Isaac M. O'Bannon is the managing editor and digital content manager for CPA Practice Advisor (www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com), drawing on two decades of experience covering the areas of professional accounting, taxation, business productivity and consumer technologies. Prior to CPA Practice Advisor, O'Bannon was a consultant at firms in San Francisco, Denver and Tulsa, serving clients that included Logitech, Polycom, Hilti, Microsoft, the Stanford Research Institute, the University of Oklahoma's College of Engineering and other technology leaders. He is a U.S. Navy veteran. Email: isaac.obannon - @ - cpapracticeadvisor.com
September 9, 2011
866-999-1366 www.AccountantsWorld.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit Firms managing year-end compliance and ATF payroll for multiple entities. Strengths Strong multi-client views, dashboards. Web-based system provides remote access. Integration with larger web-based suite. Comprehensive forms support. Electronic filing of federal and state quarterly forms, W-2 and 1099 Potential Limitations No built-in invoicing functionality,...…
September 9, 2011
805-504-1366 www.magtax.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit Firms managing year-end compliance for multiple businesses, with built-in electronic filing for federal and supported states. Strengths Comprehensive forms, reporting capabilities. Output to various file formats. Excellent QuickBooks integration. Strong Help utility/assistive features. Potential Limitations No built-in invoicing functionality. Does not provide 940-series forms. Summary...…
September 9, 2011
480-460-9311 www.1099fire.com 2011 Overall Rating 4 Best Fit Small and mid-sized businesses; for in-house use, although it does support multiple EINs. Strengths Multiple options for print, e-filing, various forms. Good multi-staff access capabilities. Outsourced print/mail service option. Potential Limitations Basic multi-client management utilities. Limited built-in help functionality. Summary & Pricing The 1099 Fire...…
September 8, 2011
888-746-0440 www.FormMagic.com 2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Fit Accounting firms with large client bases, with varied import/integration needs. Strengths Strong multi-client management tools. Multi-user level security. Multiple data entry options. Built-in diagnostics. Potential Limitations Limited local forms. Lacks client billing/invoicing center. Summary & Pricing Tax-Mate provides a comprehensive 1099 and W-2 solution, with strong...…
September 7, 2011
I wasn’t in New York City 10 years ago. My first visit wasn’t until 2003, on a fall day similar to when I watched the towers fall on tv. In July 2003, I went to Ground Zero, well- as close as I could get, about half a block.
September 6, 2011
I wasn’t in New York City 10 years ago. In fact, my first trip to the city wasn’t until 2003, on a fall day similar to what I saw two years earlier, when I watched the towers fall on tv. In July 2003, I went to Ground Zero, well- as close as I could get,...…
September 1, 2011
Accountants and accounting firms have long suffered from the false stereotype of being stodgy, even predictable and boring. Even more so, the auditor: that truly numbers-focused researcher of data whose sole purpose is to determine the propriety of an organization’s financial reporting and their internal controls over financial reporting. Perhaps only actuaries are more maligned…
August 24, 2011
Social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have been around for several years now, and we’ve covered the subject as it relates to professional tax and accounting firms several times. But a recent Forbes article (10 Myths about Social Neworking for Small Business) reminded me that even when faced with sound logic, adaptation can...…
August 15, 2011
Drake Software, one of the largest independent developers of tax and practice management software for professional accountants and tax professionals, announced today that they've acquired Copanion, which is most notable for its GruntWorx paperless workflow solution. Financial details regarding the deal between the two privately-held concerns were not disclosed.
August 11, 2011
Social media websites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have been around for several years now, and we’ve covered the subject as it relates to professional tax and accounting firms several times. But a recent Forbes article (10 Myths about Social Neworking for Small Business) reminded me that even when faced with sound logic, adaptation can...…
August 9, 2011
Even with all the talk about the productivity-boosting effects of going to the cloud … and SaaS this, and web-based that, technology hardware remains an essential component of any modern business. Yet, while the obvious core components of desktops, laptops, monitors, printers and even phones may immediately come to many people’s minds when they hear…
August 4, 2011
A Productivity in Practice Feature. A small business is most productive when its owners are doing what they love. Whether a mechanic, baker, landscaper, restaurateur, childcare provider or a merchant, small business owners usually like what they do.
