Implementing a training program in a smaller firm does not require a significant financial investment and can be done without hiring a trainer. A standardized training process can help ensure that all new employees coming into the firm are on the same page and improve retention. Consider these tips for
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TOPICS
Information management and technology assurance
Compensation as a Strategic Asset: The New Paradigm
by August J. Aquila and Coral L. Rice AICPA, 2007, 190 pp. Compensation is a complex matter for most firms, with money being only one aspect of the equation. This book begins with a look at recent (past 25 years or so) paradigm shifts that have contributed to changes in
Make Direct Marketing Pay Off
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Direct marketing has become a popular and successful form of CPA firm marketing with the following potential benefits: The process encourages you to define a very specific target audience of prospects most likely to buy your services. The format enables you to develop a specific message
The Human Element: The Weakest Link in Information Security
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Social engineering attacks involve the use of deceptive or manipulative tactics on an individual to gain a result—often to gain unauthorized access to information assets. The practice sometimes is referred to as soft hacking and often is used to gather intelligence for a subsequent hacking
Tools for Financial Analysis
What do you do when a client asks you to look beyond the standard financial statements and help develop financial goals, forecasts and what-if scenarios? If you’re like many accountants, you’d hunker down with a spreadsheet and begin cobbling together an array of custom worksheets. Then you’d probably spend several
Banking
For news from the AICPA and state societies, visit www.cpa2biz.com, which also offers online CPE, AICPA professional literature, practice management aids and links to state society Web sites. Loan-loss provisions totaled $11.4 billion in the quarter, a 75.3% increase from the year-ago period. The value of loans and leases
Toggle the Web Page Toolbar Off and On
» 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
Points for Retention
Retaining valuable staff members is becoming increasingly difficult in today’s competitive environment. In addition to ideas about flexible work arrangements, compensation and benefits, consider these recommendations for retaining valuable employees: Re-recruit top performers before they get a better offer. Retaining valued staff means being proactive. Remind top performers of their
TIGTA: IRS Passwords at Risk
Investigators posing as IRS computer help desk personnel were able to persuade 60% of Service employees they contacted to change their password to one the investigator suggested, a violation of IRS computer security rules. The findings by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) echoed those of a similar
The Cost of Computer Crimes
Consumer Reports projects that U.S. consumers lost more than $7 billion to viruses, spyware and phishing schemes over the last two years. Source: Consumer Reports’ 2007 State of the Net survey, www.consumerreports.org/security.
Customize The Menus In Your Toolbar
» 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
Data Points: 33 and 25
33Percentage of U.S. private companies that expect to change hands in the next 10 years. 25Percentage of those businesses that expect to do so within the next two years. Source: Grant Thornton International Business Report , www.internationalbusinessreport.com .
Users Grade Tax Software
A record number of CPAs responded to our fourth annual professional tax software survey in which we invited AICPA members to disclose, among other things, what tax-preparation software they use and how they evaluated various aspects of their products. In past years, only members of the Tax Section were included
Gauging Security ROI
The InformationWeek /Accenture Global Information Security survey asked more than 1,100 business technology professionals, “How does your company measure the value of your security investments?” Fewer worker hours spent on security-related issues—43% Better protection of customer records—35% Decline in breaches—33% Decline in amount of network downtime—33% Improved protection of intellectual
Smart Stops on the Web
TAX BIG RESOURCES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES www.irs.gov/businesses/small Whether you own a small business or work for one, this IRS site sorts out tax-related information so you don’t have to. There’s an A–Z index that lets you search by business type or by subject. It lists the
Untying the Knot: Planning for a De-Merger
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A merger process should include planning for a de-merger and establishing a sound agreement if a de-merger subsequently becomes necessary. De-merger agreements define how to treat specific issues if a de-merger has to take place. Items to consider addressing in a de-merger agreement include: Protecting
Is Your Software Illegal?
If it is, your business could face serious legal, financial and technological risks. According to the Business Software Alliance, small businesses paid more than $11.4 million in fines to settle software piracy claims in 2006, and they face the greatest risk for software piracy, not only due to their lack
Highlights
The SEC approved the PCAOB’s Auditing Standard no. 5, An Audit of Internal Control Over Financial Reporting That Is Integrated With An Audit of Financial Statements, clearing the way for the measure to replace Auditing Standard no. 2. The new standard is designed to increase the likelihood that
Best Practice: Continuation Plans
What would happen if you were unable to work for an extended period of time? Practice continuation plans are essential for CPAs. They ensure clients are taken care of and preserve the value of a practice, especially for small to medium-size firms, if an owner or sole practitioner falls ill.
Make Macros Available in All Excel Files
» 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
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