Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/160971
advertorial The Simple Life: Boosting Workfow Effciency in the Cloud What benefts are frms looking for in the cloud? Firms are looking for improved workfow. They want solutions that work together to streamline their processes so they can focus on providing the highest level of service to their clients. A true cloud-based solution can provide this through common data and services that are shared across their mission critical applications. For instance, CCH Axcess™ offers a centralized setup and maintenance of 'common data' which includes client, staff and frm information accessed by all the applications. What this means is that you only have to set up clients once on a single, integrated database and they are immediately available across all the CCH Axcess modules including Tax, Document, Portal, Practice and Workstream. Isn't it about more than just sharing common data? Common data is just the tip of the iceberg. Firms realize true effciencies when they have access to 'common services' in addition to data. These common services are really just features and functions of the various modules and include actions such as storing documents, updating project status, starting a stopwatch to track time on projects and importing data into a return. A great example in CCH Axcess would be a typical tax workfow — with a professional opening a tax return and, right off the bat, being able to automatically start a clock to track time spent working on that specifc return. As work is fnished on the return, the practitioner can route a digital copy to the document management system and post it to the client portal, all in the same step. And, as the job is closed, the user is prompted to save the clock as a time transaction that will be posted 26 to the time and billing module as well as update the status of the return in the workfow tracking module. The workfow system will automatically notify the next responsible staff person. What's interesting to note is that everything is accomplished while still in the tax preparation module, either automatically or with a couple mouse clicks. The user doesn't have to navigate to another module to perform any of these workfow steps. What about applications outside of CCH Axcess? We built CCH Axcess on a true 'service oriented architecture' platform, so common data and services can be shared with external applications. Through our Open Integration Platform, approved third-party vendors can integrate CCH Axcess common data and services into their applications, providing them at the 'point of need' for our common customers. They have told us that they want the same streamlined workfows that CCH Axcess offers, such as time tracking, document storage or status updates when they are using other applications, so we are working to support these features in software development kits that can be licensed by both third parties and customers. In fact, we are leveraging these same common services with CCH products not yet on the CCH Axcess platform. Firms that use ProSystem fx® Engagement September 2013 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com can link their binders to projects in CCH Axcess™ Workstream, providing one-click access to updating a project's status. These services also allow us to quickly build great mobile applications that our customers can access while they are on the go. What are the roadblocks that frms need to overcome to adopt the cloud? These probably break down into a couple areas. First are the security concerns around client, frm and staff data. The reality is that they are already faced with these issues and moving to a cloud solution, in most cases, will improve their security and accessibility and reduce risk. Most frms cannot make the investment on their own to create the secure and redundant environments that technology providers such as CCH can with its business partners. They email fles, keep data on multiple devices and rely on Internet providers for their connectivity. The second is focused around strategic planning for migration to the cloud. Many frms are unsure which applications to move and when, which also generates uncertainty around IT infrastructure costs involved in cloud solution migration. We have been partnering and working closely with frms to help manage this planning process — looking at various options that will allow a smooth and seamless transition from on-premise based applications to the cloud. JERRY CONNOR Senior Manager, Product Management & Design Wolters Kluwer, CCH Jerry Connor is a Product Line Manager for CCH, a part of Wolters Kluwer. Highly focused on customer-driven innovation, Jerry currently has Product Management responsibility for CCH Axcess, the tax and accounting profession's frst modular cloud-based tax preparation, compliance and frm management solution. With 20+ years of experience in the Tax and Accounting market, he has held positions in Center Management, Training and Consulting and various responsibilities in Product Management including Practice, Engagement and Tax.