Accounting Technology articles from April 2002

Accounting Technology archives from April 2002

The curse of the multi-product line. (Editor's Note).(Editorial)
April 1, 2002... Multiple product lines aren't supposed to be a good thing. Sustaining them raises costs by requiring multiple research and development teams. Supporting them requires help-desk personnel with different training. So it's intriguing that...

Street talk: Reader views.
April 1, 2002... If CPA firms are forced to choose between audit and consulting engagements, what do you think the impact will be on the accounting software reselling market? For years, I have watched Big Five (and other) accounting firms successfully...

Navision inks BDO. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Navision has approved BDO Seidman as an authorized reseller of the Danish manufacturer's Attain Financial Software in the 200 offices of BDO Seidman and its accounting alliance. For Navision, the authorization is part of a broader strategy...

Ashwood launched. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Jeffrey Forwood and Steven Gutowski, two CPAs who were formerly executives with SystemLink, have launched Ashwood Solutions, an Accpac accounting software reseller. The new company is based in the Baltimore, Md., suburb of Abingdon, and...

CG tops Blackbaud channel. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Clifton Gunderson has been honored as BLACKBAUD's top reseller for 2001 for bringing in more than $500,000 in sales of Blackbaud's Accounting for Nonprofits software. It was the third consecutive year in which Clifton Gunderson, based in...

Epicor repeals loyalty oath. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Epicor Software has repealed a more-than-year-old requirement that bans its resellers from carrying competing financial software products. That ban was announced in May 2000 and implemented in the fall of that year. The company has since...

CPA sets up CITP forum. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Susan Bradley, a California CPA who has been promoting the AICPA's Certified Information Technology Credential, has set up a Web-based CITP forum utilizing QuickPlace, a browser-based collaboration tool from Lotus. Bradley says the...

UA honors VAR. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... UA Business Software has named Demand Systems, a Philadelphia reseller, as the winner of its UA Best Practices Award for 2000. Demand Systems is led by president Gene Marks, who also heads the Marks Group, a CPA firm that provides...

ePartners tops best. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Texas-based reseller ePartners has been named as Business Partner of the Year by Best Software for the reseller's dedication and commitment to selling Best's software products. The reselling firm also received honors in Best's 2001 Circle...

GP starts SBM program. (Practice Development News).(Microsoft Great Plains Small Business Manager)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Microsoft Great Plains has quietly launched a reseller program for its Small Business Manager, essentially a low-priced version of the company's Dynamics accounting software. Without making an official announcement, the company published...

Microsoft pushes CRM. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Microsoft will launch the Microsoft Customer Relationship Management package built on its .Net platform later this year, as the company tries to broaden a troubled CRM effort. The CRM package will integrate with Great Plains Dynamics,...

Best offers Small Biz Suite. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Best Software has launched the Best Enterprise Suite Small Business Edition, expanding the financial line to companies with revenue of $1 million to $25 million annually. The small business version was introduced as the company released...

Exact results rise. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Exact Software, the Dutch parent of Exact Macola, saw net income rise 28.9 percent for 2001, while revenue rose 25.4 percent. The company did not break out results for Macola, but a presentation showed that North American revenue was 3...

Navision invests in CRM. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Navision has acquired a 35 percent stake in Celenia Software, a Danish company that provides the customer relationship management system that is integrated with Navision Attain. Navision is allied with Siebel Systems, but found that "Siebel...

Epicor narrows loss. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Epicor Software reported a loss of $2.7 million for the fourth quarter ended December 31, an improvement from $5.4 million in red ink from a year earlier. However, revenue fell to $39.2 million, down 27 percent from $53.7 million in the...

Macola hires GM. (Accounting News).(Exact Macola, Lisa Ganem)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Exact Macola has hired Lisa Ganem as general manager for its e-Synergy line. Ganem was formerly director of professional services and business development for Great Plains. At Exact Macola her job will be to establish a business plan and...

MYOB hits low end. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... MYOB, the Macintosh and Windows accounting software manufacturer based in Rockaway, N.J., is targeting the low-end of the business market with MYOB FirstEdge. The Mac-based accounting product "is a few steps below our MYOB AccountEdge,"...

