Mobile technology will be bigger and will be adopted faster than any other new accounting technology of the past decade, predicted Jon Baron, president, professional, of the Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters.
In his conference-opening address to over 1000 participants at the 31st Annual Users’ Conference for Professional Tax & Accounting Firms, Baron emphasized both the productivity and image-building aspects of mobile technology.
“How your client perceives you is important,” he said. “Image is everything.”
Baron addressed on-the-go productivity by unveiling a major expansion of the business’s smartphone and tablet technology. New functionality in the company’s Mobile CS software, combined with enhancements to existing applications, will allow practitioners to share ideas, present finished documents to clients, and input data in the field from their mobile devices.
A firm-branded mobile app will enable end-user clients to access documents, enter time data, view W-2 information, and perform a variety of other tasks on tablets, smartphones and other mobile devices.
Baron gave a live demonstration of the capabilities, which, starting next spring, will enable accounting firm clients and their employees to do more with their smartphone and tablet devices. They will be able to increase their firm marketing and messaging opportunities.
Employees of business clients will be to enter their time and view check stubs and W-2s. The technology will also give clients access to their portal information in a mobile-friendly format. Users will be able to exchange files in progress and sign documents electronically. Accountants will be able to present finished reports and tax returns to clients, and automatically track mileage, time and expenses through mobile devices.
“Mobile technology is new and it is important,” said Baron. “It will touch all aspects of your practice, so you should plan accordingly.”
