Volume Four â€¢ Number Two Success Strategies for Users of

S u c c e s s S t r a t e g i e s f o r U s e r s o f C r e a t i v e S o l u t i o n s S o f t w a r e

Volume Four • Number Two

Sonya L. Laney, P.A.Daytona Beach Shores, Florida

Virtual Office CS:

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE,

NO MATTER WHAT

Virtual Office CS:

ANYTIME, ANYWHERE,

NO MATTER WHAT

homson Creative Solutions is con-tinuously looking for new ways tohelp our customers improve effi-

ciency and increase profits. From softwareintegration to quality customer service andbeyond, we want your firm—and yourclients’ businesses—to succeed.

One of our current goals is to help ourcustomers leverage client information with-in the broader account-ing community in orderto enhance services andprovide valuable insightto clients. It’s with thisgoal in mind that we’vecreated a powerful newproduct, the DataExchange module,which is available exclu-sively within FinancialAnalysis CS. The datawithin this module isunique and comes fromtrusted sources—your peer accountingfirms that also use Financial Analysis CS.

Starting this fall, Financial Analysis CSusers will be able to contribute their clientdata—stripped of any client-specific infor-mation—to the Data Exchange module.And you can be assured that all data residesin a secure environment. Users that con-tribute data will automatically have accessto the entire database and will be able todrill down to retrieve specific criteria, suchas type of business, sample size, state,

region, number of employees, and customranges of assets or sales. The Data Exchangemodule will enable you to offer your clientsvaluable financial advice based on cus-tomized benchmarks.

The Data Exchange module will initial-ly be offered to Financial Analysis CSusers as part of the RMA® license. Dataoffered within this new module is not

meant to be a replace-ment to RMA data,but rather, it was cre-ated to offer anotherlevel of data that canbe shared with yourclients.

Throughout theyear, as data contribu-tions increase, theData Exchange modulewill progressivelybecome an even morepowerful benchmark-

ing tool. This new module will transformthe types of reports and level of serviceyou provide to your clients.

Thomson Creative Solutions is commit-ted to providing you with the necessarytools to remain competitive in an increas-ingly high-tech world. As always, we hopeyou think of us as your technology partner,ready and willing to provide assistance andoffer solutions that will continue to enhancethe client-accountant relationship.

In This IssueViewpoint Leverage client information withnew Data Exchange module.

Page 3Software Idea FileUsers share their experience withPractice CS dashboards and makingmoney on write-up.

Page 4Software in ActionFinancial Analysis CS gives AlabamaCPA Terry Rogers a leg up.

Page 8Newsline Early registration discounts stillavailable for the 2006 Users’Conference, look for the newMicrosoft OS in 2007, and more.

Page 10Cover StoryFlorida accountant Sonya Laneygets 24/7 access for herself and herclients with Virtual Office CS.

Page 13Tips & TacticsPrinting a list of returns on exten-sion in UltraTax CS and other tips.

2 SOLUTIONS . Vol. 4, No. 2

Powerful New Benchmarking Data Exchange Promises to Transform Client Service

Solutions is published by The Thomson

Corporation and Creative Solutions,

7322 Newman Boulevard, Dexter, MI 48130;

(800) 607.5100. Printed in the United States.

Copyright 2006 Creative Solutions. Vol. 4, No. 2.

COVER: As a sole practitioner, Sonya Laneybenefits from the 24/7 access and data back-up that Virtual Office CS provides. (Photos byDavid Wolff.)

Jonathan A. BaronExecutive Vice President and General Manager—Professional Software and Services,Thomson Tax and Accounting, and President and CEO—Thomson Creative Solutions

VIEWPOINT

T

“Starting this fall, Financial Analysis CS users will be able to

contribute their clientdata—stripped of any

client-specific information—to

the Data Exchange module.”

3SOLUTIONS . Vol. 4, No. 2

SOFTWARE IDEA FILE

“Best part of Practice CS is the Client Dashboard”

Practice CS has helped me increasemy billings. Earlier, I was losing a lot ofbillable time without knowing it. Thebest part of Practice CS is the clientdashboard, because it allows me to seeimportant information, such as statuson projects, WIP, A/R balance, billinghistory, client emails, all in one screen.It saves me time. Now, when I eithertalk to a client or start working on anaccount, I turn my timer on and I cap-ture every minute I spend on that client.I am also using the Project Managementmodule. Since the tax program updatesthe Project Management module, itmakes it easier to track the status ofeach tax return. My practice is nowrunning more efficiently and with easieraccess to client information. —VanessaA. Cisneros, CPA, Sole Practitioner,Miami, Florida