CCH names publisher. (Tax & Financial News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... CCH has named James de Gaspe Bonar as publisher of the company's Federal and State Tax Group. Bonar was previously president and CEO of CCH Canadian. Bonar succeeds Kevin Robert, who was recently named president and CEO of CCH Tax...

Wealth Touch picks tool. (Tax & Financial News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Wealth Touch, which serves firms that cater to high net worth clients, has picked Boston-based ByAllAccounts to provide financial data and portfolio analysis for its clients. ByAllAccounts provides a data collection and categorization...

Intuit's Web revenue rises. (Tax & Financial News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Revenue for TurboTax for the Web rose 158 percent for the company's second quarter ended January 31, compared to the figure for the prior year. While the figures cover only the early part of the tax season, the company expected that...

CPA starts portal. (Tax & Financial News).(Mutualfundtaxinfo.com)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... John Maddox, a Detroit-based CPA, has launched Mutualfundtaxinfo.com, a portal that is designed to provide information about the implications of taxpayers' holdings in mutual funds and other investment instruments. The portal strives to...

Intuit hires exec. (Tax & Financial News).(Dan Manack )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Intuit has hired Dan Manack as vice president and general manager for the company's Professional Products Group, which includes the operations of Lacerte, Pro Series, and Tax and Accounting Software Corp. Manack, 43, was most recently...

Techfi adds contact. (Tax & Financial News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Techfi, a financial software manufacturer, has integrated Contact, a client relations management system, into AdvisorMart Institutional. Contact and the existing Portfolio model enable broker dealer producers to access and manage client...

Financial Circuit inks group. (Tax & Financial News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... FINANCIAL CIRCUIT has reached an agreement under which the Association of independent Accounting Professionals will promote Financial Circuit's e-business platform on the association's Web site and through other avenues. The AIAP serves...

CPA2Biz buys Rivio. (e-Business News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... CPA2Biz, the AICPA's distribution arm, has acquired application service provider Rivio, initiating a sweeping management change and new focus for the company. RIVIO's co-founder and CEO Navin Chaddha has become president of CPA2Biz, while...

Camico unveils site. (e-Business News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Camico, the mutual insurance company, has launched a Web site that enables CPAs to view sample professional liability insurance policies offered by Camico. CPAs can also use the site at www.camico.com to request a quote on their coverage,...

Privacy Task Force formed. (e-Business News).(American Institute of CPAs )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The American Institute of CPAs has formed an Enterprise-Wide Privacy Task Force to develop best practices and solutions for CPAs who advise companies on issues related to privacy. The AICPA is developing the best practices, incorporating...

Accpac rolls out PASS. (e-Business News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Accpac International has introduced the Accpac Online Professional Accountant Subscription Service (PASS), which allows CPAs to provide hosted applications from Accpac through their own Web sites. "The accountant will be able to see the...

CSI adds newsletter. (e-Business News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Creative Solutions has added a newsletter option to the company's Web Builder Solution, to give firms the ability to add industry news and topics to their Web sites. Accountants can post up to three newsletter articles on their Web site...

Peachtree offers name services. (e-Business News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Peachtree Software has partnered with Register.com to provide businesses with the ability to register URLs through the Peachtree Domain Name Registration. The service offers many Top Level Domains, including the new .biz. Users can both...

Ultimate sales drop. (e-Business News).(Ultimate Software Group)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Sales for the Ultimate Software Group, which makes Web-based payroll and employee management applications, dropped 4 percent for the year ended December 31, as its net loss increased slightly. Sales for 2001 were $57.5 million, down from...

Third-party stars shine: the supporting characters often are the people who make the sale possible.
April 1, 2002... There's a lot of attention paid to general accounting vendors like Microsoft Great Plains, Best Software, Navision, Accpac, and others. After all, they are the big players in the mid-market software business. But for the reseller, it's...

Financial planning tools build profits: These products test, simulate, review, and adjust the financial plan until it works. (Software Review).(Evaluation)
April 1, 2002... For established and start-up accounting firms alike, financial planning has provided a significant new opportunity for revenue. Particularly among new firms, where competition for clients can be fierce, the prospect of using client data already...

