Today's Technology for Tomorrow's Firm.
Issue link: https://cpapracticeadvisor.epubxp.com/i/99887
VOLUME 23, NUMBER 1 MY PERSPECTIVE By M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP, Executive Editor 800-547-7377 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com Publisher: Jim Baker Executive Editor: M. Darren Root, CPA.CITP Technical Editor: Brian Tankersley, CPA.CITP Editor: Isaac M. O'Bannon Managing Editor: Jill Burnett Associate Editor: Taija Jenkins Columnists: David McClure Doug Sleeter Jim Boomer, CPA.CITP Kristy Short Michelle Golden Randy Johnston Rene Lacerte Roman H. Kepczyk, CPA.CITP Art Director: Rhonda Cousin National Sales Manager: Barry Strobel Site Manager: Rhonda Dennis Media Production Representative: Barb Evenson Audience Development Manager: Angela Kelty Editorial Advisory Board: Bob Cedergren, CPA.CITP, CISA, CISM, CISSP, CGEIT Chris Fraser, CPA.CITP, CISA, MCP Jason Lawhorn, CPA.CITP Gary A. Masino, CPA Ryan McCowan, CPA.CITP Linda O'Neal Troy Patton, CPA David Primes, CPA.CITP Donny Shimamoto, CPA.CITP Doug Sleeter Sandra L. Wiley CYGNUS BUSINESS MEDIA CEO: John French CFO: Paul Bonaiuto VP, Human Resources: Ed Wood VP, Audience Development: Julie Nachtigal VP, Technology: Eric Kammerzelt CYGNUS PUBLISHING Executive Vice President: Gloria Cosby Vice President of Production Operations: Curt Pordes For reprints and licensing please contact Nick Iademarco at Wright's Media 877-652-5295 ext. 102 or niademarco@wrightsmedia.com. The opinions given by contributing authors are their own and are not the opinions of our staff. All trademarks used are the property of their respective owner. — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — Practice Advisor, (ISSN #2160-8725 (print), ISSN #2160-8733 (digital); USPS #017-576) is published nine times a year (January, April/May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December) by Cygnus Business Media, Inc., incorporating two editions known as CPA Practice Advisor and NSA Practice Advisor, 1233 Janesville Avenue, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 and at additional mailing offices. Printed in the U.S.A. Send all subscription inquiries or change of address to: Practice Advisor, PO Box 3258, Northbrook, IL 60065-3258. Phone: (877) 382-9187 (toll free); 847-559-7598 (local) Fax: (847) 564-9453 Email: Circ.CPA@omeda.com Subscription Rates: The basic annual rate is $3, based on qualifying associations of 10,000 or more public accountants that may also subscribe for all their public accountant members (certain restrictive covenants apply) for a basic subscription rate of $9 per member for a three-year subscription. One year subscription for all others: USA - $48; CAN $70 GST; INT'L $99 GST #131910168. POSTMASTER, please send address changes to: Practice Advisor, P.O. Box 3258, Northbrook, IL 60065-3258. Canadian address changes to: Canada Post PM40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to: Practice Advisor, PO Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2. Jumping Aboard the Fast Moving Mobile Train O ver the years, I've worked to progressively improve efficiency within my frm. It's been more than 13 years since we started our transition to paperless, and today we are still paper free. Over the past fve years, the focus has been on implementing a single client database— our goal being to create a system where client information is entered only once and is updated across applications (including smartphones). Having tackled the single dataclients aware of these technologies. base, it's now on to the next big Imagine your clients accessing their thing…except that "the next big private portal from your site in one thing" is already here. And that big click of an app. Now that's service! thing is mobile. Mobile is how And just think about your frm in society runs these days. It's all about terms of mobile and the value it instant access to information, colofers. Using advanced apps you can laboration, and the ability to work in view projects, tasks, client demoreal time, any time, from anywhere graphics, track time, and monitor and any device. Data is at our fngerclient expenses. Heck, you can have tips at every turn and we need to be your entire research library on your taking advantage of this. mobi le dev ice! T his is not the Just consider the future…this is now. information that we Mobile is where it's can easily obtain at at. It's a fast moving MOBILE IS NOT THE any time on a day-tot ra i n a nd profesd ay ba s i s —hote l sionals are advised NEXT BIG THING…IT information, fights, to get on board maps, banking data, immediately. IS THE THING. and so much more. Tis is indeed big We r e l y o n t h i s stuf, and it is great information and the for frms, staf, and ability to access it clients, but these immediately…when WE need it. new capabilities require a new way Our clients are no different. They of thinking for frms. Ask yourself: want their information right now, Is your frm ready to deliver informatoo. With mobile innovations, we can tion on mobile devices? If not, what now ofer this level of convenience does your frm have to do get ready and service to clients. Te question to deliver information this way? Has is…are you? your frm advanced your paperless There are many apps available initiative to the point that informatoday that allow your clients to tion can easily fow from your docuinstantly link to your website and ment management system to mobile access their fnancial documents and devices? data. It's up to practitioners to make I truly believe that mobile is the end game for strategies we've been developing over the past several yea rs. W het her it 's doc u ment d e l i v e r y or r e mot e a c c e s s t o accounting applications, the ability to access and use data when we need it, from wherever we are, and using any device is the ultimate in efficiency. If you are not ready to go mobile, consider what you need to do to get ready. Mobile is not the next big thing…it is THE thing. It's here. Get to know it. Fast. Darren is the Executive Editor of CPA Practice Advisor. He remains in public practice as the principal of Root & Associates, LLC, in Bloomington, Indiana, and is president of his consulting practice, RootWorks. He formerly served on the Board of the AICPA's CITP Credentials Commitee and is a former member of the Board of Directors for the Indiana CPA Society. He speaks at dozens of professional organizations each year and fequently serves as a guest lecturer at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. January 2013 • www.CPAPracticeAdvisor.com 3