stay on top of software updates

beetle crawling toward the word "update"for servers, don’t automate the process. that’s right, don’t.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

every firm has concerns about their systems being hacked or getting attacked by a virus or malware. the 2016 cpafma it survey found that 15 percent of firms had been infected with malware that caused significant downtime in the past 12 months.

more on tech spending: server vs. cloud | desktops vs. laptops | right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

the vast majority of issues can be effectively negated with one simple process: keep your software updated.
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are you ready for office 365?

office 365 software logoproceed with caution.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

to be effective in business today, every member of your firm must optimally utilize the microsoft office suite at an intermediate to advanced level for outlook, excel and word.

more on tech spending: right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

because of the lag of accounting vendors providing support to the latest versions of office, today’s recommended standard is office 2013. many firms continue to utilize office 2010 because some accounting applications (engagement binders) did not support office 2013 until this past year. firms should review their listing of accounting applications now that the busy season is over to determine if they can transition to office 2013 and the cost to do so, considering that office 2016 has been out since september 2015 and will most likely be supported by the major accounting vendors in late 2016.
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why use windows 10?

windows software logodid you claim your free upgrade yet?

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless 

okay, we all know that the windows operating system is preferred to run computers by the primary vendors to the accounting profession. all decisions about operating systems have to be done carefully as they impact software and hardware decisions for at least 3-5 years.

more on tech spending: right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

while we don’t place too much emphasis on the workstation operating system, one significant issue you can’t overlook is increasing computer memory to function optimally with today’s multi-monitor requirements and the multitude of concurrent applications your staff will be running.
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update your backup

woman holding a hard driveincludes specific solutions for firms of every size.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

your firm’s safety net in the event of any disaster is your data backup. it better be consistently performed and securely stored offsite.

more on tech spending: right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

typically, firms have a problem when the process they relied on to make the backups didn’t work or the tapes weren’t complete because all their data no longer fits onto one tape. this is becoming a common problem as more data and more applications add significantly more volume, making the backup application require more storage and a longer running time to complete.
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server vs. cloud

a virtual machine moves from one cloud server rack to anothermaybe you should reconsider that scheduled server replacement.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

in most firms, the traditional core computers used for operating all applications are internal file servers.

more on tech spending: right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

down time for a day or two is a disaster. if an “out of service” stoppage stretches to a week or more, your partner income will suffer measurably. simply put, mission-critical servers utilized for tax, audit, time and billing, and email have, at most, an effective five-year life. after this time equipment becomes significantly more difficult to maintain, whether you have a warranty or not.
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desktops vs. laptops

businesswoman with both desktop and laptop computers, sitting on pilates ballplus a note about tablets.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

getting the right mix of mobility is critical for firms today. the accounting professional’s rule of thumb is that everyone who works out of the office one day per week or more and needs to be self-contained should have a laptop as their only machine.

more on tech spending: right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

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the obvious exception to this is for tax or administrative personnel who would never work from remote client sites, but have a computer at home that they can use to connect to the firm via a secure remote access solution. the string of natural disasters over the past two decades and the transition to more cloud-based applications has led to some firms making the decision that all professional staff will utilize a laptop as their only workstation.
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right to the root, or why scanners rule

computer keyboard with finger pressing "go paperless" buttoncapture source documents as efficiently as possible.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless 

one of the keys to optimizing production processes is capturing information at its “root” source. this means when data enters your firm, regardless of the format (mail, fax, email or on a flash drive).

more on tech spending for pro members: size matters: in desktop monitors |  

ideally, documents would be provided to the firm in a digital format such as secured email or preferably through a web portal, but the reality today is that a significant portion of accounting firm source documents arrive from clients in a traditional paper format. your firm will need to develop processes to efficiently scan, name and store these documents.
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size matters: in desktop monitors

4k word cloud

3k and 4k offer resolution not previously available.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

the best place to start the discussion on hardware is with monitors, as they are the easiest place to see an immediate return on your it investment. your monitors are your windows into all digitally stored information and are the foundation for improving every aspect of firm production.

