Thinking about going paperless? Read this

[kcjenkins]

http://webcpa.com/article.cfm?articleid=24349&page=1

This article is worth your time to read, even if you are already doing it, even more so if you are thinking about it, or about expanding it.

[MAMalody]

Looks like I may have had a paperless office using the Oklahoma Method. Good article. Gear Up also has a tech book out that is pretty good. Thanks for the article.

Mike

[TAXBILLY]

Good article.

taxbilly

[kcjenkins]

Here's a post from another board about another good article.

There's a good article and software evaluation in the June/July "NSA Technology Advisor" that makes a distinction between Document Management Systems and Document Storage Systems. The article focuses on Document Management Systems. Another article will follow on Document Storage Systems. In general Document Management Systems are more involved. Different providers' software have different capabilities and prices, and

can do such things as sharing data across different platforms, indexing, website portals, and a variety of other things that help to eliminate duplicate data entry and sharing and receiving information with/from clients.

John Stevens, EA

Stevens Tax and Accounting, Inc., dba Equi-Tax

1870 - 50th St. E., Suite 8

Inver Grove Heights, MN 55077

651-773-5000

FAX 651-457-4529

[email protected]

www.equitax.net

[jainen]

This is a very good topic that I hope we will return to over and over. The potential is unlimited, when you consider not only document storage but telecommuting and everything. If H&R Block can outsource jobs to India, obviously our industry faces huge changes in how data is handled.

My office uses Lacerte and tried to implement the Document Management System in February. Only the boss had enough motivation to make such a major workflow change in the middle of tax season! The rest of us made our pencil notes and then scanned it all in. Now I'm gradually getting used to the increased use of mouse (and keyboard as much as possible) and the dual monitors.

Lacerte can scan W-2s and 1099s directly into the tax return. So far, checking for accuracy seems to take slightly longer than entering by hand, especially with W-2s that carry over from the previous year.

[kcjenkins]

Please let us know how it goes, as you get more used to it. This sort of feedback from the real 'front lines' is more valuable than anything else, when it comes to making such decisions.

[Jake]

The Total Tax Office Program this year includes a document management system. When I talked to a sales person at ATX he indicated that it would ready sometime in August. I renewed early this year primarily to get the document manager well before the begining of tax season. I hope it is as good as advertised.

[jklcpa]

I use ATX TTO as well and just renewed for next year. Did the sales rep indicate that you would be receiving the doc mgmt system in Aug or is that only if it's purchased separately?

The reason I ask is because ATX website indicates that my current product subscription runs through 11/30/07. I've always assumed that's how long I have to use Kleinrock, the CPE, etc if I didn't renew. And at that date, is when I'd be expecting the new programs. I'd like to have the new programs sooner - that much longer to learn before next season!

An update to my post - I just read the other topic of ATX early renewal & their contest. One post stated that ATX claims that doc mgmt prgm will be released by late summer. I hope we get it then, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Jake]

I use ATX TTO as well and just renewed for next year. Did the sales rep indicate that you would be receiving the doc mgmt system in Aug or is that only if it's purchased separately?

The reason I ask is because ATX website indicates that my current product subscription runs through 11/30/07. I've always assumed that's how long I have to use Kleinrock, the CPE, etc if I didn't renew. And at that date, is when I'd be expecting the new programs. I'd like to have the new programs sooner - that much longer to learn before next season!

An update to my post - I just read the other topic of ATX early renewal & their contest. One post stated that ATX claims that doc mgmt prgm will be released by late summer. I hope we get it then, but I'm not holding my breath.

I don't remember if he implicitly told me that I would be able to receive the program early but he certainly led me to believe that I would. If I get some time in the next day or two I will call and get some confirmation.