“Staff dashboards increase staff efficiency”

Every account-ing firm is seek-ing operatingefficiencies. Oursearch took us tothe 21st Centuryof integratedtime and billingwith the use ofPractice CS.Before we beganusing practice, it was difficult to judgeproductivity, projected billings, andmonth end billing took entirely toomuch time to complete. The dashboardsin Practice CS allow us to effectivelymanage staff, follow up on delinquentclient receivables, and plan projectedbillings in difficult cash managementmonths. The staff dashboards increaseefficiency of staff by allowing many

sources of information to be in oneplace. Staff does not waste time bounc-ing from program to program, and itallows them to assess their productivitymore efficiently. The use of the dash-boards within Practice CS is an auto-matic tool to assist with the many facetsof managing an accounting firm.—Ronald G. Harris, CPA, Harris Group,CPAs, Traverse City, Michigan

“Making great money with write-up”

My firm is strictly write-up andQuickBooks® training and support. I donot do tax returns. I am a middle manbetween clients and their CPAs. I’mmaking great money with write-up, butI just had to attack it a bit differently.We can’t control the accounting to thedegree we could before personal com-puters, so we have to learn differentways to help the client get the best datathey can.

After 18 years in business, I foundmyself stressed beyond belief. The turn-ing point was when I realized that wewere not as efficient as we could be, andit was a nightmare if any staff left. Theclient files were a mess. Too much infor-mation was in staff ’s heads and notwritten down, and each staff had theirown way of keeping records. We inessence closed, re-organized andreopened my practice. We upgraded ourequipment. We implemented new poli-cies for filing documents on the serverand in the files. We implemented morepaperless scanning. My staff and I metas a team and as we went through everyclient, we typed up detailed instructionsand checklists that any staff could fol-low. We discussed and documented howeach client did business, who the payersare, what their weaknesses are, as well ascommon mistakes they make. We arenow cross trained. The checklists are agodsend! We do nothing by hand now.

All phone calls are documented onphone conversation logs and filed.When I get a phone call from a client, Iquickly know what is going on. Clientwork is going out much faster, is moreaccurate, and staff morale is better.

Half the battle is educating theclients. The more help we offer, the easi-er our job is in the long run. You knowwhat I hear the most? “Wow, no oneever explained how this works to mebefore. They just gave me adjustingentries ...” Once they automate, we have to get creative and deal with it.Each client must be dealt with in a different manner.

We use client portals to extend ourreach and offer clients the ultimate inconvenience. I have clients with boardmembers all over the states and onewith owners in Columbia, SouthAmerica. They love my portals!

For clients who use QuickBooks in-house and retain us to close their booksperiodically, we keep their G/L up todate and accurate including controllingthe “closing date” and password. Clientsmay then print in-house reports orretain us to import into CS ProfessionalSuite Accounting for proper compila-tion financial statements.

Other terms that clients must agreeto: Online access to their computer, andwe transmit year end information totheir tax accountant, not the client.We drop their year end reports such asthe financials and a fixed assets activityreport into Excel, including a T/B, readyto import into their tax program. Wealso provide a G/L with collapsedgrouped accounts such as payroll taxes,A/P, A/R so the G/L isn’t so huge ifprinted. I request that clients retain acompetent CPA for their tax returns. Iprefer working with CPAs who are tech-nically savvy. The end result is that life iseasier and I am bringing in larger andbetter quality clients. —Sara Laidlaw,Accounting Services Bureau, Inc.,Savannah, Georgia.

Ronald G. Harris, CPA


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Terry Rogers on location at a

client’s grocery store.

TERRY ROGERS, CPAFort Payne, Alabama

Sole Practitioner

Clients: • 150 +

AT A GLANCE

erry Rogers makes abold statement aboutthe effectiveness ofFinancial Analysis CS.

In the approximately two years theFort Payne, Alabama, CPA hasbeen using this Creative Solutionssoftware, he has never had a bankloan denied for any of his morethan 150 clients in 15 states.

“If I carry a loan package to thebank, it’s going to get approved,”he says. “Financial Analysis CS letsme compare my clients’ perform-ance in their industry to a nationalgroup using information providedby the RiskManagementAssociation®(RMA). I can goback over the pastfive years toexamine theirinternal growthrate, sales, pro-duction andemployees. Thatinformation isinvaluable.Bankers don’thave it. FinancialAnalysis CS gives me a leg up onmy competition. And if my clientwants to sell his company, thisinformation is of tremendousvalue to the buyer. It makes a huge difference.”

