In Search of Technology for Your Firm or Your Clients?

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It’s no secret that technology has continued to become a critical component of our lives, both professionally and personally. For small businesses (and even for most of us in our personal lives), keeping up with ever-changing trends and recognizing what tools and products are actually going to help us become more efficient and effective can be a major challenge. Most small business owners don’t have a dedicated IT staff to advise them on their use of technology (although, some may have kids who try to steer them in the right direction at times on the technology they use in their personal lives).

As most of you know, these small businesses will often turn to their most trusted business advisor for help — you, their professional accountant. And this makes sense, especially in areas that relate to the technology used for managing the business and its financial processes. However, most of you are small business owners, as well, and keeping up with the technology you use in your own firm can often present its own fair share of struggles and efforts. Add to that the task of keeping up with the technological needs of clients in diverse industries, and you may start to feel a little overwhelmed when it comes to technology.

This advisory role does have its advantages, though, especially since you have a vested interest in the success of your small business clients. If you can point them in the right direction and help them properly implement the systems and technology they use on a daily basis, you and your clients will both realize the benefits. This equates to better accuracy with financials and bookkeeping, less time with write-up and reconciliation work, and more streamlined processes and efficiencies.

The CPA Technology Advisor provides several resources to help you help your clients in their selection and use of technology, from client-focused reviews and articles for niche industries to a new and improved online Buyer’s Guide (http://directory.cpatechnologyadvisor.com). And once a year, we produce our annual Accountant’s Technology Selection Guide. This year, we even published this handy reference guide as a pull-out supplement to make it easier than ever to keep it at your fingertips for quick access. Keep this comprehensive guide throughout the year to find categorized information on client-side and firm-focused software, online programs, services and other technologies. You can also bookmark the online PDF version of the 2010 Accountant’s Technology Selection Guide at www.CPATechAdvisor.com/ATSG/2010.

Other resources are also available at our website (www.CPATechAdvisor.com), including our magazine content (reviews, articles and regular columns), free CPE-eligible webcasts, podcasts, our events calendar, the new and improved Productivity Survey, the Document Management Product Selector tool, and our blog at CPATechViews.com. Through our print and online resources, The CPA Technology Advisor is your source for the technology information you need to help your clients and your own firm be more productive and profitable.

Companies wishing to be in next year’s Accountant’s Technology Selection Guide can contact atsg@CPATechAdvisor.com or call 800-456-0864, ext. 2105. ¦