Category: Current Affairs

Computer Applications, Current Affairs, Web/Tech, Writing

Announcing the Launch of the 6th Annual Accounting Firm Operations and Technology Survey
  • The accounting profession’s first and only national, independent premier benchmark survey for practicing accounting, tax and bookkeeping professionals
  • Participate in the survey through January 31, 2019, and receive a free e-book of the results when they are published in May, 2019

November 30, 2018, Hutchinson, Kansas and Knoxville, Tennessee – Randy Johnston, CEO, Network Management Group, Inc. and Brian Tankersley, Principal of Tankersley Consulting, announce the launch of the 6th Annual Accounting Firm Operations and Technology (AFOT) Survey.  The AFOT Survey will remain open through January 31, 2019.  The survey results eBook, to be released in May 2019, will continue to remain a free resource delivered to practicing accounting, tax and bookkeeping professionals who complete the survey.

“We are always pleased to understand the technology in use by CPA firms across the United States. The survey provides operational information to CPA Firm Leading or Managing Partners while revealing new trends,” said Johnston.  The AFOT Survey continues to lead the profession as the nation’s most valid and complete, professional and insightful presentation of data impacting decisions being made centered on technology budget spend, software adoption and practice management. “I’ve learned something of note every year of the survey,” continued Johnston.

 *** Take the survey now: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6thAnnualAFOT ***

The 6th Annual Survey eBook will feature a fresh new design, trend lines and consultative commentary from Johnston and Tankersley.  “The survey’s validity is hugely important to us; we take this aspect seriously due to critical operational and technology decisions being made by practitioners based on the trend lines our survey reveals,” said Tankersley. “This survey is the premier benchmarking tool for practitioners nationally.”

Facts about the 6th Annual AFOT Survey

  • Take the survey, get the $495 Survey results eBook, FREE OF CHARGE.
  • 91 multiple choice survey questions.
  • 30 minutes is the average amount of time required to complete the survey.
  • Only one survey respondent per firm is required; the survey respondent will receive the AFOT Survey eBook via email on or before May 1st, 2018.
  • Who is the best person to take the survey in your firm? The person most familiar with operations, practice management and technology and how decisions in the firm are made.

Survey areas include:

  • Demographics
  • Practice Management
  • Technology Management
  • Operating Systems
  • Computer Hardware
  • Application Software
  • File and Data Storage/Management
  • Remote Access/Internet/Telecommunications
  • Technology Spending, Decision-making
  • Annoyances and Trends

 About the Principals

Randy Johnston is CEO of Network Management Group, Inc. (NMGI), a company he helped to create in 1983. Johnston is renowned throughout North America for consultation he provides on CPA Firm on their operations and technology, while also serving hundreds of CPA firms by proactively managing their technology.  Johnston provides insight and guidance for firms of all sizes interested in growth, profitability, mergers and acquisition.

Dr. Leslie Garrett is the CEO and Founder of Insight Research Group (IRG). IRG is a research firm founded on the principle of providing valid, unbiased and actionable data. Research conducted by IRG entails carefully selected survey methodology to bolster confidence and ensure valid results for a population being measured.

Brian Tankersley, CPA,CITP, CGMA is a consultant, author, and speaker who specializes in accounting technology issues.  Tankersley has spoken in 47 US states, and three Canadian provinces, and writes for major accounting press outlets including CPA Practice Advisor and AccountingWeb.  He is also a faculty member for Yaeger CPA Review.

Computer Applications, Current Affairs, Web/Tech

News Roundup- March 13th

Some of the current events I’ve been following include the following stories:

 

Accounting Software, Computer Applications, Current Affairs, Web/Tech

Recent Reading and Writing, March News Update

I’ve been quite busy over the last couple of months, but unfortunately, I don’t have a lot which I can show you, the gentle reader of this blog.  A listing of some of the writings I’ve worked on in the last few weeks is as follows:

I also have been meeting with software publishers and reading voraciously preparing for this year’s tech conferences and seminars, which start for me next week in Philadelphia, and take me around much of the continental US this year.

I hope you’ll plan to attend the 2015 @AICPA Practitioners/TECH+ Conference in Orlando June 7-June 10th. You can save an extra $100 w/code TAC http://pstech.cpa2biz.com/

I share articles which I find interesting on Twitter – I’m @BFTCPA.  Some of the stories I’ve been following include:

I’m sad to see that The Sleeter Group has sold to Diversified Communications, but I know it was an offer which Doug and Sherrill couldn’t refuse.  Congratulations, and we hope to continue to work with you in the future.

Be careful out there, people.  I look forward to seeing many of you on this year’s journey.

 

Current Affairs

I’m Back, Peeps!

I was going through my e-mail this morning, and saw that one of my favorite blogs, Jr. Deputy Accountant (Rated R), was back online after an extended absence.  This made me realize that I had left you, the gentle reader of this blog hanging.  Well, hang no more.  I’m back.

I’ve been very busy over the last few months, and won’t bore you with all of the details.  Some of the stuff I’ve been working on includes:

  • Analyzing the data from the 2nd Annual CPA Firm Operations and Technology Survey, including crunching most of the data and writing most of the copy.  This year’s survey included over 600 firms of all sizes.  I expect it to come out sometime around the middle of March.  (Watch out people, I have data to back up my rants now)
  • Writing a feature article on how the world of electronic payments is changing for the Tennessee CPA Journal.  I expect the article to end up in a number of other state CPA newsletters before the year is over.
  • Attended the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with my friend and mentor, Randy Johnston.  (We plot world domination together as a hobby)
  • Wrote three conference sessions for K2 Enterprises – an update on CPA Firm Technology, an overview presentation related to remote access (including some stuff comparing VDI vs RDS), and a third session on electronic payments.

I’ve also worked on too many writing and consulting projects to mention over the last few months.  2015 is picking up nicely, and I’m making the rounds to software vendors slowly this spring.  I’ve already been to Toronto, Atlanta, and have upcoming trips to San Francisco, Dallas, Detroit, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Seattle, and many other cities before teaching season kicks off in early May.

If you’re looking for my quick takes on tech news, just follow me on Twitter (@BFTCPA).

 

Current Affairs, Tax

State Sales Tax Holidays Infographic

A summary of the state Sales Tax holidays appears below, courtesy my friends at CCH/Wolters Kluwer.  Let’s be careful out there, people – shopping is NOT a contact sport.

2014BackToSchoolTaxHolidays

 

Auditing, Current Affairs, GAAP Accounting

Thoughts on Auditing from Across the Pond

Dennis Howlett, an accountant/blogger who is a British CA and lives in Spain recently posted to his blog (www.accmanpro.com) a story about Auditing and traditional financial reporting being over.  Interesting discussion (and it makes me wonder why our business model is exempt from being reengineered)… thought some of you gentle readers might enjoy it.  I may post a rebuttal after I’ve contemplated the article and formulated my thoughts.  Whether you agree or disagree, it is thought provoking.

Howlett’s post: http://www.accmanpro.com/2009/02/03/auditing-its-over-cuz-its-not-smart/

The post that started it all: Umair Haque’s “Smart Growth Manifesto”:
http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/haque/2009/01/davos_discussing_a_depression.html