Vendor Updates & News Items

The CCH Learning Center reporting tool allows for management of course enrollment and completions; learner profiling; tracking and testing of quizzers; and general CPE administration. In addition, the new reporting tool feature extends the capabilities of training administrators, allowing them to:

• Add and modify user information;
• Access course evaluation summaries;
• Filter course enrollment and completion information based on given parameters;
• Generate robust reports with greater data availability and the ability to easily find and sort information; and
• Generate usage reports and export them into Excel or CSV format.

“The reporting tool provides convenient, easy access to important user information, making it easier to stay organized and on top of professional development in your organization,” said McCarthy.

About the CCH Learning Center

The CCH Learning Center provides access to online CPE subscriptions, online grading for CPE print courses, web-based self-study courses and audio seminars. CCH Learning Center course content is up-to-date, with practical tips, comments, observations and guidance to help practitioners not only understand the rules, but also apply them to client or business situations. Courses in the CCH Learning Center include valuable practice aids, such as client letters, worksheets, flow charts, tables, graphs, checklists, insightful supplement readings, forms and schedules to help users retain and apply the course information into practice.

CCH Learning Center courses are developed by leading practitioners, educators and speakers, who bring their knowledge and insights to help users handle today’s tough and evolving practice challenges. CCH is registered with the National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA) as a sponsor of continuing professional education on the National Registry of CPE Sponsors and as a Quality Assurance Service (QAS) sponsor of continuing professional education.

For the benefit of today’s time-strapped tax and accounting professional, the web-based CCH Learning Center is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so users can do their learning and earn CPE credits at their own pace and on their own calendar. CCH Learning Center courses can also be easily printed out in convenient hard copies. Users aren’t limited by a vendor’s seminar schedule and locations, because with the CCH Learning Center they can study and take exams at home and even when traveling. Learn more about the CCH Learning Center at cch.learningcenter.com.

For More Information and Pricing

For more information on the CCH Learning Center, call your CCH representative at 888-224-7377 or visit cch.learningcenter.com.

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Intuit’s QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions Embraces Linux

Thousands of Mid-market Companies Using Open Source to Have Access to Powerful Business Management System
SAN DIEGO, Calif .— Answering the call for an open source option from Information Technology professionals, Intuit Inc. announced that businesses will soon be able to operate QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions from Linux servers. It is the first time the company has made one of its products available to users of open source systems.

The offering will enable the tens of thousands of growing companies that are passionate about using open source environments to take advantage of Intuit’s award-winning mid-market system while maintaining the increased security, manageability and lower total cost of ownership of Linux. The decision to extend the offering beyond Windows, made at the QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions User Conference, is part of Intuit’s effort to continue to meet the needs of more complex businesses.
“IT professionals are an integral part of a mid-market business’ success and have shown real enthusiasm for working with the Linux platform. We are committed to giving them the tools they need to effectively serve their companies, regardless of the computing platform they prefer,” said Angus Thomson, vice president and general manager of Intuit’s Mid-Market Group. “This is a natural progression for QuickBooks Enterprise and a significant step forward for Intuit in serving growing and more complex businesses’ evolving needs.”

Until now, companies running QuickBooks Enterprise over server-based local area networks had to store the system’s database on a Windows server, even if their other applications were running on Linux. This required IT professionals to purchase and maintain a separate server for QuickBooks Enterprise, which was expensive and time-consuming. Using the new, free Linux Database Server Manager application, QuickBooks Enterprise can now reside on the same Linux server as a company’s other applications, enabling IT staff to more effectively manage their technology investments.

Responding to Customer Needs
According to IDC’s May 23, Worldwide Quarterly Server Tracker press release, businesses are increasingly adopting Linux servers. In the first quarter of 2007, Linux servers posted their second consecutive quarter of double-digit growth, with year-over-year revenue growth of 10 percent for a total of $1.6 billion. Linux servers now represent 12.7 percent of all server revenue.

“For the thousands of businesses using or considering Linux, flexibility and interoperability are extremely important as they strive to meet their IT needs with the least amount of complexity,” said Kent Erickson, vice president and general manager of Workgroup Solutions for Novell. “The fact that Intuit – a company with a long and positive track record with small and mid-sized businesses – is giving customers the option to run QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions on Linux servers is another significant indication of the value and credibility Linux brings to business.”

Unique Combination of Ease, Power and Affordability
The benefits associated with operating Linux, coupled with the power, scalability and ease-of-use of QuickBooks Enterprise allow mid-market businesses to truly work they way they want to work. This flexibility is yet another reason tens of thousands of mid-market businesses have chosen the software over costly and complex solutions.

Companies can rely on QuickBooks Enterprise, powered by an underlying Sybase iAnywhere SQL database, as they grow without affecting the product’s performance. The software also gives customers the choice between five, 10, 15 and 20 concurrent users, enabling them to easily select a version that is tailored to their size and add more users when necessary. In addition, administrators can customize user access with more than 115 areas and activities for security.

Pricing and Availability
The software starts as low as $3,000, making it the most affordable solution available for mid-market companies. The price also includes one year of Intuit’s Full Service Plan, which entitles customers to 24/7 technical support from a dedicated support engineer, product upgrades, data recovery and reporting services and interactive training tools. Other solutions may charge thousands per year for upgrades alone and charge additional fees for support. To further its commitment, Intuit also assures customer satisfaction by offering a 60-day money-back guarantee.

The Linux Database Server Manager is free and will be available for download on June 25 via the in-product update tool or at http://quickbooksenterprise.intuit.com/Linux. This functionality is only available for users of QuickBooks Enterprise Solutions 7.0 or later. More information is available at www.quickbooksenterprise.com.

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Thomson Tax & Accounting Announces Major Enhancement to Practice CS

The New Client Management Module Enables Firms to Monitor Every Aspect of Client Communications
DEXTER, Mich. — Thomson Tax & Accounting, a business segment of The Thomson Corporation announced the launch of the new Client Management module — an add-on module to the company’s practice management application, Practice CS. The most significant enhancement to Practice CS this year, the Client Management module enables firms to track client communications at a detailed level.
“We are excited to announce the launch of the new Client Management module for Practice CS,” said Teresa Mackintosh, CPA.CITP, Vice President of Strategic Marketing, Thomson Tax & Accounting, Professional Software & Services. “The addition of the new module further sets Practice CS apart from the competition, allowing firms to track all client communications, including phone messages, emails, invoices, and more, using digital dashboard technology that has redefined practice management tools.”
The Client Management module extends the practice management capabilities of Practice CS. Using the module, firms can record every detail of client activity so they always have the most updated information. The Client Management module enables firms to logically organize, store, and access all client interactions to support all areas of client activity — including work-in-process, billing, prospecting, and cross-selling.
“Our clients have been asking for the functionality that is offered in the Client Management module. Using the new module, professionals can effectively monitor client accounts and rest assured that nothing is overlooked,” stated Mackintosh.
The Client Management module was released in early June of 2007.

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IRS Starts Free E-Newsletter For Small Businesses

The IRS has started a news service called “e-News for Small Businesses,”
which will be distributed via e-mail every Wednesday, bringing timely, useful
tax information to these businesses. The e-newsletter will also be available
on the IRS website, www.IRS.gov.
The following items will be included in the e-newsletter:

• Important, upcoming tax dates,
• What’s new on the IRS website,
• Reminders and tips to assist businesses with tax compliance, and
• IRS news releases and special IRS announcements.

The convenient new format of “e-News” will put IRS tax information
at the fingertips of small business owners, while the “Useful Links”
section will offer quick access to some of the most useful information on IRS.gov
for small and large businesses, as well as the self-employed.