Rogers started AdvancedAccounting Inc. five years ago to

serve individuals with high networth and their companies. Hebegan with individual tax returnsand moved into financial andestate planning, risk managementand loan packages. Rogers alsoserves as chief financial officer of Smith Newspapers Inc., alsobased in Fort Payne, which owns10 small weekly newspapersnationwide.

Examine three elementsFinancial Analysis CS looks at

three elements of a client’s busi-ness. There is an internal analysis

of the opera-tion that iden-tifies strengthsand weakness-es. Then thebusiness isexaminedagainst theindustry, andis finally com-pared to itspeer group.

“We havenewspapers allover the coun-

try,” Rogers says, “and the reasonwe can run them efficiently isbecause we know how manyemployees and how much adver-tising is needed based on ourknowledge of other newspapers inthe country. Financial Analysis CSdoes a lot of this work very quick-

ly. Banks are used to getting threepieces of paper when consideringa loan, but I provide them with a50-page report in basically notime at all. It’s very detailed andputs my clients considerably aheadcompared to a basic loan presentation.”

Adding even more value with Data Exchange

Another example is a local $30million grocery store chain thatwas considering reorganizationand refinancing. To help them,Rogers needed industry informa-tion, but more specifically infor-mation on similar-sized stores inthe Southeast. Creative Solutionsrecently introduced a new DataExchange module for FinancialAnalysis CS software. The moduleprovides industry data based onclients from a trusted source —peer data from accounting firmsusing Creative Solutions software.

By gathering this client dataand providing access to that datavia the Data Exchange module,Creative Solutions offers FinancialAnalysis CS users the ability totruly customize their industry databy drilling down to such criteria assample size, state, region, numberof employees, and custom rangesof assets or sales. This moduleprovides more meaningful data toclients to use as a reliable bench-mark to evaluate their financial

T


Rogers has never had a bank loan

denied for any of hismore than 150 clients

in 15 states whileusing Financial

Analysis CS. “If I carrya loan package to

the bank, it’s going toget approved,”

he says.

SOFTWARE in ACTION

TAKE IT TO THE BANKFINANCIAL ANALYSIS CS GIVES ALABAMA CPA TERRY ROGERS

A LEG UP—AND HIS CLIENTS REAP THE BENEFITS


SOFTWARE in ACTION

“Combining technology and Creative Solutions soft-ware gives me another leg up,” Rogers says. “I used theirsoftware before I started my business. I was one of the firstto use Virtual Office CS and Microsoft Exchange products.My e-mail is on their server. There is such terrific integra-tion of their products. I’ve grown my business 20 percent ayear and last year was even bigger.”

A local banker was working on a client’s new loan pack-age and needed copies of last year’s personal and businesstax returns. Rogers went to FileCabinet CS and e-mailedthem immediately, literally while they were on the phone.

Rogers prepares the payroll for a group in Indianapolis.It’s a direct deposit situation where they fill out remotepayroll in a spreadsheet. Rogers imports the data and

processes the payroll without keying in any informationusing a Creative Solutions accounting program. He putsthe final report in FileCabinet CS, where the group access-es it on a secure portal with NetClient CS.

For years, Rogers has been doing a “same-day-close”for 10 newspapers. With Creative Solutions software theowners can see financial information from the previousmonth on the first day of the month. Rogers starts at 9a.m. with bank reconciliations, accounts receivables andfinancial statements. Reports for the previous month areusually completed by mid-afternoon. The work is done inClient Bookkeeping Solution, moved to FileCabinet CSand accessed by the client on NetClient CS.

Technology Sets Rogers Apart


performance. As client data is progres-sively collected over the next few years,the Data Exchange module will becomeincreasingly valuable to firms. CreativeSolutions will continue to partner withRMA and provide access to the RMAAnnual Statement Studies™ industryinformation from within FinancialAnalysis CS.

“I already do an internal and indus-try-wide analysis,” Rogers says, “butadding a group level of peers in the samegeographic region is invaluable.”

Financial Analysis CSis a natural progression

Back to the grocery store example:The sons of the owner who were runningthe business weren’t happy with the waytheir companies were operating. Theywere paying too much in taxes and didn’tfind out about it until two days beforetaxes were due.

When Rogers took them on as a client,he started preparing their income taxreturns. At the end of the year he madethe adjustments and completed theprocess in about 40 days, half the time itused to take. Then he took on their

financial statements and payroll.“After doing this for a few months I

asked if I could offer some suggestions,”Rogers says. “They had six separate com-panies, and I advised them to bundlethem together so one large companyowned six subsidiaries. This allowedthem to do one corporate tax return.They were able to offset the losses of onecompany against the profits of another.”

