The PPC Federal Tax Compliance Service (FTCS) is a collection of CD-ROM-based library research modules that includes nine PPC publications, Practice Aid Manager, Tax Cases and Rulings, IRS Letters Rulings, Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations, IRS Publications, e-Form Federal and State Tax Forms, and a Current Developments CD. Through these research tools, PPC provides primary source documents and tax planning guidance for individuals, corporations, partnerships and LLCs. The programs use a Folio search engine that allows queries of one or more publications via a variety of techniques.
COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT
PPC’s software products follow the same general system recommendations and are designed for professional-level work. As such, PPC recommends installation on systems running Windows 98/2000/XP Professional and at least a 600MHz processor, with support for Windows 98 ceasing when Microsoft discontinues offering patches for the version (which is expected in early 2004). The programs do not support Windows 95 or DOS systems. A minimum of 200MB of free hard drive space is needed for program files, and 256MB of RAM is recommended to ensure good performance. The program can run on systems with lesser components, but increased RAM and processor speed provide improved functionality of the software. The programs can be implemented across NT 4.0 and Novell Networks when a network license is purchased. Additionally, some of the features and utilities within the programs require components of Microsoft Office.
USING THE PROGRAM
Opening the FTCS library provides the user with a full-sized screen from which components of the system are accessible. This master window defaults to open to the Publication List of the PPC Library, a vertical menu tree with expandable folders for various components of the system as well as a link to the PPC web site. The screen is bordered at the top by a selection of pull-down menus, followed by icons that offer shortcuts to the primary features of the program, including the Engagement Manager, and various search functions such as tagging, moving forward and backward between hits and documents, and bookmarking and copying search results. The vertical tree provides a list of all publications available through PPC, even if they are not currently subscribed to by the user, in which case they are highlighted as not available. Publications include the Federal Tax Compliance Service; Tax Planning Service; Estate and Trust Consultant; Personal Financial Planning Consultant; Biebl Ranweiler Porfolio Series; Closely Held Business Resource Series; Tax Cases and Rulings; and the IRS Codes, Regulations and Publications, as well as selected “other” publications.
Even when all of the publications are subscribed to, not all will always be highlighted as available because the system does not copy the full library contents to the hard drive. This means that the user must keep the CD-ROMs on-hand. However, even without the discs, some of the resources are available via online sources. These include links to overviews of the 2001-2003 Tax Acts, the Estate and Trust Reporter, and PPC’s Five-Minute Tax Briefing.
When a category/library folder is opened, it provides a list of specific resources, such as electronic versions of PPC’s 1040, 1065, 1120, 1120s, 1041, 990, 5500, 706/709 and Payroll Tax deskbooks. If currently subscribed to the resource, it is highlighted green. Double-clicking on a deskbook will open a new window with the document. The Publication List is always available by selecting its tab at the bottom of the screen. These tabs allow multiple resources to be opened and active at the same time. The primary search function within Tax Library is accessible by clicking the magnifying glass icon on the icon toolbar. This brings up a query window that allows searching by keyword, phrase, proximity or natural language, and allows word stem searching (suffixes), as well as the use of an accounting term thesaurus. The system maintains a search history from which prior searches can be reselected. Search results can be cut and pasted directly into documents or printed out. The program’s Practice Aid Manager or, if purchased, Engagement Manager (PPC’s paperless engagement management system) allows storage of searches into client folders that can also be used for storing other documents or files, including correspondence.
SUMMARY
Federal Tax Compliance Service is a sound research product that integrates some web utilities along with its primarily CD-based offering. The base system costs $695 and comes with the Tax Cases and Rulings CD, which is updated monthly to provide information on recent litigation and court actions. The Engagement Manager is $495.
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