Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 4, 2011 

800-237-8435 www.CertiflexDimension.com   2011 Overall Rating 4.75 Best Fit: Firms managing clients with high transaction volumes and multi-level company structures. Strengths: Good interface customization Strong reporting & financials options Broad set of core modules Broad reporting & financials generation Potential Limitations: Moderate reporting customization Module-based pricing Summary & Pricing CertiflexDimension Write-Up and the related modules...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 4, 2011 

800-292-2962 www.cyma.com   2011 Overall Rating 4.75   Best Fit: Professional firms managing complex clients with multiple locations or subsidiaries, as well as nonprofit and grant-based organizations. Strengths: Exceptional customization options Comprehensive module options with strong integration Output to many formats Broad reporting & financials generation Potential Limitations: Module-based pricing No client portals Summary &...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 4, 2011 

TaxWise:888-455-0182; www.taxwise.com ATX: 888-455-0183; www.atxinc.com   2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit: Firms using the ATX or TaxWise tax and workflow products who want an easy-to-use write-up package with after-the-fact payroll reporting, financials generation and optional live payroll are a match with Client Accounting Suite. CCH ProSystem fx Tax and Practice Management users are supported...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 3, 2011 

Over the past several years, some accounting technologists have come close to announcing the demise of client write-up (or at least the significant decline in its necessity and profitability for professional accountants).

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 3, 2011 

561-995-1477 www.axpert.com   2011 Overall Rating 4.25 Best Fit: Firms managing small to mid-sized enterprises, and those with multiple locations. Strengths:  Doesn’t require monthly closings Run reports across multiple years, any time periods Broad reporting & financials customization Strong support for multi-location entities Potential Limitations: No bank statement import function (although import is available from...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 2, 2011 

800-968-8900 www.CS.ThomsonReuters.com   2011 Overall Rating 5   Best Fit: Firms looking for a central write-up and trial balance system as part of a suite of integrated tax and practice management systems for managing workflow across all engagements. Strengths:  Excellent integration Comprehensive reporting & financials Broad payroll compliance with state & some local support Client-side...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 2, 2011 

888-999-1366 www.AccountantsWorld.com/AR   2011 Overall Rating 4.75   Best Fit: Firms who want to bring both their practice and their clients onto a web-based accounting system that gives the firm greater control over data and the ability to monitor and control what their clients can do with their collaborative bookkeeping system. Strengths: Simple navigation &...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 2, 2011 

800-267-8379 www.accountant.intuit.com   2011 Overall Rating 4.5 Best Fit: Firms whose clients mostly use QuickBooks and who provide general write-up and reconciliation work. Strengths: Comfortable, intuitive navigation & interface Good reporting with PDF, Word, Excel output Email invoicing & electronic payment options Most commonly used program Mobile apps for client-focused work Potential Limitations: Financial statement...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

August 1, 2011 

When we first started writing about web-based programs about 10 years ago, the focus frequently centered on how the concept could benefit modern practices. Key among the benefits was anywhere/anytime access to client and firm data and the enhanced security of data stored in online systems.

Isaac M. O'Bannon

July 28, 2011 

Yes, yes… I’m writing about sales taxes again. This time, however, it’s not about the Amazon vs. California battle or the general difficulties facing online sales taxation. I know it’s still July, but kids and parents are already getting ready for the coming school year, which means a lot of shopping for clothing, books, computers...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

July 26, 2011 

Not too long ago, I wrote about “the problem with online sales tax” on our CPATechViews blog. There’s a long-reaching history with states wanting to get reveunes from sales to their residents when the merchant isn’t in that state. It started long before the internet (think mail order catalogues), but e-commerce has certainly aggravated the...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon

July 26, 2011 

Sales and use tax compliance is an area of widely varying complexity. For many of the smallest entities that conduct taxable transactions, particularly physical retail businesses with only one or two locations, the process of applying the appropriate tax rate and reporting it to their states is often quite simple. And almost all states that...…

Isaac M. O'Bannon