The next step was to reorganize theircorporate structure. Then Rogers helpedtheir father with estate planning andfinally moved into risk management.That’s when Financial Analysis CSentered the picture.

“I put together a report and took it totheir bank showing how well they weredoing,” Rogers says. “They had a loanwith a variable rate, and it was time tolock it down with a fixed rate loan.Rather than the prime rate, they got aninternational rate. We refinanced theloan and cut down the payments by$10,000 a month. The report was a natu-ral progression and put them much fur-ther ahead than they were two years ago,and increased their profitability consid-erably. The bank was overwhelmed. They

usually get just a taxreturn for a loan request.If they’re lucky they getfinancial statements. Butto get a detailed analysislike the one I generatedfrom Financial AnalysisCS makes the loan processsmooth and quick. Like Isaid, I’ve never beenturned down.”

Taking it to the next level

Rogers does more thansimply hand out a 50-page

Financial Analysis CS report to a clientor banker because they might not be ableto interpret all of it correctly.

“It’s important to sit down with themand tell them what it means,” he says.“It’s more than the basic financial datayou’d get from most accountants. It’smuch deeper than that. I don’t stop atjust their tax returns. I get clients fromother accountants because they can’t dosome of the things I’m able to do, prima-rily because of Financial Analysis CS.Anyone can do a tax return, but noteveryone can take it to the next level.That’s why I get as many referrals as I do.

“The more services I can offer aclient, the less likely they are to go some-where else,” Rogers continues. “This gro-cery chain purchased FileCabinet CS.They scan their invoices and shred them.Couple that with how I helped themreorganize their business with FinancialAnalysis CS, and they can’t get that fromanyone else. How can they leave? Theycan, but why would they want to? Itwould be very painful for them, to behonest. A major reason for my success isthe Creative Solutions tools I have.”

“I get clients fromother accountantsbecause they can’t

do some of the thingsI’m able to do,

primarily because ofFinancial Analysis CS.

Anyone can do a tax return, but not

everyone can take itto the next level.”

New Home Page AddsConvenience and Efficiency for CS Professional SuiteAccounting Users

In the evolutionary process of devel-oping quality software, we are pleased toannounce the creation of the new homepage in the CS Professional SuiteAccounting products. Designed specifically for CS Professional SuiteAccounting users, the home page will beincluded in the October 2006 release.

The home page provides users witha single location for accessing helpful,timely information. Centralization ofinformation is not only exceptionallyconvenient for our customers, but alsohelps users stay organized, maintainupdated software, and increase efficien-cy. Some of the information available to users on the new home page includes:

• Federal and state payroll tax forms—Detailed status and avail-ability information on which forms are supported and approvedfor filing, what types of electronic filing are supported, and more.

• Quick links to research, clients,and tasks—Fast and easy access tohelpful research sites (PPC, RIA,SSA), the American Payroll Association State links, and com-

mon tasks (such as adding oropening a client).

• Licensing, systems, and data locations—Firm licensing information, detailed system information needed for Support assistance, and data locations for other Creative Solutions products.

• Time-sensitive product notices—Timely notification of available CS Connect updates, expiring licenses,

renewal information, and more.Links will be provided where action is required.

The home page is a powerful newfeature that will further enhance firmproductivity. We are confident that ourusers will appreciate the added conven-ience and efficiency that the new homepage offers.

Welcome Dunphy Customers!

In May of this year, CreativeSolutions announced the purchase ofthe Dunphy Systems software line. Weare excited to welcome Dunphy cus-tomers into the Creative Solutions fam-ily and want to do anything we can tomake your transition as smooth as possible. To assist you, we’ve provided helpful information andresources on our website, including

NEWSLINE

You’re invited to attend the 26th AnnualCreative Solutions Users’ Conference set forNovember 1-4, 2006, at the Gaylord Palms™ Resort andConvention Center in Orlando, Florida. We encourage you toregister early for special savings; to reserve your hotel room;and to sign up for workshops, discounted Orlando attractiontickets, the golf outing, and more.

Don’t miss this opportunity to relax with your colleaguesin a non-competitive environment as you hear nationally rec-ognized speakers, attend informative workshops, and keep upon new products, services, and enhancements—all designedto help you advance and protect your most profitable invest-ment—your firm. This year, you can choose from more than60 workshops including these newcomers: Smart EmployeeManagement, Developing Stronger Presentation and

Communication Skills, Child Support and theEmployer, 20 Things That Smart Firms Do,Getting More Out of Your Website, and muchmore!

