I need to upgrade my office computers, but I dread the thought of having to switch to Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. I tried out the software, and I’m convinced it’s not for me. Aside from the expense, it’s too complicated; I’m uncomfortable with the applications. I’m told they’re
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Information management and technology assurance
Fast way to create an e-mail distribution list
I have a large e-mail list of business contacts in an Excel spreadsheet. When I send some of them an e-mail, I really don’t want to copy and paste each one into Outlook’s To … box. Is there some easy way to plug them into a list? There are
XBRL
The SEC launched a Web page that enables investors to more easily read, analyze and compare the information provided by mutual funds related to fund cost, risk and past performance. The Mutual Fund Reader follows on the SEC’s new rules that permit mutual funds to voluntarily provide information to
Could You Give Up E-Mail?
Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, www.pewinternet.org.
XBRL
n The SEC launched a Web-based tool called Financial Explorer to help investors analyze the financial results of public companies. The tool, which uses XBRL, allows investors to automatically generate financial ratios, graphs, and charts depicting important information from financial statements. Users can also compare information including earnings, expenses, cash flows,
Government
n FASAB has issued Technical Release 8, Clarification of Standard Relating to Inter-Entity Costs, and Technical Release 9, Implementation Guide for Statement of FASAB 29: Heritage Assets and Stewardship Land. TR8 provides guidance to federal entities on three aspects of full costing specified in SFFAS 4: (1) guidance on costs that
Smart Stops on the Web
EMPLOYEE BENEFITS BUILDING HR KNOWLEDGE www.hrtools.com Choose the “Insight” tab at this HR portal to access blogs and articles from seasoned HR professionals, including Jennifer Blanchard’s “Generation Y” column. As a new feature, content is organized by broad category, such as benefits and compensation, staffing or legal compliance, then more
A Global Standard for Professional Ethics
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Standard setting organizations in more than 100 countries have adopted the International Federation of Accountants’ (IFAC) Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants, while others are in the process of converging with the code. The code applies to professionals in public practice, business, academia and government. The IFAC code’s
Taking a Systemic Approach
For the better part of two decades ending in the late 1990s, I was responsible for university recruiting at KPMG LLP. While we worked to increase diversity in the firm, it was frustrating because so few people of color were studying business and, therefore, there was little diversity among the
Help! I’m Running Out of Disk Space
» 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
Tax Software Survey To-Dos
I’d like to make a few suggestions for next year’s tax software survey (“Users Grade Tax Software ,” Oct. 07, page 34). For example: Ask how well the software handles multistate corporate returns. Ask if the alternative minimum tax adjustments and preferences seem to flow. Ask how well the error
A Better Idea & Shortcuts
A BETTER IDEA In the January 2008 issue (page 81), I offered some suggestions for solving the My Document folder default-location problem, and Amanda Adams, CPA, tax manager at Blazek & Vetterling in Houston, suggested another solution for assuring that files are saved in a default location of your choosing.
DVD Stuck in Computer? A Paper Clip to the Rescue
Yes, there is a nondestructive way to open a stuck tray-loading drive door. You’ll notice that the face of the door has a tiny hole; unfold a paper clip and gently push the end of the clip into the hole until you feel a click that signals the unlatching
Is It Unwise to Use Low-Cost or Free Software?
It depends, and by that I mean there is no easy yes or no answer to that question. While it’s true that some free programs are worthless or even dangerous, many others do an outstanding or at least an adequate job. It’s usually hard to tell in advance which are
Stamp Out the Annoying Macro Warning
That notice is part of Excel’s security system; it helps protect you from unknowingly admitting a virus attached to a macro. So while it’s a pain to respond to the question, it has a legitimate value—but only when the files contain macros. The reason Excel keeps asking the question
Minding One’s Own Business
I find it ludicrous that your article, “Software Revenue Recognition on the Rise” (Dec. 07, page 50) not only insinuates but even goes so far as to actually state that companies are changing their business practices because of SOP 97-2. While the accounting profession, of which I am part, is
On the Record: Phoenix Rising
“At the SEC, 2008 will be the year of the Phoenix. That�s the name of our updated software system that will track every disgorgement, penalty, and other monies owed to the SEC and to investors�from the beginning of the process until the last dollar is returned to its rightful owner.
“Success in Two” for the CPA Exam
At LarsonAllen LLP, our goal is to get employees started on the exam within one year of their full-time hire date, and then to pass the exam by their second anniversary with the firm – hence the name of the program “Success in Two.” Here’s how we do it: If
Add Pizzaz To Arrows And Pointers In Excel Spreadsheets
There are lots of things you can do—such as adding color, size and shape. Let’s look at the options. If you’re using Excel 2007, click on Insert and then on Shapes, which produces this menu: Once you click on a shape, the Home Ribbon switches to Format and, depending on
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