more on tech spending: it is costly, so budget for it | develop monthly it ‘flash’ reports | standardize quickbooks support | daily billing cuts month-end load, creates audit trail | remote deposit is a no-brainer | firms need document management standards

transitioning tax production processes from physical to digital requires that all input screens and source documents be simultaneously viewable in a convenient format, which today means more screen real estate per workstation.
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eliminate paper

epson workforce ds-510 sheetfed scanner… but not the trail.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

one of the keys to optimizing production processes is capturing information at its “root” source. this means when data enters your firm, regardless of the format (mail, fax, email or on a flash drive).

more on tech spending for pro members: monitors: the more, the merrier | it is costly, so budget for it | top tech advice: mandate training and accountability |digital report delivery includes owners | streamlining audits by breaking old habits | field auditors need right equipment, connectionshow and why to set optimal scanning practices | firms need document management standards

ideally, documents would be provided to the firm in a digital format such as secured email or preferably through a web portal, but the reality today is that a significant portion of accounting firm source documents arrive from clients in a traditional paper format. your firm will need to develop processes to efficiently scan, name and store these documents.
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monitors: the more, the merrier

row of five computer monitorsno, multiple windows on one huge screen isn’t just as good.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

the best place to start the discussion on hardware is with monitors as it is the easiest place to see an immediate return on your it investment. your monitors are your windows into all digitally stored information and are the foundation for improving every aspect of firm production.

more on tech spending for pro members: it is costly, so budget for it | develop monthly it ‘flash’ reports | why more firms are using their t&b apps for crm | portals, encryption boost client security | why accounts payable should go digital | 3 steps for firm procedures manuals | stop paper at the source: the client

transitioning tax production processes from physical to digital requires that all input screens and source documents be simultaneously viewable in a convenient format, which today means more screens per workstation.
read more →

it is costly, so budget for it

technician checking something at data centerwith details, you can calculate cost per workstation.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

we have all heard the saying that if you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up going nowhere (or… you won’t ever get there).

more on tech spending: develop monthly it ‘flash’ reports | have an independent security review | why more firms are using their t&b apps for crm | standardize quickbooks support | digital report delivery includes owners | portals, encryption boost client security | streamlining audits by breaking old habits | why accounts payable should go digital

unfortunately many accounting firms do not do a good job of integrating their information technology requirements into the firm’s overall strategic vision. information technology impacts virtually every aspect of accounting firm production and is usually the biggest expense after your personnel costs. accordingly, it should be managed as the critically important asset that it is. this is one case where firms need to do exactly what they advise their clients to do and that is to manage information technology with a detailed budget that ties into the firm’s strategic plan.
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develop monthly it ‘flash’ reports

illustration of bandwidth usedisk usage, support calls and more must be tracked.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

most firms have a line partner or firm administrator overseeing the firm’s information technology department. these people may have an interest in information technology, but their primary responsibility lies in other production areas. they need a way to efficiently oversee the firm’s it initiatives.

more on tech spending: digital report delivery includes owners | streamlining audits by breaking old habits | why accounts payable should go digital | field auditors need right equipment, connections | get ahead of your software updates

that tool is a monthly it flash report, which is a one-page summary that monitors progress on the firm’s core it performance indicators. this form, usually done on a spreadsheet, should
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have an independent security review

illustration of computer security threatsnot just once, either.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

going “paperless” means that all firm files and client data will be digitally stored on the firm’s network, which is almost always accessible to firm personnel via internal workstations and remotely via the internet. the firm has a fiduciary responsibility to protect this data from anyone not specifically authorized to view it.

more on tech spending: portals, encryption boost client security | remote deposit is a no-brainer | who decides what to keep? | unified messaging boosts security | ready for a revolution? your phone is | remote access boosts productivity, requires planning | get ahead of your software updates

proper security is very difficult for any internal network administrator to guarantee as few have the experience and ongoing training to implement security settings optimally the first time. therefore, all “one-shot” implementations of firewalls, wifi routers, virtual private networks and other security settings should be outsourced to an organization that has experienced personnel dedicated to security. in many cases, these providers can also
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