Randy Johnston

For most accounting firms, choosing a software provider and staying the course is an easy and safe decision. Only when there are traumatic events in pricing changes, software not working and not getting fixed, technology changes or regulatory changes that the software doesn’t keep up with will we even consider a change.

This year is the year of delivery for many new hardware and software products. Which are ready for production? Which should be implemented first? You know that every technology does not need to be implemented.

Most of the time in this column, discussion of the best or most promising technology tools is a primary source of interest. However, every once in a while a return to fundamentals is needed. One fundamental that has been consistently problematic for all size of firms is training. Frequently the need for training is either ignored, put off, or simply done poorly. Rarely do we see training done right. Why is that?

It is impossible to think too much about protecting your data. If you are the business owner, responsible for Information Technology or an IT professional, protecting data has to always be top of mind. Backup and recovery is not an area you can leave to chance. The January installment of this column spoke about alternative approaches and pitfalls of backup and recovery. The options are worthy of review if you are interested in backup and business continuity.

This year is a great year to watch for improvements in procedures and processes supported by maturing technology tools. We can look for revolutionary changes to make in our practices. However, evolutionary change can be taught and assimilated in day to day work.

Cloud technologies equal convenience for you and your team. You can run cloud technologies from public cloud providers or choose to build private cloud access yourself.

Data is king. Keeping it stored safely and securely is critical. Whether you are operating in the cloud, from an office, or from your home you need to be thoughtful about your data. In my professional life, strategies for keeping data safe have been mandatory for over 40 years.

Many of us spend the majority of our time in the office with a few meetings around town. Others are road warriors that spend much of their life on the road and in hotels.

Both accounting firms and industry accountants ask me regularly about opportunities for their firms. One area that has been avoided by industry and public practice CPAs alike is payroll. We’d prefer to transfer the work, liability, risk, schedule commitment and governmental reporting to someone else.

Cloud definitions, strategies, and marketing messages continue to shift. What is most important is the business problem you are trying to solve and the solutions available.

Someone in your firm needs to be literate on security and managing your risk. The number of security risks are increasing.