Tech Briefs: Aug. 23 - Sept. 5, 2004

RIA ENHANCES CHECKPOINT: RIA, a provider of high-end tax research and compliance software and products, has added a series of upgrades to its Checkpoint online platform.

The company, a Thomson business, said that a sampling of the new enhancements includes SECPlus, an online research product that provides real-time access to selected Securities and Exchange Commission filings, and includes interactive links to relevant source materials, WG&L editorial analysis, model language and interactive checklists.

Within that umbrella is SECPlus Financial Fundamentals, which enables users to chart competitive companies’ financial data, comparing balance sheet, income statement and cash-flow items among filers. In addition, the SECPlus Filings Highlights provide articles on recent and amended filings, with links to primary source and editorial materials.

The links to source materials include:

  • The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002;
  • SEC official text and agency documents;
  • Financial Accounting Standards Board pronouncements, staff positions and documents;
  • Public Company Accounting Oversight Board promulgations; and,
  • American Institute of CPAs documents.

RIA also said that its RIA Tax Alerts, an integrated tax research and compliance service, is now available on Checkpoint, along with several new content partners. New content partners that have recently come aboard Checkpoint include Practising Law Institute, a publisher of professional continuing education material since 1933, and WorldTrade Executive, a Massachusetts-based publisher of international taxation and finance materials. In addition, Checkpoint users will be able to link to Salary.com, a comprehensive report of 2003 executive salary and cash compensation data.Current content partners for Tax Alerts include IBFD, GEE and Comtax, as well as the BNA Daily Tax Report, FASB, and Thomson businesses West and PPC.
BEST UNVEILS CPASOFTWARE PRODUCT SUITE WITH ENHANCED INTEGRATION: Best Software has unveiled its CPASoftware Product Suite with new versions of CPAPractice Manager, CPAAccounting Manager and CPADocument Manager.

These versions include integration with the Abra payroll and FAS fixed assets product lines, as well as with the Peachtree, MAS 90, MAS 200 and MAS 500 general ledger products.

For accountants who work with small businesses, Peachtree Import can import checks and journal entries from Peachtree into CPAClient Write-Up, part of CPAAccounting Manager, to prepare client financial statements. Employee and vendor balances can also be updated and edited for regulatory reporting.

Also, CPAClient Write-Up links with Sagework’s ProfitCents decision-making tool, which is designed for the interpretation of financial results. ProfitCents pulls in the client’s financial statement information and translates it into plain English industry comparison reporting. Accountants can choose analysis from a variety of accounting period comparisons.

CPADocument Manager is $795, CPAPractice Manager SQL Version is $290 per seat, and the CPAAccounting Manager Client Write-Up bundle is $1,285, which includes federal and state reporting. Additional accounting modules are extra.

Separately, Best rolled out a time and billing version of its CPAPractice Manager product. The product, which is meant for firms with up to 10 employees, includes time entry, billing and invoicing features, accounts receivable, and reporting capabilities. Pricing starts at $399 for two users.

— Carly Lombardo Bohach

ALTARA FETED WITH AWARDS AT MBS CONFAB: Altara, a high-volume reseller for Microsoft Business Solutions, received two awards at last month’s Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Toronto.

The Cedar Knolls, N.J.-based value-added reseller was named to the MBS Inner Circle — an award for reaching a top-level sales tier — for the fifth consecutive year. Altara also received the Marketing Excellence Award for investing time and resources to build marketing awareness within their organization, as well as within the community.

Altara was one of 21 worldwide partner organizations that received a special recognition award during the Microsoft Business Solutions Global Recognition Ceremony.

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