Register by October 4 and Save up to $150 To make attendance economical, we’re

maintaining the same $995 registration fee aslast year and offering several discounts:

Register by October 4 to SAVE $50Last year’s attendees SAVE $50Additional firm attendees SAVE $50Bottom line—you can SAVE $100 if you’re

the first in your firm to register by October 4 and attendedlast year. And, additional attendees from your firm can SAVE$50 each. So don’t wait; register now!

Easy Online Registration For the fastest and easiest way to register, visit

CreativeSolutions.Thomson.com/UC. Here you’ll find theUsers’ Conference program that provides all the informationyou’ll need to register, including workshop descriptions,schedules, and more. For more information, to request aprinted program, or to register by phone, please call aCreative Solutions Customer Service Representative at (800) 968-0600.

Discounts Are Still Available for Creative Solutions 26thAnnual Users’ Conference


NEWSLINE

information on free training seminars,links to demos and trial software,and a detailed Dunphy to UltraTax CStransition guide. To access this informa-tion, simply visit our website atCreativeSolutions.Thomson.com andclick the “Welcome Dunphy Users” linkon our home page.

Again, we extend a warm welcome toour Dunphy customers. If there’s any-thing we can do to assist you with yourevaluation of UltraTax CS, please con-tact a Dunphy to UltraTax CSTransition Specialist at (800) 226-5800.

Creative Solutions User, DavidLigotti, Wins Crain’s DetroitBusiness® Small Business Award

At a ceremony held on June 21, 2006,David Ligotti, owner of OakwoodBusiness Services, L.L.C., was one ofseven winners presented with a Crain’sDetroit Business Small Business Award.Crain’s annual business awards honorlocal southeastern Michigan small busi-nesses that have proven exceptionallyinnovative or have overcome obstacles toenhance business operations and improvethe organization overall.

Among more than 30 nominations,Ligotti was recognized for his innovativeapplication of the Internet and softwareto create a virtual accounting office andexpand his reach nationwide. Today,Ligotti’s firm provides accounting servicesfor 80 companies in about 10 states andcontinues to grow.

You can learn more about DavidLigotti and how he built his virtual

accounting office by reading the full arti-cle located on the Creative Solutions web-site at CreativeSolutions.Thomson.com.

An Update on E-filing Mandates

Creative Solutions continues to leadthe industry in the support of electronicfiling by providing e-filing for all stateentities that accept it. To make it easierthan ever, we are implementing someenhancements to comply with the manychanges to e-filing requirements. The fol-lowing sections offer a succinct list ofrecent e-filing changes by entity.

1120 Update• We are planning to add electronic

filing capabilities for the following 1120states: AL, GA, KS, LA, MD, MO, NC, NY,SC, UT and WI.

• According to the IRS website, corpo-rations that have assets of $50 million ormore and file at least 250 returns annual-ly are required to electronically file their1120/1120S income tax returns for taxyears ending on or after December 31,2005. After the first effective year, therequirement will affect corporations thathave assets of $10 million or more andfile at least 250 returns annually.

1040 Update• Connecticut and New York both

modified their 1040 e-filing mandates.Preparers who prepared 100 or moreNY or CT income tax returns in 2005are now required to file all 2006 NY orCT personal income tax returns elec-tronically, using the federal/state elec-

tronic filing program.• West Virginia preparers who pre-

pared 100 or more WV income taxreturns in 2005 are now required to fileall 2006 WV personal income tax returnselectronically, using the federal/state elec-tronic filing program.

• Louisiana’s 1040 mandates arescheduled for 2007 and later (not effectiveuntil January 1, 2008).

• The Michigan 1040 and 1041 prod-ucts now include the traditional forms forpreparing 1040/1041 returns, as well asSBT returns as applicable for 1040 and1041 clients.

1065 Update—E-filing states for 2006are still pending for UltraTax/1065.

1041 Update—Creative Solutions pro-vides 1041 e-filing for those states whereit is mandated.

Two New Conversions Availablefor Practice CS!

Creative Solutions now offers conver-sion and client data import capabilities toassist users who are transitioning toPractice CS from Creative Solutions’Scheduling Solution or CCH/Sage (for-merly CPASS’ Visual PracticeManagement). For firms that transitionto Practice CS, our conversion programsmake it easy to move to new softwarewith minimal disruption.

Creative Solutions offers two optionsfor data conversion:

Demographic Conversion—This con-version imports your demographic data,accounts receivable, and WIP (as well asticklers and tasks if converting fromPractice Solution). We recommend thisoption, as it enables you to clean up datafiles and begin with an updated database.There is no cost to you for conversion ofdemographic data.