Vertical VARs -- scratching a Niche: Rather than turn to third parties, resellers are doing their own R&D to create industry-specific packages. (Accounting).
April 1, 2002... These are rough times," says Business Management International president Larry Schiff. "Customers want to know that the people they're dealing with aren't just generalists who will do anything to sell another system. They want to know that you...

From t-a-x to P-F-P: Automated 1040 data can smooth the transition into personal financial planning. (Tax).
April 1, 2002... Slowly but surely, integration between tax and financial planning software is building momentum as more and more tax preparers try their hand at retirement planning, insurance, investment management, and related financial services. ...

AccountSquare. (New Products).(from LiveOffice)(Abstract)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... LiveOffice's AccountSquare helps accountants to develop customized Web sites for their firms and incorporates customer tools, such as business articles, client tax organizers, tax updates, and tax calculators. Within the Web site, the firm...

The Financial Edge. (New Products).(from Blackbaud)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Blackbaud's accounting system, the Financial Edge, was designed to help nonprofits make management decisions. The software mirrors the look and feel of working on the Web. Key features include reporting that has unlimited filters and...

Techfi Portfolio. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Techfi Portfolio's corporate action feature automates stock splits, spin-offs, acquisitions, and distributions. Improved Fixed-Income Securities will include interest in both bond returns and values. A new interface with IDC enables users...

Cougar Mountain Job Cost. (New Products).(Job Cost for Windows)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Job Cost for Windows tracks costs for a number of activities including building inventory items, billing customers for services rendered, and combining materials and labor costs accrued during the manufacturing of items for sale. Job Cost...

Oracle Small Business 7.5. (New Products).(Abstract)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Oracle Small Business 7.5 focuses on usability and customization tools. In the Sales Force Automation and Customer Support Management components, many reports have been added to give sales and support users better reporting and analysis...

QuickBooks for the Web. (New Products).(from Intuit)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... QuickBooks for the Web can now convert data from desktop versions of QuickBooks 1999, 2000, and 2001. One-Step Invoicing allows users to create invoices in one step by entering information right on the invoice form. They can also include...

Intacct Consolidation. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Internet-based Intacct Consolidation enables customized, automated roll-ups of multiple subsidiary companies into a parent company. The application allows accountants to administer and map subsidiary companies to parent companies, to...

BusinessWorks Gold. (New Products).(Best Software's BusinessWorks Gold 2.2 integrated accounting software)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... BusinessWorks Gold version 2.2 accounting software, designed for businesses with up to 50 employees, includes increased detail on payroll stubs, such as pay rate and vacation balance, generated by the Payroll module. The client/server...

Ultimate Financial Forecaster. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Ultimate Financial Forecaster enables professionals to produce financial forecasts through more than fifteen reports and charts. The user follows steps that assist in building a comprehensive set of financial projections. The application...

ImagineTime. (New Products).(from BothWorlds Software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... ImagineTime 2.74, a time billing and practice management program, now integrates with Microsoft Outlook, and allows professionals to export a client's name, address, and phone number from ImagineTime to Outlook. Users can also create an...

OpenAir Purchases. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... OpenAir has added Purchases, a purchase order module, to its Web-based professional services automation application. Purchases automatically handles businesses' purchase requests, purchase orders, purchase fulfillment, and purchase...

FundWare 7.16. (New Products).(Fundware's accounts receivable software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... The FundWare 7.16 Windows-based Accounts Receivable module allows users to enter, store, and print multiple 250-character fields for client notes, instead of in a single 250-character free-form field. This allows for flexibility when...

Softrax Revenue Management. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... The Softrax Revenue Management Module allows set-up, management, and tracking of revenue from multiple sources, including licenses, maintenance contracts, subscriptions, transactions, and services. The module facilitates compliance with...

GoldMine Plus Accounting. (New Products).(from Front Range Solutions)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Using GoldMine Plus Accounting with QuickBooks 2002, sales teams can access customer credit histories while accounting departments retain control of the financial data. The FrontRange Open Accounting Initiative's goal is to integrate...

