Intuit’s ProFile Tax Software Now Integrates With Office Tools Professional Practice Management Software

By John Iarussi, Tech Manager – Office Tools Professional

Office Tools Professional and Profile’s integration is a breakthrough in the accounting industry. Two companies, with two pieces of software, with one common goal: to make your life easier. Office Tools Professional is the first practice management software to fully integrate with tax software made by another company.

The synergy and integration that can be created between applications represents the pivotal next step in firm efficiency. So often over the years, firms have been left with a multitude of disconnected applications, each performing an isolated function with the overall workflow. In addition, firm’s needed another set of applications to manage the practice. With the technology available today, software vendors are beginning to see the value in linking arms and creating less encumbered offerings through thought out integrations. If done well, with a seamless look and feel, firms will be able to leverage themselves to a new level of success when taking advantage of such offerings. By streamlining their work, life is made easier.

Another benefit of the Office Tools Professional software is its use of the latest Microsoft technology, which allows seamless installation on internal and hosted Windows servers. Providing another option, by utilizing some of the latest technology; Cloud Computing. As firms begin to evaluate where they want their office programs and data to reside they will be provided with a high level solution that promotes choice.

The newly announced integration between Office Tools Professional and Intuit Profile takes a leap forward in helping accountants and tax professionals share contact information, track time, create projects, send and store documents and invoices across both programs seamlessly. Profile allowed Office Tools Professional to build these processes directly into the Profile tax software which enables users of both programs to take their efficiency to another level. Integration is not a new trend in this industry, it is quickly becoming a standard, but the level at which software’s “integrate” has always been minimal. Syncing contact data is the norm, occasionally document management systems will allow you do very specific things, but none have ever been so all encompassing as to allow the entire office ecosystem (Office Tools Professional) to interact completely with the tax software (Profile). Until now this was only available to people willing to go with a large “suited in” company of products, which wasn’t always done well and defeats the point of allowing firms choice. 

While using the Profile integration you have the ability to create a project within Office Tools Professional based on the tax form the accountant is filing, in doing so the user can attach the related source documents and a profile link to the project for easy accessibility from within Office Tools Professional. From there you are able to track time against the project within Profile and auto update the tax payers contact information. When work is completed you can send the final returns in PDF format, to Office Tools Professional’s document management and Client Portal system, which also associates it to the client’s project. As the process moves on and you are ready to bill, the integration allows invoicing to be forwarded directly into Office Tools Professional’s billing section, or you can bypass this and bill from within alternate software as well. The choice is yours.

After all is said and done this isn’t just huge for Office Tools Professional customers and Profile customers alike, it is actually a giant leap forward for the entire industry. In a proprietary industry, allowing two programs to fully interact is a game changer. This integration benefits not only current users of these products, but it prods competitors to tear down their proprietary walls. This will hopefully begin a movement towards full office integration through multiple programs in an open source environment. This would undoubtedly allow the end user to choose the absolute best software combination for their specific needs, instead of being forced down a very narrow path lined with a multitude of separate programs. I vote for choice!

Save $ With This Limited Time Sage 50 Offer

As the number one choice of small businesses in Canada, Simply Accounting has successfully made the branding jump to Sage 50. Although Sage software is quickly increasing in popularity in the US, it has already taken hold of the Canadian accounting software market.

With over 12,000 members in the Sage Accountants Network, businesses and professionals can easily find the tutorials, training and assistance they need to use Sage software for anything from a sole proprietorship to a larger enterprise with multiple locations.

Right now, Sage has a limited time offer for people looking to make the upgrade from Simple Accounting to a 2013 Sage 50 (Premium or Pro version). Save up to $70 on your software purchase and also receive a $25 Visa Gift Card. Offer expires April 26, 2013…so be sure to check this offer out ASAP.

Click here to learn more and make your purchase.
(Great refund policy. If you’re not fully satisfied, return Sage 50 within 60 days of purchase for full refund)

If you’re looking to upgrade a hosted version of Simply Accounting on your InsynQ virtual desktop, call (866) 206-1781. To learn more about hosting your Sage 50 or moving it to the cloud with InsynQ, visit http://www.insynq.com/sage-50-hosting.html.