Detailed Historical Conversion—Thisentails full conversion of all your data.For more information on historical dataconversion and pricing, please contact aCreative Solutions AccountRepresentative at (800) 968-8900.


As a certified Microsoft partner,Thomson Creative Solutions is com-mitted to supporting Microsoft’s next-generation operating system, WindowsVista™, which is scheduled for releasein early 2007. As your technology part-ner, we understand that the beginningof the year is not the best time toupdate your hardware. Therefore, if you

plan to upgrade to Vista, we encourageyou to do so later in the year—after therush of tax season is behind you. In themeantime, rest assured that CreativeSolutions will be actively testingMicrosoft Vista to ensure compatibilitywith all your applications and so thatwe can assist you with your transitionas needed.

Special Announcement: New Microsoft Operating SystemScheduled for Release in 2007


little more than one year ago,Sonya Laney left a good job ata large public accountingfirm to spend more quality

time with her husband and twin 11-year-old daughters. She opened Sonya L.Laney, P.A., offering accounting, taxpreparation and small business consulting services in Daytona BeachShores, Florida.

Six months into her new venture,Laney made a similar commitment toher 38 corporate and 185 tax clients byinvesting in Virtual Office CS.

“I began to question data integrityand security, because everything was on alocal system,” Laney says. “I thought longand hard about what would happen if Iwas annihilated by a hurricane, had afire, or if the office was broken into.What would happen to my clientele andwhat would happen to me if any of thoseevents occurred? I wasn’t prepared forthe unknown.”

Laney chooses to work in a paperlessenvironment; her entire business is on asingle piece of hardware. She scans allclient documents for her records andreturns the originals.

“I want to be efficient, effective, andpaperless to protect myself and my clien-tele, and as a result, everything is on mycomputer,” she says. “I streamline myfunctions by scanning all my clients’source documents. I don’t keep theirpaper; I give them back everything. Idon’t ever have to worry about losingtheir documents if a catastropheoccurred. The clients are responsible forstoring their own documents. I put

everything on a digital image. It’s easierand less expensive to store on CDs. Butbecause I’m a one-person operation, Iwas concerned about what would happenif someone got hold of my computer orwas able to access it.”

Anytime-anywhere accessVirtual Office CS provides anytime-

anywhere access to CS Professional Suite,Microsoft® Office®, and MicrosoftExchange software and files. Usingadvanced Application Service Provider(ASP) technology, Virtual Office CS is an

alternate software delivery service thatoffers remote 24/7 Internet access to soft-ware and data, relieving the IT burdenand ensuring business continuance—nomatter the situation.

In Virtual Office CS, programs oper-ate exactly as if the software were resid-ing on the business’s computer. And, allcalculations and data are running onsecure servers in the Thomson DataCenter. Creative Solutions is responsiblefor hardware and software maintenanceand updates, relieving the accountantand staff of the effort. The user just logs

on and goes to work.“No one person or no event can put

me out of business anymore,” Laney says.“I have taken the things I can’t controland have made them a speed bump inlife with Virtual Office CS. I can’t liveworrying about tomorrow, but I have toanticipate. This software is my insurancepolicy to prevent having my clients’ dataout there for the whole world to see. Itprotects them from identity theft andprivacy issues and that gives them a goodfeeling. And, it keeps me in business.”

“I don’t want to be bothered trying tocreate a website,” she says. “I don’t knowhow to do it and don’t want to learn. Ican go into Creative Solutions’ WebBuilder CS software and change my sitewhenever I want. They have the intelli-gence and software. I tell them what Iwant on my site and it miraculouslyappears. I maintain my website throughthem. I just need a password to login.”

Laney’s website is also secure, andincludes her e-mail.

“My goal is to turn over everything inmy practice to a secure environment,”she says. “Creative Solutions is responsi-ble for backing up my information. Theyhouse it on their own secure servers. Idon’t have to worry about it.”

Virtual Office CS offers many otherfeatures, and allows Laney to work on taxreturns from her home. All she needs is ahigh-speed Internet connection. Andwhat if she wants to set up a client withClient Bookkeeping Solution?

“Prior to Virtual Office CS, I had torun a license disk from my office, andtake the software to the client and install

A

“No one person or noevent can put me out of

business anymore,” Laneysays. “I have taken the

things I can’t control andhave made them a speedbump in life with Virtual

Office CS.”