Epson printers. (New Products).(Epson FX-880+ and Epson FX1180+)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Epson impact printers models FX-880+ and FX1180+ deliver speeds up to 564 characters per second in 12 cpi ultra speed draft mode, with printhead life expectancy of 200 million characters. The narrow-carriage FX-880+ supports an 80-column...

AccountantsWorld.com. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.accountantsworld.com Join the world's largest online community of Accountants! Get tax & accounting information in seconds, read breaking industry news, generate referrals via our online directory, create your own customized online...

Cougar Mountain Software Payroll[R]. (Web Directory).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... www.cougarmtn.com Cougar Mountain offers an award-winning software solution to easily manage your payroll in-house. Cougar Mountain Payroll(R) offers ease-of-use, airtight security, multiple-state handling, complete tax calculations,...

Genovation, Inc. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.genovation.com Universal keypads for notebook computers. Genovation offers a dynamic variety of numeric keypads for notebook and desktop computers. For more information call (800) 822-4333.

CaseWare International, Inc. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.caseware.com CaseWare Working Papers www.caseware.com Completely automate the entire compilation, review and audit engagement, Includes a centralized document manager, drag and drop mapping, imports from major accounting packages,...

Execusite. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.execusite.com "Enhance your firm's image with a high-quality, content-rich Website by Execusite. Provide superior service to your clients via 24/7 access to timely financial information and interactive tools, including CCH Premium...

HJP Associates. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.hjpassociates.com Featuring professional and user friendly payroll, financial statement, 1099, and W-2 preparation software. For more information, visit our web site or call 908-354-3441.

Drake software. (Web Directory).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... www.drake-software.com Complete 1040, 1041, 1065, 1120, 1120S tax preparation software for the tax professional. Check out package options, sales and demo information.

Financial MicroSystems. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.clientledgersystem.com Financial MicroSystems, Inc, offers innovative client write-up software designed to meet the needs of CPA's and accounting professionals. Client Ledger System[TM] software easily accommodates a growing practice...

IntelliTax by Orrtax Software. (Web Directory).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... www.intellitax.com IntelliTax is the only professional tax so are powered exclusively by Microsoft TaxSaverTM technology. Combined with Orrtax's proven experience in developing tax preparation and e-filing software, the IntelliTax Suite of...

www.ppcnet.com. (Online Resources from Practitioners Publishing Company).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... PPCnet, home of the PPC network, allows practitioners to access 30 of PPC's most popular titles, practical guidance, and web-enabled software, delivered via the Internet.

www.ppcadviser.com/demo. (Online Resources from Practitioners Publishing Company).
April 1, 2002... Personal Financial Center (TM) offers online adviser and client connection, communication and collaboration, retirement planning, account aggregation and more - on your website! Free demo!

www.ppcuniversity.com. (Online Resources from Practitioners Publishing Company).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Through PPC University, PPC offers web-based CPE 24-hrs/7-days, plus information on PPCs in-firm and book-based CPE, as well as access to PPC's database of more than 1000 CPE titles.

MicroMash. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.MicroMash.com MicroMash offers over 100 CPE courses with the ultimate flexibility and portability. Download your selection; take a course over the Internet; have a disk delivered to your door! Visit our website and preview Capital...

Micro Vision Software, Inc. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.microvisionic.com Micro Vision offers innovative, fully integrated software solutions for the accounting professional, as well as services designed to grow your practice. Call 1-888-Relief 4 (888-735-4334) for information

Creative Solutions. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.creativesolutions.com Creative Solutions offers and inclusive line of seamlessly integrated write-up, payroll, and trial balance/audit, client accounting, depreciation, tax, tax planning, and practice management software. (800)...

Electronic Accountant.com. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.electronicaccountant.com An exciting Web magazine that features up-to-the-minute news for accountants, ongoing discussion groups, links and summaries of hundreds of accounting and tax web sites, and feature articles.

CrossLink Tax Software. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.petzent.com CrossLink Professional Tax Software offers user-friendly products that fully integrate Tax Preparation, Electronic Filing & Financial Services. For a FREE copy of CrossLink software, visit our web site or call (800)...

