I am choosing this week to focus on yet another warrior in the growing cloud accounting battle that you may or may not have heard of, but after attending its first U.S. partner conference I have a better sense of who Xero is and what challenges they have in the U.S. market.

Microsoft is preparing to roll out NAV 2013 R2, a new version of its Dynamics NAV ERP software that includes a key feature for cloud-based deployments as well as tighter integration with Office.

Cougar Mountain Software has released CMS Professional 2014, the latest version of its business and nonprofit accounting software which includes several new reporting, inventory, accounts receivable, and receipt printing features.

Executives at online accounting product maker Xero acknowledged that they still have a lot of awareness work to do in the U.S. market and are hoping new and enhanced product offerings will help grow its partner base – who are primarily accounting firms -- as well as customers.

ERP and CRM product maker Open Systems Inc. has formed a new partnership with Argus Hosting, a provider of online hosting and cloud services for ERP users.

Grant Thornton has acquired the Oracle consulting business of MarketSphere, a Kansas City, Mo.-based business consulting firm, which expands Grant Thornton’s Technology Solutions practice.

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Great partners make great firms

Online accounting software maker Xero has partnered with expense reporting application company Expensify, effectively integrating Expensify’s expense report data directly into Xero’s accounting platform.

NetSuite Inc. is considering establishing a formal BPO program for CPA firms as its Accountants Program has reached 1,000 members worldwide.

CCH has updated its CCH Mobile App to enable IntelliConnect research platform subscribers to easily access and share content via Apple, Android, and Kindle Fire HD mobile devices.

Boomer Consulting, Inc. announced Thursday the recipients of its inaugural Bridging the Gap Awards, recognizing firms and individuals in the accounting industry that excel in aligning technology, firm management and talent development.

The Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters has released a number of enhancements to the latest version of Workpapers CS, its workpaper management software for tax engagements. The enhancements include increased integration with UltraTax CS, the addition of Source Document Processing for managing workpapers, and several additional points of integration with other applications in the Thomson Reuters CS Professional Suite.

As the number of available cloud storage offerings continues to expand, Box and Dropbox consistently rank among the most popular, yet which is best for your accounting firm?

ERP product maker Open Systems Inc. has formed a preferred vendor relationship with Keystone Solutions Inc. to integrate the Traverse ERP product with the eCommERPbridge ecommerce platform.

The old adage that there are two sides to every story remains true today especially as it pertains to accountants.

Accounting software vendor Intuit Inc. has launched a new QuickBooks Cloud ProAdvisor Program for accountants who are interested in building their business in the cloud.