AAA 2003 Paperless Office Survey

AAA 2003 Paperless Office Survey
By Roman H. Kepczyk, CPA, CITP (January 24, 2003)

What is the status of the paperless office in firms today? To find out, InfoTech Partners North America, Inc. sent the following survey to the more than 550 members of the Association for Accounting Administration (www.cpaadmin.org). Within two days, 127 firms responded with the average firm size being just over 52 members and answering "Yes" to at least 10 questions. Answer the questions below to see how you stack up to where other firms. You may find that you can change a few processes now to improve this busy season!

	Total Yes	Total No	% Yes
1. TAX - Do you utilize on-screen review for tax production?	70	57	55%
2. Are you storing a firm copy of client tax returns in a digital (PDF) format?	56	71	44%
3. Is the due date status of returns updated electronically by personnel in a real time format?	85	42	67%
4. Are you scanning client supplied information for storage of tax return supporting documentation?	25	102	20%
5. Do you instruct your personnel to primarily utilize email for communicating with tax clients for additional information requests?	45	82	35%
6. AUDIT - Are you importing client trial balances electronically?	80	47	63%
7. Are documents prepared by clients requested in an electronic format?	58	69	46%
8. Are all audit workpapers stored in a paperless audit application (i.e. CCH Audit, CSI Audit, Caseware)?	39	88	31%
9. Are you producing financial statements utilizing electronic links rather than re-keying?	87	40	69%
10. Have you linked your audit application to your tax application to transfer information?	76	51	60%
11. ADMINISTRATION - Do you utilize an intranet to store firm wide information (i.e. personnel manual and internal firm procedures)?	87	40	69%
12. Do you deliver firm financial and management reports electronically (via email or post to intranet)?	37	90	29%
13. Do you have a document destruction procedure to ensure all confidential printed documents are adequately disposed of as well as outdated electronic files on the network?	84	43	66%
14. PRACTICE MANAGEMENT - Do owners/managers receive internal management reports electronically (via email or by looking them up on the computer)?	69	58	54%
15. Are the majority of invoices prepared onscreen (rather than using billing sheets)?	50	77	39%
16. Do you maintain your contact/prospect list in your practice management or GroupWare application?	91	36	72%
17. COMMUNICATIONS - Does everyone maintain their calendar and contacts on the firm's GroupWare calendar system as well as respond to their own email?	82	45	65%
18. Do all partners and managers use notebook computers?	32	95	25%
19. Have you standardized file names and directories on the network and provided training so everyone can create, save, and access files effectively?	107	20	84%
20. Do you have a digital fax system that allows you to receive faxes via email and save them digitally to the network?	31	96	24%

To download a blank copy of this survey, Click Here.

For more information on how InfoTech Partners can assist you, please email us at ITPartner@itpna.com or call (480) 706-1728.

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InfoTech Partners North America, Inc.
13656 South 37th Place
Phoenix, AZ 85044-4531
Phone: (480) 706-1728
Fax/Voicemail: (480) 718-8880
Email: roman@itpna.com
Web Site: www.itpna.com


	We are in business to service and act on behalf of our clients. Please review our Privacy Statement and Declaration of Integrity. For comments regarding this website, please email ITPartner@itpna.com or call (480) 706-1728. All information presented here is the opinion of InfoTech Partners North America Inc. or the respective authors of the various articles and is not to be construed as legal or technical advice. Please consult your lawyer or technical person for specific utilization. InfoTech Partners North America, Inc. , 13656 S. 37th Place, Phoenix, AZ 85044 Email: ITPartner@itpna.com Phone: (480) 706-1728 Fax: (480) 718-8880