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
Information management and technology assurance
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
Prepare an Instant Organizational Chart
Word has a well-hidden tool for that. Click on Insert, Picture and then Organization Chart. That will bring up a conventional four-part chart. To adjust the design to suit your needs, right-click on an empty space between the blue labels and an Organization Chart toolbar will appear (see screenshot below).
Time to Rethink Your 401(k) Plan?
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The PPA has made it easier for plan sponsors to automatically enroll employees in a retirement plan by eliminating the worry over state withholding laws. It delineates a new safe harbor automatic enrollment provision that starts the automatic deferral at 3%, raising it by
Incentives for Businesses in Distressed Communities
Since the mid-1990s, Congress has tried to help businesses operating in certain low-income and economically disadvantaged areas. This has taken the form of tax credits and deductions for businesses that locate in, and hire residents from, those areas. These inducements may be of interest to companies looking
Create a Custom Envelope
I wouldn’t dismiss Word’s envelope function. It’s very useful and can be customized easily by clicking on the Options button (see screenshots). But if you want even more customization—such as an added graphic —I suggest creating a template that can be evoked with a single click. Here’s how:
Get Ready for Vista
et ready, accountants! Like it or not, your basic Microsoft computer tools—from the operating system to all the workaday applications—will soon be history. Replacing them will be the recently introduced Vista operating system and Office 2007, which includes, among other things, Word, Excel, Access, Outlook and
XBRL
The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA), the council of the securities regulators of Canada’s provinces and territories, has launched a voluntary Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL) filing program. Under the program, participating companies will begin filing their financial statements in XBRL this month. The XBRL statements will be available to the
See Double By Design
I believe your decision to go with a dual monitor arrangement is wise. You’ll find they will make your work proceed smoother and faster. In fact, if you have a laptop in addition to a desktop, you can link the laptop monitor to the desktop instead of buying a new
Features
SPONSORED REPORT
Agentic accounting has arrived: What’s hype and what’s real?
Artificial intelligence (AI) is moving beyond chatbots and into accounting workflows. A new generation of agentic AI tools can plan, execute, and adapt as they complete tasks, raising expectations for what automation can do inside firms and finance departments. What can agentic AI realistically do today and what challenges are there in its implementation? Find out in this Journal of Accountancy sponsored report.