Growing In The Cloud With The Right Hosting Provider

Working in the cloud with applications and data provides obvious benefits for businesses with multiple locations or geographically separated employees. Keep in mind though, that app portals, SaaS or virtual desktops are simply platforms that allow you to utilize software. Having a way to access your apps over the internet is great, but working in the cloud is only as good as the software you are using and the provider that is hosting it for you.

Most application hosting providers offer multiple versions of name brand software. As long as they are authorized to do so, hosting apps from Microsoft, Sage or Intuit is not a problem. But what if your an accountant that wants to provide financial projections, or a business owner that wants to monitor expenses or track inventory? Basically, there are a lot of valuable tools out there that integrate with name brand software to make your job easier and even give you the ability to provide new and additional services. Be sure to find out if your current or future hosting provider can move the software you want and need to the cloud

Asking the right questions is key to choosing a provider that fits your needs. Finding an online solution that is right for you and your business is one thing, but considering if you have the ability to change and grow along with market demands is another. Even if you don’t need to import or export data out of your hosted accounting software today, for example, perhaps you will down the road. Make sure you know if your provider is capable of delivering what you need when the time comes. Consider the following questions when making the move to the cloud…

• Can additional software be added to my hosted services (can it be customized)?
• Will my hosted applications work with other online software?
• Do I have the ability to use different versions of software on one virtual platform?
• Can I bring on additional users with different software?

Sage 50 Cloud Hosting

The ability to host Sage 50 in the cloud is giving businesses, accountants and other financial professionals a new found freedom with anywhere, anytime access to the latest Sage software. The popular Peachtree and Simply Accounting applications may have changed their name, but they still offer small and medium sized businesses a variety of products. Whether your starting with Sage 50 Complete or need the advanced features of Sage 50 Quantum, you can reduce costs and increase productivity by moving apps to a hosted platform.

Moving to the cloud not only gives you 24X7 access to your software and data, it also keep it safer and more secure than it would be if stored in-house or on one computer. If a laptop was stolen, or a business location were to catch on fire, critical business data and files would most likely be lost. But with applications and data safely stored in the cloud, a business or employee can simply log on and access everything they need from a different computer. As long as you can connect to the internet, you can continue working.

It is also generally more cost effective to have applications hosted since you are taking advantage of what is often referred to as a “utility resource”. Hosting Sage 50 in-house requires installation, updates/upgrades and maintenance which can be costly up-front, and then continue to cost you money throughout the usefully lifetime of your software. But when you move your Sage 50 software to the cloud with a hosting provider, they handle everything required to run your software on a virtual desktop. All that you need to do is supply a license, and your work is done. Your hosted version of Sage 50 will also work with other important business applications like Sage ACT!, Microsoft Office, tax applications and more.

Reduce the burden of hardware and software management with a Sage 50 cloud solution today. Learn more about how you can give yourself the freedom to work online by having your Sage 50 hosted at www.insynq.com.

What a Virtual Desktop Is and How it Pertains to Running QuickBooks in the Cloud

Professionals often have questions about what exactly it means to run a hosted version of QuickBooks on a virtual desktop. A large chunk of the confusion stems from the question: What exactly is a virtual desktop? A virtual desktop looks just like the desktop you are used to seeing when you start up Windows on a PC. It has applications, icons, a start menu and quick launch icons on the task bar. Your QuickBooks programs and accounting files are saved, stored and accessed similar to the way you would on a local device. The difference is that your applications are securely run and stored on a remote server instead of your local PC.

Your virtual desktop is accessed via the internet and is therefore available from any computer or device from anywhere in the world. It doesn’t require any fancy software, complicated installations or expensive machines to ensure smooth performance. All that is needed is a machine or device with an internet connection and you will be able to access the same desktop you’re used to seeing with your QuickBooks software and data files. It doesn’t matter if you are using a PC, Mac, smartphone or iPad. Everything will look identical to what you’re used to working with.

