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Practice Development News
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Cloud Computing
for Accountants and their Clients
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September 2010
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Cloud Computing with accountants
and their clients: Is this
better for you or them?
Remote and Mobile Solutions
are available to support a wide
range of business processes, so
why focus on just the
accounting?
I have
been involved in accounting
technologies for many years,
working with professional firms to
automate and improve process
efficiency, improving consistency in
work product, and improving methods
for interacting with clients. There
are some in the technology industry
who believe that accounting
professionals are fundamentally
conservative and do not embrace new
technologies or services easily. My
observation has been just the
opposite, having worked with quite a
large number of relatively
forward-thinking individuals when it
come to solutions to address
problems in the firm. On the
other hand, when it comes to
"enabling" solutions for client
businesses... not so much.
Every
business owner should focus on
solutions which solve business
problems. Technology, in so many
cases, can be the foundation for
improved productivity,
communication, and profitability in
the business. So it makes sense
that the professional accounting
firm would seek out solutions and
services oriented towards improving
their operations and interactions.
But, in the world of cloud
computing, where so many options are
available, doesn't it make sense to
take a deeper look into the client
needs? Wouldn't it be true that, if
the client had better systems for
overall information management, that
it would result in greater
efficiency when dealing with that
client's data? I believe so.
An example of what I'm suggesting
can be seen in the area of
QuickBooks hosting. First, let's
briefly discuss what hosted
QuickBooks is. Hosted QuickBooks is
a model which allows a service
provider, like InsynQ CPAASP for
example, to run the QuickBooks
desktop applications in a managed
infrastructure, and make it
available as a subscription
service. Users are able to run
their fully-functional QuickBooks
desktop applications as though they
were a cloud-based service,
accessing at any time and from
anywhere via the Internet.
QuickBooks hosting is a great way
for small businesses to have their
accounting applications in a secure
system, and provides accountants and
business owners with a way to access
the application and data whenever it
works for them.
For many accounting firms, an online
accounting solution like hosted
QuickBooks (or Intacct or QB Online,
etc.) becomes a key to improving
productivity by reducing time
traveling to client offices to
obtain data, and by allowing users
to access the information in
real-time, providing more timely
service capability. That's great
for the accounting firm, and not a
bad deal for the business owner who
now has secure, managed access to
their accounting data at any time.
The question is - couldn't the
client potentially benefit from
running all their applications in
this model, and not just their
accounting?
Accounting firms often complain that
they have a hard time getting
clients to adopt a hosted QuickBooks
or other online solutions. My
challenge to these accountants
relates to HOW they are talking to
clients about these solutions.
Experience has proven that, in most
cases, the accountant is boasting
the benefits of more timely
information and better-quality
accounting data, but is not actually
addressing other issues - emotional
and operational issues - that could
have an even bigger impact on the
client business if the outsourced,
managed computing model were
adopted. It is no wonder that
clients question the value of the
online solution, given that the
greatest benefit communicated is
that it will make working with their
accountant easier.
To help make this point, I'll give
an example of an interaction with
one of InsynQ's subscribers. This
subscriber has the standard InsynQ "AccountingStation"
service, which is a virtual desktop
with hosted QuickBooks and Microsoft
Office. The subscriber was told by
her accountant to get the service,
because it would make it more
convenient to work together on the
books. Also, the accountant charges
more for clients who do not work
online, so it seemed to make sense
to go the hosted route.
The system delivered as it was
supposed to, and the subscriber and
her accountant began working on the
hosted platform together. Efficiency
was improved, accounting data was
more accurate, and reporting became
much easier.
At some point, the subscriber
contacted InsynQ to discuss a
printing issue, and got into a
conversation with the support
representative about the documents
and files residing on the
subscriber's local computer hard
drive. The subscriber was wondering
if it was OK to copy some of the
files from her PC to the hosted
desktop, so she could then copy them
to her home computer to work on at
night. Amazed, the support
representative asked the subscriber
if she was aware that the MS Office
programs on the virtual desktop were
fully-functional, and that she could
actually store and work on those
document files on the hosted
desktop. Copying files to the host
and back to the local would be a
waste of time, since the files were
all Office documents and were needed
regularly, just like QuickBooks.
The support representative showed
the subscriber how to copy her files
to the host, and now that user has
her total business IT in a secure
and managed technology environment.
