification allows custom reporting, and report customizations can be saved for use in future months. An unlimited number of users can access each company file simultaneously. Export files […]

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Payroll

CYMA Systems, Inc. — CYMA Payroll Software

800-292-2962 www.cyma.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit Firms or companies who use CYMA’s integrated applications for write-up, nonprofit accounting or general ledger, which has been rebranded as RedGear Accounting for users of the TaxWorks professional tax preparation system. It’s also a good fit for firms or companies who want an on-premises payroll […]

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Payroll

Cougar Mountain Software — CMS Professional 2012 Payroll

800-388-3038 www.cougarmtn.com 2011 Overall Rating 4 Best Fit Users who want an on-premises application for processing large payrolls and those who use other Cougar Mountain Software offerings. It’s also a good fit for those who want to prepare and transmit their own payroll tax filings or outsource to a third party (Aatrix). Strengths Supports […]

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Payroll

CompuPay — XpressPayroll

877-729-6299 www.compupay.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit The XpressPayroll for Accountants wholesale version is a good fit for accounting professionals who want to work with client payroll without implementing an in-house payroll application or preparing payroll tax returns. It’s also designed for organizations with a total of five or fewer paid employees […]

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Payroll

CompuPay — PowerPayroll

877-729-6299 www.compupay.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Fit Accountants or companies who need a web-based payroll application with outsourced tax filing and payment processing services, as well as organizations that need to manage payroll for businesses with less than 200 total employees. Strengths Offers all-inclusive, full-service payroll with support for unlimited application users. Garnishments, […]

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Payroll

CompuPay — PayrollOnline

877-729-6299 www.compupay.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Fit Accountants or companies who need a web-based payroll application with outsourced tax filing and payment processing services. Also, firms or organizations who need to manage payroll for multiple companies using a single login, but who do not have a full-time payroll or HR staff person. Strengths […]

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Payroll

AccountantsWorld — Payroll Relief

888-999-1366 www.accountantsworld.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Fit Any accounting firm that wants to offer payroll services directly to their clients. This cloud-based payroll service is private-labeled and can be configured to meet the needs of different clients. It is also a good fit for firms that would like to work with a […]

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Payroll

APS, Inc. — APS OnLine

888-277-8514 www.apspayroll.com 2011 Overall Rating Best Fit Firms who are looking for a web-based payroll solution that interfaces with most accounting applications, as well as companies with more than 100 employees. Strengths Publisher indicates that they have over 100 integrations with timekeeping & GL applications. Multi-state payroll withholdings are allowed for employees. eSELFSERVE employee […]

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Hardware

5 Hardware Tools that Mean Business For Small Businesses

Even with all the talk about the productivity-boosting effects of going to the cloud … and SaaS this, and web-based that, technology hardware remains an essential component of any modern business. Yet, while the obvious core components of desktops, laptops, monitors, printers and even phones may immediately come to many people’s minds when they hear the term “hardware,” there are many specialty gadgets that can help businesses maximize their mobile mojo, empower their productivity, energize their efficiency and boost their bottom line.

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Marketing Takes Center Stage

For too long, marketing has lurked in the shadows, ignored and rejected. The traditional thought is that marketing is a non-billable activity, and therefore a non-necessity. In reality, marketing drives sales. Well-planned and consistent promotion of services not only keeps a sales funnel full, it helps firms build a strong brand and stay in front of prospects and clients.

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Firm Management

The Blue Collar CPA

A Productivity in Practice Feature. A small business is most productive when its owners are doing what they love. Whether a mechanic, baker, landscaper, restaurateur, childcare provider or a merchant, small business owners usually like what they do.

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The Versatile Group — CertiflexDimension Client Write-Up

800-237-8435 www.CertiflexDimension.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit: Firms managing clients with high transaction volumes and multi-level company structures. Strengths: Good interface customization Strong reporting & financials options Broad set of core modules Broad reporting & financials generation Potential Limitations: Moderate reporting customization Module-based pricing Summary & Pricing CertiflexDimension Write-Up and the related modules […]

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CYMA Systems, Inc. — CYMA After-the-Fact

800-292-2962 www.cyma.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit: Professional firms managing complex clients with multiple locations or subsidiaries, as well as nonprofit and grant-based organizations. Strengths: Exceptional customization options Comprehensive module options with strong integration Output to many formats Broad reporting & financials generation Potential Limitations: Module-based pricing No client portals Summary & […]

