SBS GROUP ACQUIRES EBSI

There are fewer, but tougher, low-cost accounting packages.

In a move that will further boost its penetration into the payroll market, Intuit has signed a deal to acquire online payroll service PayCycle for approximately $170 million in cash.

Firms that have gone the paperless route offer directions

Sage Software’s top reseller in North America for the past two years, Management Information Services Inc., also known as MIS Group, abruptly announced that it is ceasing all business operations, effective Monday. The firm had ranked No. 10 on SourceMedia's VAR 100 list, with $25.3 million in revenue in 2008.

CCH said it is supporting the new FASB Accounting Standards Codification in its CCH Accounting Research Manager service.

E-mail newsletter provider BizActions has introduced an Online Tax Guide that CPAs can link to from their own Web sites and brand with their own firm’s name and logo.

AccuFund has upgraded its financial reporting software for nonprofit, municipal and government organizations with new features for budget development, allocations and financial reports.

Adaptive Planning has released version 6.0 of its eponymous product, with new multidimensional business financial planning features and integration with NetSuite.

Global risk and internal audit consulting concern Protiviti Inc. has released Governance Portal version 3, a governance, risk and compliance application.

JustSystems has introduced xfy XBRL Report, a desktop application that allows users to view, explore and report on multidimensional Extensible Business Reporting Language data.

A software company has introduced a “mind-mapping” product that tries to help accountants synthesize information better and communicate it in a way that businesses can understand.

Accounting software developers Coda and Corefino have partnered on a three-part Web-based accounting service called Corefino 2go.

Sage North America has introduced the latest version of its time and billing software, Timeslips by Sage 2010, with new features such as a report on clients who haven’t been billed as of a certain date.

Thomson Reuters has updated its Practice CS practice management software with a new Staff Management module.

As a flood of rising technologies such as social networking sites, instant messaging and Second Life begin to get a stronger foothold in the CPA profession, firms should begin deploying them in business-centric areas of the firms such as marketing and recruiting.

SMARTVAULT MANAGES DOCUMENTS FOR QUICKBOOKS

CPAs should watch their language during tough economic times.

Applications for firms and their clients don't have to break the bank

Digital paper and ink, touch-screen technology, social media and IT security headlined the opening session at Tech+ 2009, the AICPA Information Technology Conference here.