Accounting Technology articles from July 2002

Accounting Technology archives from July 2002

Going vertical. (Editor's Note).(Editorial)
July 1, 2002... At the AICPA's Tech 2002 conference, a friend engaged me in a debate about Intuit's third-party strategy. The acquisition of OmWare, which makes MasterBuilder, was a dead end and Intuit wouldn't make any headway into vertical markets, he...

Street talk: reader views.(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2002... What impact will Microsoft's acquisition of Navision have on accounting software resellers? I see the acquisition as purely a European play for Microsoft. Given the user count for Navision in the U.S., there is no cost justification for...

ITA names leaders. (Practice Development News).(Information Technology Alliance)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Information Technology Alliance, which parted ways with the American Institute of CPAs after two years as an AICPA division, has named Ron Eagle of Centerprise Advisors as its president. The user group, which represents CPA and...

ManagedOps lays off. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... ManagedOps, the Bedford, N.H.-based hosting company, has cut 14 people from its workforce, the third round of layoffs for the company and its sister reseller The Taylor Group in the last year and a half. The company confirmed that it had...

Lordi starts new biz. (Practice Development News).(NALPro Business Solutions)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Nicholas Lordi, who sold his East Brunswick, N.J.-based reseller business to ePartners in 1999, has started a new effort called NALPro Business Solutions. Lordi founded the former Business Micro Solutions, a Solomon and Best reseller, in...

Illinois launches Web site. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Illinois CPA Society has launched a redesigned Web site at www.icpas.org, that includes a Quick Link Navigator button on the home page to display links to the most used pages on the site. Such tools are designed to provide quicker...

Algorithm tops Exact channel. (Practice Development News).(Macola's VAR award for new customer sales)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Algorithm, a Mansfield, Ohio-based accounting software reseller, was named as the number one VAR in adding new customers during the last year for Macola's Progression Series. Macola, now known as Exact North America, changed its way of...

McGladrey drops Shapow. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Michael Shapow, who led the IT practice at Friedman, Eisenstein, Raemer, and Schwartz for 14 years, has been laid off after FERs' financial reporting operations were formally absorbed by its owner RSM McGladrey. Shapow had continued to run...

Peachtree Centers elect officers. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The Association of Professional Accounting Software Consultants, which represents current and former Peachtree Resource Centers has elected Lionel Berthiaume, of the Software Place of Auburn, Mass., as president. Stuart Stitely, a partner...

Intuit backs Sleeter. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Intuit has endorsed the QuickBooks workshops conducted by the Sleeter Group. Intuit endorsed two Sleeter seminar series, "Managing and Marketing Your Practice" and "QuickBooks Technology Workshop." Intuit also launched the QuickBooks 2002...

Reseller Staffing Cutbacks. (Practice Development News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... RESELLER STAFFING CUTBACKS Number employed 2001 2002 ePartners 500 350-400 Taylor Group/ManagedOps 157 109 Select Systems 40 17 Macdonald...

Best aims at Hercules. (Accounting News).(developing product to challenge Intuit)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Best Software is developing a Peachtree product, code-named Turbo, to challenge the recently launched Intuit's QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions (code-named Hercules). Best executives would not confirm the name or release date of the...

Hollinger resigns. (Accounting News).(Exact Software)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Bruce Hollinger, president and founder of Macola Software, has resigned his position after 20 years on the job. "I plan to take three or so months off," says Hollinger, whose company was purchased last year by Netherlands-based Exact...

Intuit buys Fundware. (Accounting News).(American Fundware)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Intuit has acquired American Fundware, which makes not-for-profit accounting software. Intuit will pay Fundware's parent, the flagship Group, $22 million in Intuit stock and $4 million in cash. Fundware's revenue is expected to hit between...

PFW targets process MFG. (Accounting News).(Platinum for Windows)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Best Software will attack the process manufacturing market as it ramps up the capabilities of the Platinum for Windows line that it acquired last year from Epicor. "We have had 40 percent revenue growth and 25 percent staff growth," says...

Bassiri quits Cougar. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... David Bassiri, who has led Cougar Mountain Software for the last 7.5 years, has resigned his position as president of the Boise, Idaho-based accounting software company. Bob Gossett, founder and CEO, is serving as president until a...

Navision results rise. (Accounting News).(Q3 2002)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Navision reported that worldwide sales rose 17 percent for the third quarter ended March 31, as net income dropped 31.8 percent from last year's corresponding period. Worldwide income hit $46.3 million in the third quarter. U.S. revenue...

