CPAs can find nonauthoritative guidance on how to respond to requests for client information in connection with a pending loan application from Technical Question and Answer (TPA) 9110.19, which was developed by the AICPA Accounting and Auditing Technical Hotline. Prospective borrowers are asked to furnish only limited information in connection
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Information management and technology assurance
Most U.S. small businesses lack disaster-recovery plans
More than 60% of U.S. small businesses do not have a formal emergency-response plan and fail to back up their financial data off-site, leaving them vulnerable to catastrophic data loss in the event of a natural disaster. The Small Business Disaster Preparedness Study, conducted by software maker Sage North America,
Windows 7 & Vista logo key shortcuts
The following Windows 7 and Vista logo key shortcuts generally apply to Explorer windows, application windows, and browser windows:
Gridlock
Q: Help! I upgraded from Excel 2003 to Excel 2010 because I thought that Excel 2010 provided a larger worksheet grid, but I find that Excel 2010 provides the same 65,536 rows that I had before. I’ve looked for an option for displaying additional rows, but I can’t find one.
Key threat
Q: My colleague says keylogging malware represents a significant security threat. Do you agree, and, if so, how can we minimize this type of threat? A: I agree with your colleague. Keylogging spyware can be a serious security threat that is difficult to combat and often goes undetected by popular
Protecting privacy
Under pressure from regulatory requirements, professional standards, and client expectations—not to mention increasingly sophisticated hackers—CPA firms are emphasizing efforts to protect the privacy of confidential information under their purview. The following steps can help firms mitigate the risk of a reputation-damaging data breach: Identify and classify the types of information
Hide and link
Q: When I open a file that contains external links, Excel 2007 asks whether I want to update those links. Sometimes Excel is unable to update a link and, in this case, I would like to delete the link formula. However, the dialog box does not indicate the worksheet or
InPrivate browsing
Q: I prefer to browse the internet using Internet Explorer’s InPrivate Browsing mode to better protect my computer, but I find it time-consuming to constantly switch to this mode. Is there a way to make InPrivate Browsing my default setting? A: As you mentioned, Microsoft Internet Explorer offers InPrivate Browsing,
Managing cybersecurity risks
CPA firms and other businesses need to keep cybersecurity top of mind as they look to cash in on opportunities created by the growth of mobile and cloud computing. “It’s all about managing risk,” accounting-technology expert David Cieslak, CPA/CITP, CGMA, told a packed audience during his annual Security Update session
JofA Cybersecurity Center
Cybercrime is a significant threat to CPA firms and their clients. For businesses and other organizations, the loss of customer or employee records to a cyberattack can cost millions of dollars and do significant damage to reputation and brand. Data breaches cost organizations $5.5 million per incident, or $194 per
A relatively easy macro
Q: I have written an Excel macro that copies a column of data on Sheet1 and pastes that data as a row on Sheet2. However, I want the paste location to drop down to the next blank row each time I paste, but the macro keeps pasting the data to
A taxing question
Q: Our company operates in many states and ships products throughout the United States. Dealing with sales taxes is a significant problem for our organization, as our current accounting system does not meet our sales tax needs. Can you recommend an accounting system that provides a strong sales tax solution?
Reader tip
Responding to the March 2012 Technology Q&A topic “Monitoring the Field” (JofA, page 69), reader Scott Bollenbacher says his firm (Bollenbacher & Associates LLC, of Portland, Ind.) uses the $9.99 iPad app MaxiVista (tinyurl.com/6nnvpkz) to wirelessly convert its staff’s iPads into external monitors for use with their laptop computers in
Footers take a step backward
Q: To avoid losing documents in the digital universe, we like to insert the document file name and path into the document’s footer. I can still do that with Excel, but I cannot figure out how to do it with Word now that I have upgraded to the 2010 version,
A PivotTable column worth repeating
Q: How do I add a percentage-of-total column in a PivotTable in Excel 2010? A: The October 2011 JofA Technology Q&A column (page 76) included an item titled “Make a Difference With PivotTables,” which explains how to add a calculated column to a PivotTable. That solution could work, but in
Simplify your future with rolling charts
You have prepared a presentation using 12 months of sales data for your client, Dynamo Co. After everyone is gathered, the client’s CEO says she has more recent sales figures available and asks whether they can be included in the chart while eliminating some of the old data. How do
COSO sheds light on managing cloud risks
Management should begin control-related activities before an organization contracts with a cloud-computing service provider (CSP), according to guidance provided in a new thought paper released Wednesday by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO). The paper, Enterprise Risk Management for Cloud Computing, provides a thorough examination of
125 technology quick tips
In honor of the AICPA’s 125th anniversary, the JofA presents 125 hints and pointers regarding technology topics such as Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, iPads, smartphones, Google, cool websites, and more.
Technology and CPAs: Visions of the future
Which technologies will have the biggest impact on accounting, and how will they transform the profession? Which technology skills will CPAs need to be successful?
Technology and CPAs: The full survey
Editor’s note: Also read, “Technology and CPAs: Visions of the future” in the June 2012 JofA. JofA: What do you foresee being the most important technologies CPAs will use in their jobs over the next decade? Bezugly: Whether they are client portals, mobile apps, or cloud computing, technologies that continue
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Preparing clients for new provisions next tax season
As the 2025 filing season approaches, H.R. 1 introduces significant tax reforms that CPAs must be prepared to navigate. These legislative changes represent some of the most comprehensive tax updates in recent years, affecting both individual and corporate taxpayers. This report provides in-depth analysis and guidance on H.R. 1.
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