Sage Software has unveiled its annual tax update release for its Sage FAS Fixed Assets product line.

Corporate performance management is garnering a lot of attention, as firms look to leverage technology to gain competitive advantage by focusing on critical financial and operational metrics.The standard guidance for success, such as top management sponsorship, end-user buy-in and careful scope definition, need no embellishment. This article offers some practical advice that can spell the difference between success and failure in a CPM implementation.

In today's market, innovation and security are the primary filters for investing in technology. It's not an easy job to simultaneously manage costs, risks, security and regulatory requirements while driving innovation and growth. Firms that simply spend their budgets on maintaining technology will fall behind, while those that invest in innovation and integration of systems will prosper.To whom technology leaders report will often predict a firm's long-term success, including its return on tech investments. Proper governance is critical, and firms that view technology as a strategic asset get much higher rates of return than those that view it as overhead.

Sage Software has announced the launch of Sage Pro ERP 7.4, the latest version of the company's business management solution for small and midsized businesses.The version includes several new features, such as an executive dashboard, a new desktop interface and two new modules - Return Merchandise Authorization and Request for Quote - as well as several improvements on the software's manufacturing-specific modules.

It's always interesting to see when software trends are failing. Four years ago, software vendors couldn't get over their love affair with the big "enterprise" customers, ditching their small business and mid-market customers in favor of wealthier global concerns. The accounting software industry was no exception.Now the trend is reversing itself, due in part to the fact that there are only a relative handful of enterprise customers to be had - and most of them do not want to go through the pain and cost of switching accounting systems unless it is absolutely necessary. Today, the mantra is to move into the mid-market, where companies are forced by growth to upgrade their systems. Little software vendors are moving up to the mid-market; big vendors are moving down.

JOURNYX LAUNCHES P5 PROTOCOLJournyx, a publisher of Web-based time-tracking software, has rolled out Journyx P5 Protocol, a process enabling users to track per-person, per-project profitability. P5 Protocol assists companies in identifying profit opportunities, as well as gathering and analyzing time and project management data that can be used to increase productivity, and aid hiring and retention. For more, visit www.journyx.com.

Sage Software recently launched Sage Accpac HRMS, a new human resources management system for Sage Accpac ERP and Sage Pro ERP users.

Payroll, human resources and timekeeping solutions provider TimePlus Payroll has launched a proprietary feature, that allows employers and employees to access payroll information online.

Microsoft Office is accounting; accounting is Microsoft Office. This is all ye know and all ye need to know. Maybe that line won’t rank with some other literary gems. But it describes something of what is happening with accounting applications, indeed all applications. As a press release from Epicor noted in October, the phenomenon is a convergence of separate applications. Epicor made that analysis in the announcement of its Epicor Information Worker, which is a bit of a new category of software, perhaps we should call it Office ride-along application, as vendors increasingly try to make their applications look and work like the Microsoft y packages.. This trend has been quite apparent in the Microsoft financial line as its four accounting applications have taken on more of the look of Microsoft Outlook and implemented portal functionality. Microsoft has talked of the emergence of composite applications, and Epicor seems to be taking a step in that direction, although the company did not use the term. As described by Epicor, IW is delivered as an Office application. Epicor users can synchronize with Outlook, and drag and drop Epicor ERP data from the Epicor Task Pane to Word 2007 or Excel 2007. In other words, the applications no longer work in isolation from each other. To quote the press release: “The continued blurring of the lines between enterprise applications like Epicor and desktop productivity tools like Microsoft Office enables users to seamlessly interact with relevant and timely information wherever they need it and ensures continuity of information sharing and collaboration across the enterprise.” Of course, two can play at that game, especially when one of the companies owns the game. It’s hard to see how any vendor can out-Microsoft Microsoft. Some resellers have commented that Microsoft’s approach to selling the Dynamics line appears to be moving to “Oh, it’s just like Outlook. You know how to use that.” Ease of learning tends to be a very powerful selling tool. And maybe that’s all you need to know.

MICROSOFT OFFERS OFFICE ACCOUNTING EXPRESS FOR FREE: In its latest attempt to become a player in the accounting software space, Microsoft had released a free, stripped-down version of its software, targeting small businesses that are late adopters and rely on pencil and paper or Excel for their bookkeeping needs.Microsoft Office Accounting Express 2007 integrates with other Microsoft Office software and will be included in the Small Business, Professional and Office Ultimate versions of Microsoft Office 2007. While using the free version of Express, users are periodically offered an upgrade to other products in Microsoft's recently retooled accounting suite, including Office Accounting Professional 2007, which is set for release early next year with a price tag of $149.

The auditor can no longer assume that no fraud exists unless it smacks them between the eyes.Statement on Auditing Standards 99, issued in 2002, requires auditors to exercise professional skepticism about the possibility of a material misstatement in the financial representations of management due to fraud. Now that SAS 99 is four years old, it is time to investigate this standard that shifted auditors from no fraud detection responsibility to the higher degree of professional care.

The processes, technologies and people that helped you get to the level you're at may not be able to ensure that your firm is competitive and able to retain and attract quality people in the future.

With previous editions of Accounting Today's annual Top 100 Products feature, our editorial staff traditionally thought long and hard in an effort to pull together a theme that would, in essence, provide a cohesive blanket for the myriad products and product categories.But with this, our 14th edition of the Top 100 Products, we felt that the cover image was sufficient - an austere spotlight highlighting the true product "stars" of technology in the accounting profession.

In addition to those products that made it onto Accounting Today's Top 100 Products list, our editors have chosen a strong crop of contenders that bear consideration.Here are some of the products to watch in 2007.

HIGH-END/MID-MARKET ACCOUNTINGACCOUNTMATE 7 FOR SQL

The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is now four years old, and companies, accountants and agencies are still arguing about who should have to comply and how those who are subject to the act can meet the compliance regulations.Smaller public companies are howling at what they see as onerous costs in implementing SOX measures and software. The good news is that there is finally lots of software available to help companies of all sizes in complying with SOX.

Like office co-workers whose friendship ultimately evolves into something more permanent, document management and workflow have become inextricably linked because, like a couple, one influences the other.Ergo, we have hastily jumped on the DM-workflow evolution bandwagon and paired them together in a single category. Below is a list of this year's top entrants at their synergistic best.

It's been a sweet year for accounting software (pun intended) in terms of both new and established Internet solutions. But for users, it's akin to deciding which end of a buffet to begin at. Is it best to implement an Internet suite from one vendor, or mix and match for a custom bundle? Like grazing on a food bar, it's a question of whether you favor the proteins or salads.But either way, grab a plate and dig in. There's plenty of choices for everyone, as this year's roster of top Internet suites clearly demonstrates.

Contact information for the vendors of the Accounting Today 2006 Top 100 Products and Ones to Watch.AccountantsWorld

Micros Systems Inc., a provider of information technology solutions for the hospitality and retail industries, has acquired TangentPOS, a company specializing in event point-of-sale and accounting systems for food service and retail operations at major sports and entertainment facilities.TangentPOS has over 200 installations in venues in North America and offers various products designed to maximize food and beverage profitability at concessions, premium seats, bars, restaurants and vending.