AccountMate cuts staff. (Accounting News).(Softline revenue and earnings per share rose)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... AccountMate, the Novato, Calif-based accounting software manufacturer owned by Softline, has laid off 12 people. The layoffs come on the heels of the company's dismissal of Michael Horn as vice president of sales. Horn ha been replaced by...

Peachtree 2000 to end. (Accounting News).(end of 2003)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Peachtree Software will stop marketing one of its higher-end products, Peachtree 2000, at the end of this year and will drop product support at the end of 2003. Peachtree 2000 is based on the former MICA IV product line, acquired by...

Solomon updated. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Microsoft Great Plains has enhanced the Solomon IV product line with the addition of distribution and light manufacturing modules. The new modules, including inventory replenishment, landed cost, orders to purchase, and work order, continue...

Exact buys Kewill. (Accounting News).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Exact Software has purchased Kewill ERP, a division of Kewill Systems, as Exact continues its expansion in the United States. Exact will pay $19 million in cash for the Kewill division, which makes manufacturing and distribution software....

Intuit buys CBS. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(CBS Employer Services)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Intuit has acquired CBS Employer Services, the Fort Worth-based parent of CBS Payroll. Intuit will pay $78 million, including $74.5 million in cash, for CBS, which is expected to contribute more than $30 million in revenue for the fiscal...

Ruzzano leaves ProSystem. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(CCH Tax Compliance)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Arthur Ruzzano, who led the ProSystem fx sales team, has left the Torrance, Calif.-based operations of CCH after more than twenty years with the company. Ruzzano was vice president of sales and marketing for CCH Tax Compliance. His duties...

Intuit 3Q Revenue Rises. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(2002)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... INTUIT 3Q REVENUE RISES Revenue 2001 $425.2M Net Loss 2001 $35.8M Revenue 2002 $545.2M Net Income 2002 $144.5M Buoyed by strong TurboTax and QuickBooks sales, Intuit bounced back to profitability on a 28 percent...

Unger offers MVP. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(Methusaleh MVP)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... Unger Software, a New York-based marketer of financial planning software, has released Methusaleh MVP, which utilizes the XML format to make client files more portable. The company says the latest edition sports a new user interface and...

RIA redesigns Checkpoint. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(Checkpoint 5.0)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... RIA has launched Checkpoint 5.0, the latest version of its Internet-based tax research, giving the system a new user interface and improved navigation. The new interface "makes it easier to perform common tasks," says Ron Burkert, director...

Wilson departs CPAS. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(CPASoftware)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Kemp Wilson, who served as manager of customer relations and product promotions, has left CPASoftware of Pensacola, Fla., after working there for 18 years. Wilson left for personal reasons, according to the company, which makes tax, write...

CPA2Biz enters Payroll biz. (Tax & Financial Planning News).
July 1, 2002... CPA2Biz has gotten into the payroll processing arena by selling the Rivio Payroll Manager, with online and packaged editions that are based on applications from InterPay. The company is selling Rivio Payroll Online and Rivio Payroll Office...

STI sets var program. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(SoftwareTechnology Inc.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... SoftwareTechnology Inc., which makes time and billing software, has introduced a reseller program for its PracticeMaster and Tabs III applications. The Lincoln, Neb.-based company is offering margins of 35 to 40 percent after the first...

SurePayroll adds private label. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(Custom Payroll Service)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... SurePayroll has launched the Custom Payroll Service for Accountants, a version of its internet-based services that enables accountants to offer private label services. Michael Alter, president of the Chicago-based company, says that the...

Blackbaud hires exec. (Tax & Financial Planning News).(Germaine Ward)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Blackbaud has hired Germaine Ward, most recently vice president of media and applications at Iomega, to serve as vice president of products at the Charleston, S.C.-based not-for-profit software company. Ward will lead Blackbaud's product...

eLeaders make the Web work. (Accounting).
July 1, 2002... With nearly 50,000 inventory items, you can understand why DTC Stage & Studio Supply wanted to find a way to publish its catalog without the cost and time-consuming process of sending out a paper volume. "We were to the point we were...

Integration, the Web are key this season: some online services, though, disappoint magnified expectations. (Tax).
July 1, 2002... The I's have it. Integration and the Internet are the twin driving forces behind many of the system enhancements planned by tax prep software vendors for the upcoming tax season. Publishers are placing a high priority on software...

