ILUMEN INTEGRATES WITH QB

While there are ever-increasing threats to a firm's IT security, technology consultant Dave Cieslak, principal and co-founder of Simi Valley, Calif.-based Arxis Technology, advises that firms pay attention to these five common pitfalls and offers tips to abate the risks:

The much-hyped market for cloud services has been building exponentially since "cloud computing" became a buzzword. According to research firm Forrester, investment in the cloud topped $18.6 billion last year, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch estimates that corporate spending on cloud services will reach $117 billion per year over the next three-to-five years.

As data theft and similar online security breaches grow in both frequency and sophistication, more CPA firms have vowed to make it security a priority for 2012 and beyond.

TRIBRIDGE ACQUIRES DYNAMICS VAR EPARTNERS

Paychex Insurance Agency, a unit of payroll and benefits outsourcing concern Paychex, is offering a free, online calculator to help its small-business clients that provide health insurance to their employees to see if they qualify for the Small Business Tax Credit under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

Accounting services provider and technology reseller SBS Group said it has added Gazlin Consulting to its partner network, joining SBS Atlanta.

Software developer and consultancy xkzero unveiled the general release of its GetX Search for Sage MAS 90 and MAS 200, which allows users of the enterprise resource planning products to search their software the same way they do the Web.

The Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters has added extra features to the new release of its practice management system Practice CS, which is part of the company’s CS Professional Suite.

Tax form software developer Greatland Corp. has released its annual list of the year’s most newsworthy events in terms of their implications on W-2 and 1099 forms.

Cloud-based workflow software provider XCM Solutions has released XCM 9.0, the next generation of its firm-wide workflow automation software featuring greater customization, expanded knowledge management, and enhanced usability for all roles across the firm.

Accounting and financial management application developer Red Wing Software Inc. has released a purchase order management module and the option of managing multiple inventory locations for its CenterPoint Accounting Software.

Sage North America’s new executive vice president of midmarket and CRM solutions, Joe Langner, sees his greatest challenges as improving communication with partners and customers and educating them about the company’s evolving brand and product strategies.

Document management software provider Doc.It is now offering the Doc.It .Net Client Portal, which allows firms and their clients to securely send and receive documents and files of any size.

SaaS-based sales tax automation service provider Avalara will be increasing its channel-building efforts in the New Year, with plans to add to its partner segments, including traditional enterprise resource planning VARs, e-commerce companies and accountants.

Even thought leaders can get stuck in the past for a while and the Information Technology Alliance is no exception.

AZ Technology Solutions, the technology services division of Anderson ZurMuehlen, a longtime Microsoft Dynamics and Intuit partner, has joined the Intacct partner program.

Sage North America has released version 11.0 of its Sage Fund Accounting nonprofit and government financial management software, which boasts an auto update console, an updated workflow and user interface, and added functionality in the accounts receivable module.

The Tax & Accounting business of Thomson Reuters revealed a mobile version Thursday of its Accountant Resource Network, or ARNE, which is available now for Apple iOS and Android devices.

Value-added reseller and cloud-based QuickBooks inventory management software maker AccuCode Inc. has launched an affiliate program, whereby organizations can earn up to a 30 percent commission referring users to sign up for the AO: Rapid Inventory software.