So, is the online solution more for
the accountant or the client
business? The truth of the matter
is that it is for both, and the
accountant and their client can both
see value in an online working
model. The variable is with the
solution. Does it improve the
clients' overall IT model, or simply
address one part of it? Accountants
serious about providing cloud (or
any other) application solutions for
the clients should give some
consideration to all the software
and IT service needs of the client,
and not just what it takes to
support their accounting software.
J
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Clarifying Micro  soft
Office Application Licensing in
Network and Hosted
Environments
Remote Access and
Virtualization Technologies
Complicate Licensing Matters
Microsoft Office is the cornerstone
application suite for almost any
business, providing productivity and
messaging tools that few
organizations could operate
without. But Office application
licensing has grown even more
complex with the introduction of
various virtualization technologies
and services. Network
administrators as well as
application service providers and
hosting companies must keep abreast
of the rules to ensure compliance
with vendor licensing rules, and to
help customers avoid potentially
costly licensing violations.
Regardless of how well-meaning the
business may be, a lack of
understanding of the licensing rules
regarding any application is not a
defense against charges of software
piracy.
According to the Software Publishers
Association, instances of corporate
software piracy often fall into the
category of "softlifting". 'SoftLifting
is characterized by two common
incidents: extra copies of software
are made for employees to take home,
and extra copies are made for the
office. Both situations mean a
greater number of computers can run
more copies of the software that
were originally purchased.'
Many software publishers license
their products on a per-computer
basis, meaning that the product may
be installed only on the number of
computers licenses were purchased
for. Some publishers assign
licenses based on individual people
(users) as well as computers or
devices. The difference is in how
the publisher wishes to restrict the
use of the software - by device, by
user, or both.
Microsoft desktop PC applications,
such as Microsoft Office, are sold
and licensed on a per-device basis.
Customers purchase a license for
each desktop PC or device on which
(or from which) the application is
to be used or accessed.
When a Microsoft desktop application
is accessed remotely across an
organization using Windows Server
Remote Desktop Services, such as
would be the case with a corporate
Windows Terminal Services
implementation, a separate desktop
application license is required for
each device from which the
application is accessed. A device
may be a desktop PC, or it may be a
laptop computer, thin client, or
other device.
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Survey: Professional groups,
social media best ways to
enhance career visibility
It's not what or who you
know, but who knows you
In
business, it's not what you know or
even who you know, but who knows you
that matters, according to results
of a survey by Robert Half
Management Resources.
More than a quarter (28 percent) of
chief financial officers (CFOs)
interviewed said staying connected
through professional groups is the
best way for accounting and finance
managers to enhance their
professional visibility. Active
participation on social media sites
such as
LinkedIn and Twitter came in
second, with 22 percent of the
response.
CFOs were asked, "Which of the
following is the most useful way for
accounting and finance managers to
enhance their professional
visibility?" Their responses:
· Connect through
professional/alumni groups or events
- 28%
· Engage through social media
(e.g., LinkedIn, Twitter, blogging)
- 22%
· Publish articles in
trade/business journals - 15%
· Volunteer or participate in
charitable work - 15%
· Speak at industry events or
Webinars - 15%
· Other - 2%
· Don't know/no answer - 3%
"An
extensive base of business contacts
is one of the most valuable assets a
professional can possess," said Paul
McDonald, executive director of
Robert Half Management Resources, a
provider of senior-level accounting
and finance professionals. "The most
successful executives constantly
cultivate a network of people -
through both in-person and online
networking - who will help build
their reputation in the industry."
McDonald added that, "As social
networking continues to gain
popularity, it's especially
important to use online tools to
build credibility and visibility in
the business community."
Robert Half Management Resources
offers the following five tips to
help executives manage their digital
networks:
1. Join the discussion. LinkedIn
features many professional groups
that can help professionals share
expertise, stay connected and keep
pace with new developments.
Likewise, Twitter and Facebook are
useful venues for keeping pace with
the latest industry news. Leading
accounting and finance trade
organizations, as well as many
alumni groups, have a social media
presence, for example.
2. Be selective. Your network is
only as strong as those with whom
you're connected. Be selective about
whom you invite into your network.
Give careful consideration before
introducing a member of your network
to a colleague.
3. Be complete and personable. Be
sure to fully complete your profile
and include keywords that can help
people find you on LinkedIn or
Twitter. Avoid details that are too
personal, though, if you plan to use
these networks for professional
reasons only.