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CCH Small Firm Services — Client Accounting Suite & Client Accounting Suite Premier

TaxWise:888-455-0182; www.taxwise.com ATX: 888-455-0183; www.atxinc.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit: Firms using the ATX or TaxWise tax and workflow products who want an easy-to-use write-up package with after-the-fact payroll reporting, financials generation and optional live payroll are a match with Client Accounting Suite. CCH ProSystem fx Tax and Practice Management users are supported […]

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Winning With Client Write-Up

Over the past several years, some accounting technologists have come close to announcing the demise of client write-up (or at least the significant decline in its necessity and profitability for professional accountants).

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Micronetics, Int’l. — Accounting Xpert Enterprise Edition

561-995-1477 www.axpert.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit: Firms managing small to mid-sized enterprises, and those with multiple locations. Strengths: Doesn’t require monthly closings Run reports across multiple years, any time periods Broad reporting & financials customization Strong support for multi-location entities Potential Limitations: No bank statement import function (although import is available from […]

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Thomson Reuters – Accounting CS

800-968-8900 www.CS.ThomsonReuters.com 2011 Overall Rating 5 Best Fit: Firms looking for a central write-up and trial balance system as part of a suite of integrated tax and practice management systems for managing workflow across all engagements. Strengths: Excellent integration Comprehensive reporting & financials Broad payroll compliance with state & some local support Client-side […]

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Technology

Comfortable No More: 3 Things You Must Do Now

I can’t help but preach the message that change is coming in our profession. That is my end goal in every professional thing I do. This type of confabulation may offend you or it may encourage you. But my goal is to take away your comfort as you lead your professional practice into the future.

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AccountantsWorld — Accounting Relief

888-999-1366 www.AccountantsWorld.com/AR 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit: Firms who want to bring both their practice and their clients onto a web-based accounting system that gives the firm greater control over data and the ability to monitor and control what their clients can do with their collaborative bookkeeping system. Strengths: Simple navigation & […]

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Intuit, Inc. — QuickBooks Accountant 2011

800-267-8379 www.accountant.intuit.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Fit: Firms whose clients mostly use QuickBooks and who provide general write-up and reconciliation work. Strengths: Comfortable, intuitive navigation & interface Good reporting with PDF, Word, Excel output Email invoicing & electronic payment options Most commonly used program Mobile apps for client-focused work Potential Limitations: Financial statement […]

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Technology

How Commitment & Change Go Hand in Hand

A lot has been written about the need for accountants to rethink how they run their practices. In the July issue of CPA Practice Advisor, Executive Editor Darren Root wrote, “It’s time to challenge yourself and really think about providing and delivering services that clients want.” I would argue that the same holds true for […]

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Advisory

Switching Software for Better Client Service

A standard consulting practice rule is that switching software is expensive. Disruptions to procedures occur, retraining is required, and without careful analysis you may force your organization into a product that has less capability or is more difficult to use. We expect clients to switch software as frequently as they switch physicians or religions. The […]

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5 Outlook Email Tips to Improve Productivity

If you are like most accountants, email has become one of the primary tools utilized to communicate with clients, internal firm personnel and external resources on business matters. While there are a variety of email systems available, most of the major accounting application vendors have integrated their products with Microsoft Office, which includes Outlook as their email client, making it the most prevalent tool we see utilized in accounting firms today.

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Small Business

Approaching Zero Data Entry — How Could That Be?

This year is shaping up to be a big year for innovation in the world of accounting services and client business processes. I’ve been researching several companies lately, and I’m learning how they view the market, how they build solutions, and what technology approach they believe will win the most customers today and into the […]

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The Peachtree Perspective becomes The Sage Perspective

This is the last column that will be called “The Peachtree Perspective.” Although Sage Peachtree is one of the first names in accounting software (from the perspective of its stature in the industry, as well as its long history), the world has changed since Peachtree was an independent software company that created software to run […]

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Technology

To the Cloud or Not to the Cloud …That Was the Question

I recently returned from the Sage conference in Washington, D.C., where I spent a great deal of time with thought leaders Ron Baker and Ed Kless. Each of us led sessions focused on improving firm operations. Collectively, Ron, Ed and I helped firms think through the many aspects of running a successful business. For example, […]