Heightened optimism among CPA financial executives seems to indicate the worst of the recession is in the past, but the consensus is growing that the U.S. economy is still a ways off from achieving a full recovery. While optimism about the economy continued to improve and spread across most industries
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Information management and technology assurance
Don’t Defrag the Super-Fast Solid-State Drives on Ultralight Notebooks
Q: I just got a new ultralight notebook for when I travel. It has one of those super-fast solid-state drives. My maintenance program for my regular hard-drive computers in the office includes regularly running a defragmentation program. That way, I can be assured that they will always be able to
What, You Still Don’t Know How to Transpose an Excel Table?
Q: To make an Excel table fit better on a page when I print it, I frequently have to transpose it—that is, move all the data from, say, rows 1, 2 and 3 and put them into columns A, B and C. To do that I have to move each
An Easy Access for Often-Used Files in Office 2007
Q: I just started using Office 2007, and it contains a couple of things I can’t figure out. One, which I find most intriguing, is a pushpin. When I click on the Office icon to save a document, a list of Recent Documents appears, just like in Office 2003, but
Google vs. Bing: To My Surprise, and Delight, They’re Both Good
Q: What’s your take on Microsoft’s new search site, Bing? A: I found Bing to be very good. In some ways it’s better than Google, but in some ways it’s not as good—or at least no better. The bottom line: I like them enough that I decided to keep both
Put the Office Calculator Where It Belongs—On the Page You’re Working On
Q: When I’m working in an Excel spreadsheet, sometimes I need to do some quick calculations, and the Calculator that comes with Office would be the perfect tool—except it’s only accessible when I switch out of the Excel window. It should be right where I need it—on top of the
Teach Young CPAs Well
On the day Barry Melancon passed the CPA exam, two partners in the small Louisiana firm where he worked did something that paved the path to his role as president and CEO of the AICPA. First, the managing partner told him he needed to make a personal contribution to the
Disclosure Consent Under § 7216
IRS rules effective Jan. 1, 2009, delineate more strictly tax return preparers’ duties to safeguard taxpayer information from unauthorized disclosure or use. IRC § 7216 imposes criminal penalties on the unauthorized use of taxpayer information. The requirements are closely tailored to the type of information, the party using it, and
CPAs Can Benefit From Flu Preparation
Several federal agencies have jointly developed a “Preparedness Guide for Small Business” to help small businesses plan for the H1N1 flu (swine flu). “Small businesses play an essential role in our national effort to prepare for all disasters and emergencies—including the H1N1 flu,” Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said in
Make Outlook Serve You Better
Q: I use Outlook to handle my e-mail, calendar and to-do list. While it serves many of my needs, I wish it could do more. For example, when someone sends me an e-mail, it’s easy to add that person to my Contacts list, but when I want to save other
How to Erase Old, Useless System Restore Points
Q: I was reading your December 2008 item “Create a Shortcut for Easy Access to System Restore” (page 103), and it occurred to me I could free up loads of space on my crowded hard drive by getting rid of old, useless restore points. The trouble is, I can’t access
A Better Idea
After reading my response in the column item “Design a Personal Paper Calendar in Outlook” (May 2009, page 77), Brandon B. Buhler, manager of Global IFRS and Offerings Services for Deloitte & Touche LLP (USA), suggested another way to create a paper calendar in Outlook. He says Microsoft’s Calendar Printing
Revised CITP Credential to Take Into Account Experience and Similar Credentials
The AICPA has revamped its Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP) credential to reward real-world experience, lifelong learning and to recognize similar credentials from other organizations. The Institute announced these revisions at its AICPA TECH+ Conference in Las Vegas. The CITP credential, launched in 2000, recognizes accounting professionals who combine IT
Microsoft’s Compatibility Program Lets Office 2003 Users Read Office 2007 Files
Q: Some of my clients have switched to Vista and Office 2007, but I want to stick with XP and Office 2003—for the time being, at least. And this is giving me a headache because I can’t open all the files I receive from people using Office 2007 files. What
How to Nail Down Those Wandering Callouts
Q: I use callouts frequently to add graphic aids to my memos. But soon after I put them in their proper place and start working on another part of the memo, some of them just seem to have a mind of their own, and they pick up and wander to
An Invitation to Play in a Microsoft Lab’s “Sandbox” and, While There, Make Your Office 2007 Ribbon Less Bewildering
Q: I came across an intriguing Web site that invites visitors to try out prototype software developed by Microsoft Office Labs. Some of the stuff looks quite useful, especially the tool designed to improve the maneuverability of the Ribbon in Office 2007. But I was hesitant to try it, for
Obstacles (and Potential Embarrassments) to Avoid When Cleaning Out Old E-mails
Q: I ran into a very embarrassing situation. I need your advice so I won’t face this problem again, and maybe it’ll be helpful to your readers, too. Here’s what happened: When I read your June 2009 column item “It’s Not Enough to Just Delete Old Messages in Outlook, You’ve
Economic Optimism Continues to Improve Among CPA Executives
Heightened optimism among CPA financial executives seems to indicate the worst of the recession is in the past, but the consensus is growing that the U.S. economy is still a ways off from achieving a full recovery. While optimism about the economy continued to improve and spread across most industries
AICPA Calls for CPA Exemption From Recently Delayed Red Flags Rule
The AICPA on Tuesday asked the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to exempt CPAs from certain provisions of its Red Flags Ruleto prevent identity theft. The current action by the AICPA follows an FTC announcement last week that it would delay enforcement of the rule until Nov. 1. The Red Flags
XBRL U.S. GAAP Tags Now Aligned to FASB Accounting Codification
The XBRL U.S. GAAP Taxonomy has been updated to reflect the FASB Accounting Standards Codification and is effective for interim and annual periods ending after Sept.15, 2009, FASB and XBRL US announced Tuesday. The codification, which became effective July 1, reorganizes thousands of U.S. GAAP pronouncements into roughly 90
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From The Tax Adviser
August 31, 2026
2026 tax software survey
July 31, 2026