4. Pay it forward. Retweeting
others' posts on Twitter or
answering questions on LinkedIn
discussion groups is a great way to
strengthen your network and enhance
your reputation as an industry
resource.
5. Conduct a self-audit. Privacy
policies on social media sites are
subject to change at any time.
Therefore, it's prudent to recheck
your settings and review the
policies of individual sites on a
periodic basis to ensure your
personal information remains
private.
The survey was developed by Robert
Half Management Resources. It was
conducted by an independent research
firm and includes responses from
1,400 CFOs from a stratified random
sample of U.S. companies with 20 or
more employees.
About AccountingWEB:
Launched in 1999, AccountingWEB is a
U.S.-based Web site and e-newsletter
service with over 105,000 CPAs,
accountants, CFOs, CEOs, and
technology consultants throughout
the United States signed on as free
opt-in members. Primarily serving
the CPAs and accountants of small
and medium-sized accounting firms,
AccountingWEB has developed a solid
reputation in the accounting news
industry. The parent company of
AccountingWEB, Sift Ltd., is
headquartered in Bristol, United
Kingdom. The combination of
international resources allows
AccountingWEB and AccountingWEB UK
to reach more than 400,000
accountants and financial personnel
worldwide.
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In This Issue
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Cloud Computing with Accountants and
their Clients: Is this better for
you or them? |
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Clarifying Microsoft Office
Licensing in Network and Hosted
Environments |
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Survey: Professional groups and
social media |
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Paris is Lovely in the Fall |
View a
Demo of the InsynQ Virtual Desktop
and see how easy it can be to
get your clients and team members
all working together. The Virtual
Desktop is a great tool for
QuickBooks hosting, but the service
can do so much more than that.
Find out more today, and see how
your entire organization can benefit
from managed application services
and anytime, anywhere access to
valuable business information.
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Paris is lovely in the fall
Come see InsynQ and our online
solutions at the Sleeter Group's
2010 Accounting Solutions
Conference. The event will empower
accountants and consultants who work
with small- and medium-sized
businesses, giving them the
knowledge and essential tools
necessary to be successful in the
accounting services market. This
annual event is attended by hundreds
of accountants, bookkeepers,
consultants, and IT professionals,
as well as some of the best-known
and up-and-coming vendors in the
market.
InsynQ has been a proud sponsor of
the event for over 5 years, and
we'll be there with plenty of bunny
slippers to give away!
Make sure to visit us in Las Vegas
this November 8 - 10 to have a
chance to get your bunnies, and to
learn about some great technologies
and solutions, too.
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Taking Your Clients Online: How
to Transform Your Client
Relationships Using Cloud
Computing
Learn how technologies are changing
the whole paradigm for the
accounting services business. Online
applications and Web services were
once considered too slow and risky,
but have now become integral to a
number of business processes. In
this session, you'll learn about how
cloud computing is the target
platform for a growing number of
business applications. From payroll
to A/P to document management, and
even inventory management, the
Software as a Service (SaaS) world
is changing the whole landscape of
solutions for your clients.
Taught by two of the top technology
thought leaders in the accounting
profession, this course is your
perfect opportunity to build
knowledge and confidence as you
embrace new best practices and the
latest technologies. You'll come
away with new skills and knowledge
to not only lead your current
clients to better solutions, but
also to show your younger clients
that your practice is
state-of-the-art.
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Practice Development News
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About InsynQ
InsynQ
is an Application Service Provider,
delivering quality hosted
application services to a broad
business audience since 1997. When
it comes to business technology, we
learned very quickly that one size
does not fit all. This is why
InsynQ specializes in the hosting
and delivery of a variety of
applications and business solutions
- to provide our subscribers with
the complete functionality they need
to operate their enterprise.
 InsynQ
believes in working together with
software developers and ISVs to
ensure that your hosted application
delivery performs as it should, and
we work with channel resellers to
connect customers to the
implementation, service and support
resources they need to get the most
out of each solution. It is our
goal to be a good business partner
for our ISVs, resellers, and
subscribers, and to continually grow
our "application ecosystem" to
incorporate the solutions and
services businesses need.
Thank
you for subscribing to our
newsletter to learn more about our
philosophy and solutions. We look
forward to working with you.
Joanie
Mann, Managing Editor
CPAASP: The e-Accounting Center
3312 Rosedale St, Suite 203
Gig Harbor, Washington 98335
866-206-1781
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