There are many advantages to operating QuickBooks on a hosted desktop. With InsynQ’s QuickBooks hosting for example, you are given an entire custom-built virtual desktop featuring vital software such as the Microsoft Office suite. The ability to use necessary supporting applications gives people working in the cloud a huge advantage. All financial professionals will agree that the two most frequently used programs in their lives are QuickBooks and Office. However, many have other applications they would like to access from any machine or device they happen to be near at the time. Virtual desktops give professionals the ability to move these other programs to the cloud. Hosting QuickBooks integrations and add-ons on a virtual desktop opens up the option of accessing the files and data you need at anytime and from anywhere, on a platform that is easy to use.

The familiar environment housing your accounting software and data, means you are always ready to access and edit files in real-time and share between clients and co-workers instantaneously; that is what virtual desktops are all about.
(*article as seen on qbcloud.wordpress.com)

Learn more about InsynQ Virtual Desktops at www.insynq.com.

Accountants Cloud-Hosted Paperless Office

An accounting firm in Canada was recently looking to make their application hosting services more diverse by moving their document management software to the cloud. Luckily, they were a client of InsynQ, a hosting provider with the capability to test and deploy new applications in the cloud for people working on a private cloud platform. A private cloud is a client’s own dedicated platform that can be customized with the addition of software that is not on InsynQ’s list of standard cloud offerings.

The software that the accounting firm was looking to use was eXadox, an application that helps businesses manage, store and share documents. After a brief collaboration between InsynQ Engineers and eXadox technical staff, the software was able to be deployed in the cloud on an InsynQ Virtual Desktop.

Check out the full article to learn more about how InsynQ and eXadox were able to help create a cloud-based platform to meet the specific needs of an accounting firm in Canada that wanted to move more of their business to a paperless platform in the cloud.
http://www.exadox.com/files/pdf/en/Article-Accountants-Cloud-Hosted-Paperless-Office.pdf

To learn more about application hosting options on an InsynQ Virtual Desktop, visit http://www.insynq.com/virtual-desktops.html.

The Benefits of Working in the Cloud for Canadian Financial Professionals

Cloud Accounting in Canada is becoming more and more popular, and for good reason. The advantages to computing in the cloud are numerous. It provides enhanced security, reduces cost, allows for virtually limitless mobility, and drastically improves the client’s experience. Cloud computing gives professionals the ability to access applications and files in real-time, from any computer, without the need for anything but an internet connection. The benefits of cloud computing become even more important when you consider the fact that many CAs do not provide services at or near their clients business location.

ELIMINATING THE ISSUE OF GEOGRAPHIC SEPARATION

Canada is a country spread out across many thousands of miles. This results in time eaten up by transportation and causes many financial professionals to lose productivity when out of the office or on the road. In order to better assist clients, Canadian accountants are looking towards the cloud. Having your software and files hosted by an authorized provider such as InsynQ allows you to access your apps and data from any internet connected PC, Mac or tablet. This means that the user can be on the road, at home, in a coffee shop, at a client’s office or waiting in an airport and still be given the same access as they would from their office. With hosted applications, there is no need to lock yourself into using your applications on just one device or at just one location.

CANADIAN APPLICATION HOSTING

Any accountant who has ever travelled can instantly identify the benefits of application hosting. Yet surprisingly, Canadian accounting professionals have not adopted the business model as quickly as their American counter-parts. In a recent Leger Marketing survey of more than 700 Canadian business and government leaders for Microsoft Canada, just 29% of respondents said their organizations had implemented cloud computing. By contrast, a 2011 poll by Sunnyvale, California-based technology firm Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. found that almost 75% of U.S. organizations were using or considering using cloud applications.

SHARING FILES WITH EASE

Eliminating the access concerns from a geographic perspective can be a dramatic time and money saver for Canadian accounting firms alike. For the larger bookkeeping firms, the ability to access and share files with offices located many miles away without the need of emailing large documents or mailing USB sticks is quite beneficial. Instantaneous access allows users in offices located throughout multiple provinces to edit and view their co-worker’s and/or clients’ data in real-time. This instantly boosts productivity thus eliminating cost. In addition to the accessibility features, it also eliminates the need for program updates or installations. Cloud computing therefore allows the accountant to improve their productivity by focusing more on their clients and less on their technology.

