Pittsburgh — Invesmart Inc., a Pittsburgh-based retirement services firm, has kicked off a nationwide rollout of its new Partner Program to banks and investment advisors.

by Robert Scott

by Gail Perry

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.

New York — The American Institute of CPAs, through its Accounting and Review Services Committee, has issued Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services No. 10, Performance of Review Engagements, amending Statement on Standards No. 1, Compilation and Review of Financial Statements.

by L. Gary Boomer

by Dave McClure

The Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking public comment on the costs and benefits associated with “tagged” data, and is considering a staff proposal to accept voluntary supplemental filings of financial data using the Extensible Business Reporting Language, or XBRL.

by Gail Perry

by Paul R. Brazina and Bruce A. Leauby

by Ted Needleman

STUDY SAYS 2004 TO SEE SURGE IN IT UPGRADES: Nearly eight of 10 businesses polled in a recent survey by information technology consultant and researcher Yankee Group said that they will have undertaken a major software upgrade by the end of 2004. According to the survey of some 1,100 network administrators worldwide, the planned upgrades would encompass everything from client/server upgrades and new off-the-shelf applications to custom applications.

by James Boomer

by Bill Carlino

E-mail is a mission-critical application in most accounting firms.

By Seth Fineberg

PAYROLL SERVICES ARE NEXT FOR BEST: Best Software will launch a payroll program to enable accountants to operate their own service bureaus, although that effort will follow next year’s plan for tailoring an existing payroll product to the company’s general ledger packages.

By James K. Boomer

By Seth Fineberg

VISION HRM BUYS SERENIC: Nonprofit accounting software maker Serenic Software has been acquired by Vision HRM, a Canadian company, in a deal that is more of a merger than a purchase.