USER PROFILES

DA

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ANYTIME, ANYWHERE,NO MATTER WHAT

FLORIDA ACCOUNTANT USES VIRTUAL OFFICE CS TO PROVIDE HERSELF

AND HER CLIENTS 24/7 INTERNET ACCESS TO SOFTWARE AND DATA.

SONYA LANEY, P.A.Daytona Beach Shores, Florida

Sole Practitioner

Clients: • Tax• Corporate

AT A GLANCE

SOLUTIONS . Vol. 4, No. 2 11


USER PROFILES

it,” she says. “I don’t do that anymore. Isimply download the disk from theiroffice and import the license and soft-ware. I don’t take anything, and I can doit from anywhere. And there’s anotheradvantage to Virtual Office CS and work-ing in a paperless environment. If I haveto go back and look at documentation orif a client has an audit, I have everythingat my fingertips. If a client calls askingwhere to sign on an Internal RevenueService form, for example, I go into theirFileCabinet CS folder and look at thesame document they’re looking at andtell them where to sign.”

‘Spoke and hub’ systemLaney got into bookkeeping/accounting

working for her father, who is a generalcontractor. She worked her way upfrom answering telephones to being thecomptroller. She earned her bachelor’sand master’sdegrees in account-ing from StetsonUniversity inFlorida, where she receivednumerous awardsand scholarships.Laney is nearingcompletion of herCPA requirements.

She describesCreative Solutions software as a “spokeand hub” system.

“The points around the wheel are thevarious software programs, and they allmeet together,” she explains. “The soft-ware integrates very well. I only have toenter information one time.”

Laney has used products from severalother software companies, and says thedifference between those products andCreative Solutions is night and day.

“When I went into business for myselfI knew it was going to be me doing mostof the work,” she adds. “I had to makesure all my bases were covered for thequality and service I wanted to provide

and for the image I wanted toportray. The software CreativeSolutions offers does all that. Itoffers efficiency and is effective.Everything integrates nicely.There are no glitches or importissues. Then there is the level ofprofessionalism. There is nocomparison between the financialstatements I prepare versus thosefrom other software companies.

“With regard to quality, inte-gration, and research,” she con-tinues, “when I’m using UltraTaxCS I can right click on any lineon a tax form and it takes me onthe Internet to an explanation ofthat particular line. It’s easy touse and saves me time. All soft-ware offers some form of integra-tion and research, but becauseI’m trying to go in a specific

directionwith my busi-ness I have tohave softwarethat workstogether, isuser friendlyand has tech-nical support.I have to beable to call areal person

who I can understand, which isessential. Creative Solutions soft-ware is constantly being updated.I had a problem during tax sea-son, called them, and by thatevening the software was updat-ed. This is blanketed across thecountry. I may never encounter aproblem someone else hadbecause they called and CreativeSolutions fixed it. That’s fabulous.”

Laney also appreciates the fact thatCreative Solutions works with individualstates to make sure the forms are compli-ant with her location, sometimes all theway down to the county level.

“Creative Solutions does all the work,which makes my life easier,” she says.“They were fabulous working with me toget to the Virtual Office CS environment.I’m a dedicated customer, and CreativeSolutions does whatever it takes to workwith me.”

“Creative Solutions does all the work, whichmakes my life easier,”

Laney says. “They werefabulous working with meto get to the Virtual Office

CS environment.”

13

ULTRATAX CSQ: How do I complete Form 1040X, Amended U.S.

Individual Income Tax Return in UltraTax CS?

A: First, verify that the information on Form 1040 is theinformation that should be used as the originally reportedinformation. (Originally reported information is defined as theinformation contained in the return the last time it was print-ed.) Click the General folder in the folders block, then click theAmend tab to open Screen Amend. Enter X in the Transferoriginal information field to populate the As OriginallyReported fields on Screen Amend. Next, scroll down and openthe statement dialog attached to the Explanation of changesfield, and enter an explanation of changes to income, deduc-tions, and credits. If the state return needs to be amended, youwill find a STAmnd tab in the state product’s General folder,where you can mark the Transfer original information field topopulate the originally reported state information. Finally,make the necessary changes to the client data in the applicablefederal and (if applicable) state input screens to complete theamended return. Amended filing instructions will print withForm 1040X and (if applicable) with the amended state return.

Q: Can I print a list of all returns on extension tofind out which returns still need to be completed?

