technology

cpas in top 100 accounting firms get an “a” for adoption of cloud, portable document scanners and workflow management technologies

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study by bay street group finds significant opportunities for performance improvement in client service and staff productivity

via businesswire

sunnyvale, calif. & laguna hills, calif. & braintree, mass. — cpas in the nation’s largest firms agree that adopting software-as-a-service (saas), portable document scanners and workflow management technologies provides a competitive edge over low-performing firms. however, the top firms also agree they need to adapt to these solutions at a faster rate to provide even greater client service and maintain a more productive staff.

“highly focused on client needs and expectations.”

these and other findings on profit margins, competition between firms and getting up-to-date with technology are the result of a new study conducted by bay street group, and sponsored by the cloudsolutions alliance. managing partners, partners, senior executives and senior staff from top 100 accounting firms participated in the survey, which shows that the best-managed, most successful firms are aggressively adopting cloud, saas and document management solutions. the survey results show that firms are adopting these technologies in order to become more competitive, provider better client service, and improve client retention.

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is your cell phone a security disaster waiting to happen?

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in annual aicpa survey, cpas advise companies to manage risk of mobile devices.

via aicpa

smartphones, tablets, laptops and flash drives in the workplace emerged for the first time as the top business technology concern for cpas and financial executives in the aicpa’s annual top technology initiatives survey.

the 22nd annual aicpa top technology initiative survey shows control and use of mobile devices was the no. 1 challenge for it professionals. the finding was based on responses from nearly 1,400 cpas nationwide specializing in information technology. in addition to mobile devices, the survey signaled future it issues will revolve around implementation of touch-screen technology, deployment of faster networks and voice recognition technology.

top tech 2011 ranking:

  1. control and use of mobile devices
  2. information security
  3. data retention policies and structure
  4. remote access
  5. staff and management training
  6. process documentation and improvements
  7. saving and making money with technology
  8. technology cost controls
  9. budget processes
  10. project management & deployment of new technology

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nine big tech trends at cpa firms

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the all-digital firm comes into view.

the 2011 association for accounting administration’s 2011 paperless benchmarking survey shows digitalization accelerating at cpa firms.

the survey, conducted biannually by cpa tech consultant roman kepczyk since 2003, this year included 196 firms, each averaging about 55 persons.

“the latest iteration of this survey expanded the number of questions to encompass evolving technologies in scanning and archival, as well as to identify changes in tools and applications impacting administrative workflows,” kepczyk says. “while there was a stronger focus on tax and administrative topics, audit, practice management, communications, and technology topics were also addressed for their paperless impact.”

the survey shows at least nine big advances in:

  1. firm-wide document management programs
  2. firms instructing personnel to primarily utilize email for communicating with tax clients for additional information requests
  3. portals or ftp sites to deliver digital tax returns/information to clients
  4. organizing or bookmarking scanned client source documents into a standardized pdfs
  5. digital fax systems
  6. virtualized servers
  7. email invoices
  8. management dashboards
  9. dual monitors

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