EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Gaming has come of age and become a real discipline and a serious nationwide business. It involves a lot of different industries under one roof: gaming, lodging, entertainment, food and beverage, golf and other recreational activities. CPAs with auditing skills are in high demand
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TOPICS
Information management and technology assurance
E-Filing Surges
Electronic income-tax return filing rose in 2007 over the year before, the IRS said, surging as the April filing deadline approached. Late filers often owe the government money and tend to favor slower paper forms, the IRS said. But by early April, e-filed returns were up 6.2% over the same
Financial Services
The privacy notices must describe an institution’s information-sharing practices and the consumer’s right to opt out of certain types of information sharing. The notices must be provided when a consumer first becomes a customer of a financial institution and annually for as long as the customer relationship lasts. The NPR
Useful Goods
A mouse for the CPA who has (nearly) everything… First there was the mouse—a simple one-button device that guided your cursor. Then a second button was added, creating right- and left-button commands. After that the design incorporated a scroll wheel, which maneuvered the cursor down or up the page. Now,
Banks Push Tech Initiatives
According to Grant Thornton’s 14th Annual Survey of Bank Executives, more than seven in 10 bankers (73%) plan to increase technology spending in 2007. Respondents cited several technology issues as important to their banks’ success, including: Protecting customers’ information (96%). Assuring the security of Internet services (94%). Verifying systems operations
Technology Boosts Counterfeit Circulation
The U.S. Secret Service seized $62 million of counterfeit currency in the 2006 fiscal year, up 69% from 2003. About 54% of the fake currency collected was produced digitally, most likely using home computers and printers; in 1996, only 1% was made using digital technology. Source: USA Today.
Collaborate on the Web
Here’s the problem: Your three-partner CPA firm based in Boston is on a tight deadline to prepare an audit report for a client. One partner is at the client’s Philadelphia headquarters; another is traveling in Houston; and you’re in Boston. The three of you must collaborate on
Put Your Computer On Hibernation
It’s not called a lullaby switch, but you need to take some steps to make hibernation possible. Hibernation is a useful function; its purpose is to save electricity without actually turning the computer off and spare you the start-up delay. When a computer is in hibernation, all functions appear
Help Prevent Identity Theft
Most companies keep sensitive personal information in their files and in their computers—names, Social Security numbers, account data—that identifies customers or employees. Companies need information like that to fill orders, meet payroll or perform other necessary business functions. But if sensitive data falls into the wrong hands,
Identifying Files Graphically
When you upgrade to Vista, you’ll discover many graphically oriented features that not only will make them easier to find, but will give you visual information about what they contain. Although XP is quite limited, here are a few graphic tricks for icons: Although you can’t convert the icons
Collaborative Fraud Networks on the Rise
Cyber criminals must adapt their collection methods to remain undetected, and it seems they’re linking together to make this happen. The latest Symantec Internet Security Threat Report found the underground networks and servers used to sell stolen data are becoming increasingly collaborative. During the last half of 2006, the number
XBRL
Three federal banking agencies have launched an improved Web site that allows faster access to banks’ quarterly Reports of Condition and Income (Call Report) data. The Central Data Repository (CDR) at https://cdr.ffiec.gov/public , established by the Federal Reserve, the FDIC and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, now
Stack Spreadsheets On The Screen
» Key to Instructions To help readers follow the instructions in this article, we used two different typefaces: Boldface type is used to identify the names of icons, agendas and URLs. Sans serif type shows the names of files and the names of commands and instructions that users should type into
Report Says IRS Fails to Protect Sensitive Data
The agency tasked with processing more than 220 million tax returns annually is not doing an adequate job of protecting the sensitive personal financial information of the taxpayers submitting those forms, according to a report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). TIGTA said IRS employees reported the
Shunning Spam
As technology advances, so do the tricks spammers use to deliver junk mail to your inbox. Save time, energy and IT resources by following these tips to reduce the unsolicited, and sometimes dangerous, messages: Don’t reply to spam, even to request removal. Any reply to spammers will confirm your e-mail address
Stay Connected on the Road
When traveling on business, it would be great if you could receive and send e-mail and easily perform other simple office tasks, like sending and receiving faxes or scanning documents into your computer—all without lugging around a ton of equipment. It would be even better if none
A Better Way
The January column included an item (page 73) that described a way to repair Word. After it ran, I realized there is a faster, easier way to do the job. So if any Office application appears in need of repair, open Control Panel and click on Add or Remove Programs.
Use Power Efficiently at the Office
Have a long-term goal to reduce your overhead and operating budget? Every few years firms can schedule professional energy audits, which pinpoint where your office is wasting energy and suggest how to increase efficiency. Follow these simple tips to keep your employees comfortable while cutting your summer energy bill: Install
Look at a Document in a New Way
You’re right on both counts: Those buttons (see screenshot at right) are a bit mysterious, and they can help you browse. Speaking of browsing, you should know that if you press Shift+F5, Word will take you back to the last place you worked on an open document. If you press
Effective Websites for CPAs: Grow Your Practice and Profits
by Kristi Stangeland, CPA RJ Thompson Publishing, 2006, 177 pp. Shortening the client development cycle is one of the most compelling reasons for a CPA firm to develop a Web site if it does not already have one, according to author Kristi Stangeland. Keeping clients abreast of change, increasing sales
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How to find the right CAS clients
The key to success with CAS is selecting the best clients. Tools like ideal client profiles (ICPs), buyer personas, and even artificial intelligence can help identify the businesses that best fit each CAS practice.
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