Software & Hardware

FileCenterIf you're like us, you need someone to look after your stuff and keep it safe. Until the Powers That Be recognize our need for both a nanny and a maid, we'll look to FileCenter 4.0 and its more powerful cousin, FileCenter Professional, to maintain order on our computer. FileCenter is a file management program that sits atop Windows and helps users to organize, locate and manage computer files. It also has shredding capabilities, PDF and ZIP conversion functionality, and powerful search functions. The Professional version adds scanning and PDF-search capabilities, as well as easy network implementation.

Price: FileCenter - $69; FileCenter Professional - $199.

Lucion Technologies

www.lucion.com

(801) 722-7099

Better all the time

SOX isn't ever going to be easy, but it can get easier, as companies get used to compliance and software vendors improve their offerings. Paisley Consulting has combined customer and analyst feedback and industry best practices to improve the latest version of its Focus compliance solution.

Among other new features,

it includes an enhanced interface, with a menu bar function, widened tree and document views, certification agreement enhancements, improved audit trail functionality, and a variety of control test enhancements. For COSO control activities, it lets users document sample size during control testing, and apply a unique certification agreement for sign-off purposes.

Price: Free to current customers; new users - contact vendor.

Paisley Consulting

www.paisleyconsulting.com

(888) 288-0283

Manage your docs

Filing systems are as unique as snowflakes, which means you'd better pay whoever does your filing more, since they're the only ones who can find the documents you need. That, or consider a document management system like Kyocera Mita's iTag, which lets you capture, index, store, retrieve and share electronic documents. The solution comes pre-loaded on a server with a kiosk and touchscreen validation station, and plugs directly into your network, so that you can access the Kyocera scanners and printers that it integrates with from anywhere you like. It's that, or start treating your filing clerks better.

Price: Starts at $15,000.

Kyocera Mita America

www.kyoceramita.com/us

Avoiding contact

If Hell is other people, then the bottom-most circle of Hell is working with other people on a project. One way to alleviate the hellishness is to use online collaboration tools and portals like QwikdoX, which creates a secure virtual space where staff and clients can access and work on shared documents according to their assigned roles. Just think - you can work on tax returns or financial plans with clients, or on audits or proposals with your staff, all without having to actually see them!

Price: Project by project - $15 to $65; annual subscriptions available. Private site - $7,995.

Pacific Financial Printing

www.pfp.net/

(650) 328-1500

Blast from the past

Between the Golden Age of the Adding Machine and the Brave New World of the PC, there was a brief shining moment when the calculator reigned supreme. Return with us now to those days of yore, as Hewlett Packard celebrates the 25th anniversary of its HP 12c Platinum by re-releasing it with modern components and a snappy leather pouch. Some may sneer, but this is a very powerful machine that can compete with a PC on many levels. And check out the keyboard - compared to your average PDA, those keys are huge. Next up: The 2,500th anniversary of the abacus.

Price: $79.

Hewlett Packard

www.hp.com

New and improved!

Shift Technologies has released Version 6.5 of its ThinMind workforce management suite, with extended browser support. ... LexisNexis has added Shepard's for Tax Professionals and LexisNexis Company Dossier and Industry Reports to its Tax Center research platform. ... Sage Software has released Sage FAS Canada Fixed Assets V. 2006.1. ... Radio Beacon has released Radio Beacon WMS for SAP Business One 2005 Service Pack 01.

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