What are the minimum criteria for creating a strong password?
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Information management and technology assurance
Beyond spreadsheets: Technology round table, part 1
The fourth annual JofA accounting technology round table gathers three of the top tech gurus in accounting to address issues such as the future of the spreadsheet, whether Excel will still rule, and what devices CPAs should have in their computer bag.
My favorite quotes
How to restore the stock quote query functionality in MSN MoneyCentral Stock Query.
Send cash so I’ll know you are OK
Is there an electronic payment solution for reimbursing friends or giving money to my children so I don’t have to carry as much cash, and also so I can track my personal transactions?
Carlton’s pondering
Why is it that as CPAs we mastered the 10-key calculator with number pads numbered from the bottom up, but our smartphones display number pads numbered from the top down?
Accountants prefer problem-solving over number crunching, survey says
Accounting and finance professionals said solving problems gives them the most career satisfaction, ahead of working with numbers, according to a new survey.
GAAP taxonomy adopted by SEC
The 2015 GAAP financial reporting taxonomy has been adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and will be supported immediately. The taxonomy is a set of computer-readable tags for data included in financial statements.
Weird Word tip
You can select a specific rectangular block of text in Word by pressing the Alt key, dragging an area with your mouse cursor on your Word document, and then copying and pasting the results.
Will the next Windows be a 10?
We want to upgrade our older computers. Should we wait for the next edition of Windows to ship, and if so, what new features can we expect?
Hover pictures
I maintain an organizational chart in Excel, and I’d like to know if it is possible to have a picture of each employee pop up when I hover over his or her name?
Free backup gets easier
Windows 8/8.1 includes a new backup solution called File History. Here’s how to set it up.
A defining moment
I know that Word 2013 contains a thesaurus that can be accessed by selecting a word and clicking Shift+F7, but is there a similar function for accessing the definition of a word?
Don’t make it count
My Excel 2013 PivotTables sometimes default to using the COUNT function instead of the SUM function. Is there a setting adjustment that will always make SUM the default PivotTable result?
Technology
CPA firms have a long way to go before they are making effective use of social media, according to a new survey report.
Accounting firms moving slowly toward cloud
CPA firms have their eyes on the cloud, but most of their accounting software remains loaded on their own computers and servers. A new section of the 2014 AICPA PCPS Management of an Accounting Practice (MAP) Survey uncovers the who, what, how, and why of information technology decisions in public accounting.
Expanding your app-titude
MobileDay makes conference calls easier on the road … Lost in translation? Try Abbyy’s TextGrabber
How small businesses can keep data secure
Lisa Traina, CPA/CITP, CGMA, president and owner of information technology security firm Traina & Associates, suggests ways for organizations with limited IT budgets to keep their data secure.
Bringing analytics to life
The use of analytics has been recognized as a crucial part of any decision-making process in businesses. The explosion in transactional and nontransactional data that organizations have access to has made the need for new tools and technologies vital for organizational success.
3 iPhone camera tips
1. When operating the iPhone camera, the volume buttons can also be used to take a picture. 2. You can also take a picture using the volume buttons on your iPhone headphones. 3. Holding the camera’s picture button down will take a series of pictures. J. Carlton Collins (carlton@asaresearch.com) is
5 iPhone tips
1. When typing on the iPhone, double-tap the space bar to insert a period. 2. Your iPhone will charge faster in airplane mode. 3. Shake your iPhone to undo what you recently typed. 4. Swipe the iPhone Compass app to the left to use your iPhone as a level. 5.
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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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