Payroll gets a good reference: firms want client names, not commissions, when they make payroll referrals. (Practice Development).
July 1, 2002... Wilke and Associates has seen revenue increase by approximately 20 percent since joining Paychex's payroll recommender program, "Partnership for Success," two years ago. "We don't want to get into payroll, but it's something all businesses...

Taking a broad view: U.S. accounting software firms are developing a global reach. (Accounting).
July 1, 2002... It's like finding yourself caught in a schoolyard-shoving match. "Over 2.8 million companies worldwide entrust their critical business processes to the Sage and Best brands," crows one leading accounting software publisher. "More than...

Coda Evaluation Guide. (New Products).(Coda Financials)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... The Coda Evaluation Guide will help professionals running a project to evaluate a major business application. The user is taken through a step-by-step process, from initial review of existing systems to building business justifications,...

MAS 90 v. 3.7. (New Products).(Best Software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... MAS 90 and MAS 200 version 3.7 users can enter, track, and resolve customer returns, while automatically updating accounting and inventory management data. The Return Merchandise Authorization module allows for cross-shipments. Sales order...

Disaster Recovery. (New Products).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) have developed a guide to help victims of natural and man-made disasters recover from financial loss. Disaster...

Fplan Social Security Calculator. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... The Fplan Social Security Calculator compares the difference between Social Security benefits available at early retirement versus those obtained at full retirement age. The software computes the age at which it is most advantageous to...

e-BusinessVision. (New Products).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Users of e-BusinessVision users can visit a firm's Web site to research account information, view products, place orders, and learn more about a company. Updates, which be made via the Web site daily, weekly, or monthly, can be set to be...

OIC Software. (New Products).(Tax Institute's Offer in Compromise)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... Offer in Compromise (OIC) software provides relief for tax professionals who have to negotiate with the IRS on behalf of their clients. The software includes all applicable forms, relevant IRS manual sections, and professional advice from...

Accounting Desk Book. (New Products).(Prentice Hall)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... The Accounting Desk Book provides professionals with the latest coverage of accounting, tax, and financial principles and practices. It details the latest FASB statements, accounting principles and standards, tax rules, plus their...

Oracle's Suite grows up. (Channels).
July 1, 2002... The Oracle Small Business Suite has come a long way from its original roots as NetLedger, an online accounting package that was sold for a $4.95-a-month-subscription. With price changes and the addition of new features and functions, the...

Roudabush: expert at up-selling. (Accounting Technologist).(Marsha Roudabush of Pro-Active Solutions)
July 1, 2002... Marsha Roudabush wants to be the national model for up-selling Best Software products. She's well on her, way, because currently her company Pro-Active Solutions has 8,000 Peachtree users in its customer base. And, at any given moment, one...

Accpac Business Analysis Suite. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... Accpac's Business Analysis Suite combines financial diagnostics software with standard business health assessment methodology. The Comprehensive Financial Optimizer extracts base data from the Advantage Series or Pro Series general ledger....

Contact Master 2. (New Products).(ByteMasters)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... With Contact Master 2, Workgroups Edition users can store, organize, and share information for an unlimited number of organizations, contacts, appointments, tasks, notes, sales opportunities, and documents. The software gives workgroups of...

ProSystem fx Practice 5.1. (New Products).(CCH)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... Multiple timekeepers and billers can simultaneously access and update data in version 5.1 of ProSystem fx Practice. The Web-based Global Time Entry module helps firms streamline the process of posting and processing time and expense data...

Mangomind 3.0. (New Products).(Mangosoft workgroup software)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... Mangomind 3.0 creates a virtual office so that geographically dispersed workgroups can access information from anywhere and collaborate with remote team members. Mangomind supports Microsoft Office documents, and allows online workgroups...

CCH Enteract. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... CCH Enteract allows planners to see how changes in client data affect planning scenarios through its Monte Carlo simulation capabilities. Enteract models financial scenarios based on client data and produces charts and graphs. It supports...

Brother HL. (New Products).(Brother HL1400 series printers)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... The Brother HL1400 series printers offer a speed of 15ppm, along with a first-page out speed of less than 15 seconds. The units also offer output quality of up to 1200 by 600 dpi for both text and graphics. The printers come with 2MB memory...

Silver Financial Planner. (New Products).(Money Tree Software's Silver Financial Planner 3.7)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2002... Silver Financial Planner 3.7 stores data for multiple clients and enables the professional to call up files for a review of a client's situation. The program's help screens include advice about investments, budgeting, taxes, and building a...