Phoenix Phive Software Corporation. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.phoenixphive.com Everything you need for your payroll and 1099 processing: software, checks, MICR supplies and W-2 and 1099 forms. Download a free demo or call 1-877-601-1555.

The Sleeter Group. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.sleeter.com THE SLEETER GROUP is the country's leading QuickBooks and Accounting Technology expert advisory group, focused on advising and training accounting professionals to better serve small business clients. Call 1-888-484-5484,...

Software Technology Inc. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.softwaretechnology.biz/indexacct.html Software Technology Inc. has been at the forefront of professional services markets since 1979 with userfriendly and technologically advanced time billing (TABS III), practice management...

STFB Inc. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.stfb.com Web-Based and Client/Server Accounting Systems with Source Code Included for Visual Basic, Access, SQL Server, JavaScript & More! Visit STFB Inc. at http://www.stfb.com

ProSystem fx. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.prosystemfx.com The ProSystem fx Office is an award-winning suite of integrated tax and accounting software from CCH. Visit our web site for product information, demos, free downloads, and more, or call us at 1-800-PFX-9998.

TADOnline. (Web Directory).
April 1, 2002... www.TADOnline.com TADOnline's proven Web Based Communications Management System is now available to all accountants. Start servicing online outsourced bookkeeping/accounting clients today with a FREE 30 day trial.

Epicor: Opening the channel. (Channels).
April 1, 2002... In May 2000, Epicor mandated that resellers who handle its e by Epicor line must exclusively sell Epicor products. Since then, the Irvine, Calif.-based software company has lost 40 percent of its original dealer base. Perhaps it is no...

Marc Elliott: Separating the practice. (Accounting Technologist).
April 1, 2002... Marc Elliott traded in his role as a traditional CPA to become a technologist more than two years ago with the formation of the SBE Technology Group. The CPA firm of Swaim, Brown, and Elliott, based in Spartanburg, S.C., was one of many...

Insurance as an asset class. (Editor's Note).
April 1, 2002... What is it that Woody Allen once said? "There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" Most of us have had an encounter with a rather aggressive insurance salesperson somewhere in our...

1st Global adds retirement planning. (Tech Tools).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... 1st Global, the Dallas-based financial planning company, is offering the Internet based retirement planning system Compass Gold, for its advisors and their clients. Compass Gold will provide a low-cost retirement planning program based on a...

Variable products on MorningStar. (Tech Tools).(Morningstar Advisor Workstation)
April 1, 2002... MorningStar is providing information about 20,000 variable annuity/life sub-accounts to its advisors via Morningstar Advisor Workstation. The company also has a multi-goal planner that will help advisors create asset allocation benchmarks and...

PayMaxx Power125. (Tech Tools).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... PayMaxx's Power125 plan allows employers to choose from a flexible spending account (FSA) or a premium only plan (POP) to provide its employees with an enhanced employee benefits plan that is easy to manage and offers valuable tax savings....

Ultimate Financial Forecaster. (Tech Tools).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Ultimate Financial Forecaster allows professionals to produce financial forecasts with over 15 easy-to-read reports and charts. The users follow steps that assist them in building a comprehensive set of financial projections, and they will know...

Personal Financial Center. (Tech Tools).
April 1, 2002... PPC's Personal Financial Center offers professional engagement guidance, and software tools combined with online financial planning software applications. The service operates via a link from the advisor's Web site to a hosted Web site branded...

WebPortfolio 2.0. (Tech Tools).(from ByAllAccount)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Investment advisors and their preferred clients have access to on-demand viewing and analyzation of aggregated data for all of their investment portfolios with WebPortfolio 2.0. ByAllAccount's WebPortfolio allows an advisor to determine the...

Reform initiatives. (Asset Builders).
April 1, 2002... Don Trone, president of the Foundation for Fiduciary Studies in Pittsburgh, is proposing a standing committee to be convened by the President, Congress, the Department of Labor, and the SEC to define the practices and details of a prudent...

Living & Giving. (Asset Builders).(online magazine from Allmerica Financial)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... A new online magazine has just been released by Allmerica Financial (Worcester, Mass.) called Wealth, Living, Giving. Some of the topics covered include technological, cultural and financial trends, how to slow down and see the world, Irish...