technology

hotspots trump integrated laptop access.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

one of the revolutions in remote connectivity is happening within your cell phone, as digital cellular providers have beefed up and expanded their networks to provide reliable internet access to remote devices.

more on tech spending: bandwidth: how much? | remote access: giving workers what they want | stay on top of software updates | are you ready for office 365? | why use windows 10? | update your backup | server vs. cloud | desktops vs. laptops | right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

today, the vast majority of the us and canada has access to the internet through the 4g digital cellular network at speeds of 1mpbs or more, which is adequate for remote access to most applications, particularly those hosted by cloud providers.
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calculate, then double up. seriously.

by roman h. kepczyk
quantum of paperless

the internet has undoubtedly had a profound impact on firm communications. it has become the primary driver toward the next generation of accounting applications that run entirely on the web through “cloud” computing.

more on tech spending: remote access: giving workers what they want | stay on top of software updates | are you ready for office 365? | why use windows 10? | update your backup | server vs. cloud | desktops vs. laptops | right to the root, or why scanners rule | size matters: in desktop monitors

before we get ahead of ourselves discussing cloud opportunities, we have to assess how the internet is used within your firm today. most likely the internet is:

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hoisted from comments: readers detail their highs and woes.

by 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间

when 卡塔尔世界杯常规比赛时间 contributor roman kepczyk asked “why use windows 10?,” some readers said they were happy with the upgrade. others responded with why not.

guy m. wong has been using windows 10 shortly since after it was released. “i like the ui [user interface], the os runs extremely smooth, clean, steady, and fast. takes less time to boot,” he said. “on top of that, i believe microsoft has already announced it would stop supporting win 7 in the near future. that is why i highly recommend windows 10.”

“win10’s integration with onedrive and other web-based products is hands down better than any predecessor o/s. i manage true ‘work anywhere’ as all my data is available wherever a wifi connection exists,” steve pynne said. “skype on win10 for international video calls is a beautiful sight.”

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proceed 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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did 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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includes 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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plus 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

exclusively for pro members. log in here or 2022世界杯足球排名 today.

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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capture 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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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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… 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, connections | how 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.
read more →