The accessibility and mobility offered by cloud computing quickly becomes a huge asset to any financial professional that integrates it into their business. With popular versions of Canadian applications like QuickBooks, Simply Accounting and the all new Sage 50 being hosted, there is an option for almost anyone to start working in the cloud.

Join InsynQ-CPAASP, Guest Speakers & Other Sponsors At The First Annual Canadian Bookkeeping Conference & Expo

The IPBC invites all bookkeeping and accounting professionals to the first annual Canadian Bookkeeping Conference and Exposition, September 20 – 23, at the Delta Vancouver Airport Inn.  Register for the one day Pre-Conference, the three day conference, or both!

• Participate in numerous educational opportunities, learn and engage in dialogue about important topics being presented by a variety of top industry speakers.
• Network with renowned experts in the bookkeeping profession and discuss the latest and most advanced information and programs available.
• The full day pre-conference workshop on Thursday September 20th is being presented by one of the industry’s top influential speakers, Ronald Baker. Mr. Baker is the founder of VeraSage Institute, the leading think tank dedicated to educating professionals around the world. Mr. Baker will present; Implementing Value Pricing for Bookkeepers and Accountants: “Learn how to Make More Money and Have Happier Clients” Limited space available, register early!
• Browse the exhibit hall and take a look at what’s new from our sponsors.
• Fill your conference/exhibit passport and be entered to win an iPad, donated by the IPBC.
• E-handouts will be available after the conference to participants attending select sessions.

Some of the most influential names in the industry are presenting various educational sessions.

Ronald Baker Verasage Institute – PreConference workshop

Alan Salmon K2 Enterprises – Keynote speaker

Canadian Payroll Association

Intuit – QuickBooks

Sage 50 Accounting

CRA

Register today and join us at Canada’s largest bookkeeping event, ever!

You don’t want to miss this chance to further your professional growth, catch up on what’s happening in the industry, learn about the latest in evidence-based practices, expand your knowledge, and broaden your perspectives, all while enjoying beautiful Vancouver BC.

Hosted Solutions in Canada: Businesses in Canada now have a variety of online application options

When Intuit launched the Authorized QuickBooks Hosting Program in the US, it opened to doors for thousands of accountants and their business clients, enabling real time collaboration via the web and facilitating the seamless delivery of much needed back-office support for small and growing businesses.  QuickBooks Online was useful enough, but it didn’t (doesn’t) offer the features and capability that so many businesses rely on.  Hosting the applications and the integrations allowed professionals to utilize advanced technology without being forced to manage it – which was the key to adoption by accountants and business owners alike.  It had to be simple.

Success in the US markets has demonstrated the value of the model, which is now delivering similar benefits in other geographies.

Both Intuit and Sage recently launched hosting programs addressing the needs of the Canadian market, and InsynQ is a proud provider and participant in both.

Delivering QuickBooks Canadian editions, as well as Intuit Profile Tax solutions for Canada, InsynQ provides a rich set of hosted offerings for Intuit application users.

For Sage brand clients, InsynQ provides hosting services for Simply Accounting in Canada, as well as hosting for Peachtree and other Sage accounting and CRM solutions in the US.

Cloud Accounting for Canada is here and now, and the value of the model is being proven every day.  Helping businesses manage their accounting and finances is key to helping build stronger businesses – and accounting professionals in Canada now have the tools to make it happen.

Intuit Hosted QuickBooks – Canadian Editions Delivered From Canada

Hosted QuickBooks Canada

Our hosted QuickBooks service lets you access your financial information from anywhere. Now you can work on QuickBooks from home, office, or the road and not miss a beat. Free yourself from IT hassles so you can free up time to focus on growing your business. Anytime, anywhere access Connect with just a web browser Connect multiple offices without the hassles of WANs or VPNS Easy remote access when you’re on the road Protect your business Continuous automatic data backups Secure connections protect your privacy Off-site data storage helps prevent data loss Save on technology hassles Save money on IT with no server or infrastructure costs Save time—we maintain the network for you

Let us install your QuickBooks software in the cloud—Call today.

InsynQ CPAASP Jim Torpey 866-206-1781 Intuit-Authorized QuickBooks host delivering QuickBooks Canadian editions from Canadian datacenters!

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