From the December 2005 Review Website
Solutions for Accountants
CCH Tax and Accounting’s ProSystem fx Site Builder initially
entered the market in 1997 as Execusite. It was subsequently acquired by CCH
in December 2001 and rebranded under its current name a few months later. Over
the last several years, CCH has continued to enhance the product by adding Tax
Guide content, additional tax calculators and file sharing capabilities. A financial
planning toolkit and a business owner’s toolkit should also be available
by the time this issue goes to press, although they were not available at the
time of this review. Sample firm user sites include the following: www.bellandcompany.net,
www.bigez.com, www.chncpa.com,
www.praetorianadv.com, and www.refjcpas.com.
Design Theme – 5 Stars
The system comes with a base design of seven pages that can be expanded via
links to the optional features offered. Several optional design tools are available
for an additional fee including a Deluxe Service Package offering that includes
a splash page, flash animation and your firm logo on every page (recommended).
Content – 5 Stars
The eContent service provides a comprehensive solution for providing your clients
and prospects with tax and financial information automatically. The main module
includes an Info Center page with tax calendar and downloadable tax forms, a
Newsletter page that provides articles and news links updated monthly, and a
Financial Tools page that provides numerous financial calculators. Optional
Modules include the following: Life Cycle Events (a series of electronic brochures
on various tax and financial events); Financial Planning Toolkit (includes over
1,500 financial planning documents and tools); a Business Owner’s Toolkit
(includes model business documents, financial spreadsheet templates, checklists
and official government forms); and The CCH Tax Guide add-on (provides “easy-to-understand”
explanations of various tax issues).
Site Maintenance – 5 Stars
The site is hosted in data centers with a commitment to 99.9 percent connectivity.
Template site pages can be edited at any time by the firm, and CCH will provide
default text for each page to streamline the setup process. CCH claims that
you can create your firm’s web site in less than 30 minutes.
Utility Software/Applications – 5 Stars
CCH offers an extended set of applications that can be integrated into the web
site, including the following:
- One free e-mail account is provided with the service. Additional accounts
can be added for a nominal fee. - ProSystem fx File Share provides the capability for the accountant
and client to have shared access to documents and files online. - ProSystem fx Tax Notebook is a tool for clients to enter their
tax data online, and the results can be linked directly into the ProSystem
fx tax preparation software. - CompleteTax Pro online self-service tax preparation software can be co-branded
or private-labeled and serve as an additional revenue source. - GainsKeeper Pro application manages client portfolios online and tracks
activity and reports on gains/losses. It also offers direct integration to
ProSystem fx Tax to generate the Schedule D.
Site Marketing – 4 Stars
Your domain name is unique and owned by you. The service offers site visit history
tracking for the following period ranges: today, yesterday, this month, last
month, current year and prior year.
Vendor Service & Support – 4 Stars
CCH has over 3,100 subscribers currently using the service. The company clearly
has the depth of resources to support the service. Web site customization services
are available for an additional fee.
Pricing/Value – 5 Stars
ProSystem fx Site Builder has a one-time setup fee of $295, and an
$895 annual recurring subscription fee. This is a reasonable fee relative to
the overall service provided. The various add-ons are subject to additional
pricing.
Summary
As one of the premier providers of technology solutions for accountants, CCH
offers the reputation and depth of resources with which you can feel secure.
ProSystem fx Site Builder is very much a template-based service. However,
it also offers a reasonable level of customization that allows you to portray
your firm’s identity. The eContent service lets you significantly expand
the depth and breadth of the information published on your web site. The user
web sites I visited all looked professionally designed.
2005 Overall Rating – 4.5 Stars
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