Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/40356
Adrian G. Simmons, CPA — 32 Principal — David G. Simmons, CPA Laurel, Maryland Blog URL: www.simmons-cpa.com/blog Twitter ID: twitter.com/AdrianGSimmons Education: Bachelors of Business Administration & Masters of Business Administration from Loyola University, Maryland Professional Associations/Memberships: AICPA, MSA, Thriveal+CPA, 2020 Group USA Hobbies: Nature hikes, Photography, Reading, Music, Technology What are some ways your firm/business has gone "paperless" and/or "green" in the last two years? About two or so years ago, we switched to front-end scanning for tax return preparation and started working with electronic tickmarks and electronic-based project tracking. This past tax season, we implemented Intuit ProLine Import to take advantage of the scan-and-populate abili- ties that are available now. We've also starting to explicitly offer our clients a securely e-mailed PDF copy of their return, avoiding printing out a paper copy altogether. Do you embrace cloud computing? I definitely see that the cloud is where things are headed, and we are taking steps to go there as the time and functionality seems right. For instance, we rolled out an online payroll service for our small business clients the beginning of this year, and we expect to be adopting online invoicing/ bill payment later this year. We're starting to dip our toe into the online accounting packages, especially the latest generation in the small business world that take an entirely new approach to how accounting should be done. How is cloud computing changing the accounting profession, and how concerned are you with the security issues related to cloud computing? I think cloud computing is changing more than just which computer we're using to process financial information; it's changing the actual content of what we're doing. As financial systems integrate with each other more easily, and as we can collaborate more readily in real-time with our clients, it opens up entirely new doors on what we can do. I think security should be a legitimate, but not paralyzing question — new cloud computing vendors are cropping up all the time, and not all of them have had enough time to vet their security approach. A little due diligence up front is wise, but once we see the proper steps have been taken, the reality is that we're actually moving into a more secure environment. What are some of your favorite books, movies, music, websites, and TV shows? One of my favorite authors is the multi- talented G.K. Chesterton, and his Father Brown mystery series is a treat. On the movie front, I really like Lord of the Rings, Iron Man and Fearless. In music, lately I've been coming to really appreciate the Icelandic composer Olafur Arnalds. Favorite websites include the creative stuff I find on Tumblr, and favorite TV shows include "Mentalist" and "Bones." NOT including your current employer, what company do you most admire and why? I know I'm not unique in this, but I really have a lot of respect for the folks at Apple. They have a clear vision of what they're trying to achieve, a commitment to creating a product and service that excels, and an ethos that's fun and creative. Do you foresee the majority of firms still implementing servers for the majority of their computing in their offices five years from now or do you think they will be outsourcing this component to vendors who specialize in this area? I know we're expecting to outsource our network during our next upgrade cycle, and I know a number of others have or will too. I think there's a good chance that over 50% of under 10-member firms will have outsourced their network in five years, but there will be some holdouts. Other than SMS on your cell phone, what is your favorite way to IM with your friends and family? I don't end up IM'ing all that much, although I do consider Twitter a form of IM, which I use frequently. Messaging is probably also split between traditional e-mail and Facebook messages. I am also getting more into Skype. The multi- plicity of messaging platforms is starting to get unwieldy though. Cell phone: Currently, I'm nursing a Treo 680 — I'm a T-Mobile user, and have been hoping, lo these many years, that the iPhone will make its way to our network. If rumors are true, it could be as early as this fall. What is your favorite smartphone or tablet app? It depends on the situation, but a really neat one that I use a lot is Note Taker HD on my iPad. It was developed by Dan Bricklin, creator of Visicalc (the original spreadsheet), and can be used in many different ways: to take hand-written notes, to annotate PDFs, to be a virtual whiteboard with a projector connector, to affix signatures, and more. Are you using social networking (such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Google+) as a marketing tool for your practice … or do you use such sites for personal use only? We have a Twitter account for the firm, and I have one I use professionally. The first is to provide some useful and fun information for our clients, and appears on our homepage. The second, I've primarily used to interact with other professionals, from whom I have learned so much, and made great friends. His- torically, some of our social networking activities have had special restrictions by our broker/dealer, but that is starting to change for the positive. We're also starting to see our clients use social media more, and expect this will become more and more of a way we will communicate with existing and prospective clients. What pitfalls or what unwritten rules of social net- working etiquette exist, which are frequently missed by others in the profession? I'm not sure if it's a pitfall, but some have the impression that you need to be a national speaker or really interesting foodie in order to participate in social media. In truth, there are many benefits from just occasionally watching what's going on, even if you don't post. You'll probably find in time that you want to contribute to the conversation, and your natural friendly approach is usually the best. As accountants, we tend to want to always be right (and when it comes to tax, we need to be), but in conversa- tions, it's more about sharing, listening, learning and growing together. What ONE piece of technology could you absolutely not live without? I hope none of my technologies have grown to life or death status, but there certainly are ones that I use a lot. For instance, I think I've used my iPad in some way pretty much every day from when I purchased it last year. The sheer flexibility of the tool is just astounding: I can do a crossword puzzle on a plane flight, remotely login to my computer, view and annotate a meeting agenda, take notes at client meetings, share my pictures, and more. It's like the Swiss Army knife of gadgets. What sports team/championship event do you absolutely refuse to miss? I'd say the Olympics — for whatever reason, whenever they come around, I spend way too much time watching. In the winter sports, I really enjoy watching downhill skiing, and in the summer sports, swimming. Maybe it's vicarious living. Monitors on your desk? I have two: a 30-inch wide screen monitor and a 27-inch traditional LCD monitor. To me, they provide a really great combination. 7 Back to Contents Page 3