A: Yes. To print reports based on certain criteria, chooseUtilities / Reports / Client Listings. In the Client Listings dia-log, click the General Client Information option and thenclick Continue to open the Select Clients for Report dialog.Listed in the left pane are the clients available for selection,based on the options chosen in the Focus client listing groupbox. Click the Modify button, then click the second option andselect Logged from the first field’s drop-down list andExtension printed from the second field. You can further nar-row your selection criteria by clicking the Another button andselecting another event such as “Not Logged” at “ReturnCompleted” (which would be a user-defined event). Once youclick OK to close the dialog, the client list in the left pane isrestricted to those who meet your selected status criteria. Clickthe Select All button to move all clients to the right pane(thereby including all relevant clients in the report) and thenpreview or print the report.

Tip for Using UltraTax CS

Keep apprised of the latest news regarding electronic filing bydownloading Electronic Filing bulletins. To do so, chooseUtilities / CS Connect to open the CS Connect window. Then

mark the Retrieve ELF / PRP reports and ELF News checkbox.Electronic Filing bulletins will be selected automatically on theELF / PRP Reports tab. When you place your next CS Connectcall, the available Electronic Filing bulletins will be down-loaded. You can then view the bulletins by choosing Utilities /Reports / ELF/PRP. The bulletins are continuously updated asCreative Solutions receives information from the various taxingauthorities.

WEB SERVICES Q: What do I do if a NetStaff CS or NetClient CS

user login is locked out?

A: As a result of recently implemented security enhance-ments, if a NetStaff CS or NetClient CS user makes ten consec-utive unsuccessful login attempts, the login will be locked. Anemail message is sent to the NetStaff CS or NetClient CS user’saddress (the address assigned to that login), which notifies theuser of the unsuccessful login attempts and provides a link tounlock the login immediately. The lock automatically expiresafter 30 minutes.

Tips for Using NetStaff CS and NetClient CS

• In NetStaff CS, you can use groups to simplify new staffsetup. Setting up groups allows you to assign module permis-sions to batches of users simultaneously.

To create a group, log in to NetStaff CS as an administrator,click the NetStaff CS tab, and then click the Groups navigationlink to open the Groups page. In that page, click the AddGroup button, enter the group name and description, and clickOK to save the group. Locate the group names in the Groupspage, click the corresponding Permissions link to indicatewhich modules should be available to members of the group,and then click OK.

Once you create a group, you can assign users to it. Thisenables you to set permissions for a collection of users at once.In the Groups page, click the Members link that corresponds tothe group, move each appropriate user to the Group MemberList, and click OK to save your changes.

• You can set up NetStaff CS to send email notifications toNetClient CS and/or NetStaff CS users when new DocumentPresentation files are transmitted, when new File Exchangedocuments are uploaded, or when Web Employee users makechanges to their W-4 information.

SOLUTIONS . Vol. 4, No. 2

TIPS & TACTICS


To set up these notifications, log in to NetStaff CS as anadministrator, click the Utilities tab, and then click theNotification navigation link. Click the Edit link that corre-sponds to the type of alert you want to enable and use thearrow buttons in the Edit Notification Recipients page to indi-cate which users should receive the notification alerts. Formore information, click the Help link at the top of anyNetStaff CS page, click the Index button, and search on“Notifications.”

CLIENT BOOKKEEPING SOLUTION (CBS)Q: Is there any way for my client to print blank

MICR checks to use for handwritten checks?

A: Yes. Starting with CBS version 2006.2.x, you can printblank MICR checks from CBS CheckWriter, CBS PayCheck, orCBS Accounts Payable.

Q: I changed the address for one of my vendors,but when I print an Accounts Payable check for thatvendor the old address still prints on the check.How can I fix this?

A: CBS uses the mailing address for printed checks. Tochange a vendor’s mailing address, choose Setup / Vendors,highlight the vendor whose address has changed, click theMailing Address tab, and enter the updated address information.

Q: What happens to the account balances in CS Professional Suite Accounting if my clientdeletes a prior-period check in CBS?

A: When a prior-period check is deleted in CBS, the pro-gram creates a reversing transaction using the same date asthe original transaction. When you retrieve that transaction,Accountant’s Assistant prompts you to choose whether toplace the prior-period transaction in the current GL period orin the appropriate GL period based on the transaction date.

WRITE-UP CSQ: How often should I compact my client data

from within the Help / Repair dialog?

A: It is important to use the Compact Client utility fromwithin the Help / Repair dialog to maintain your client data-base files by compacting or cleaning them. We recommendcompacting your data at least once each year as part of nor-mal maintenance to improve database performance and cor-rect any small database damage that might exist. We suggest

compacting client data more often than once per year if youprocess the client data more frequently (weekly or monthly)or if the file size is very large. In the Help / Repair dialog,select the client whose data you want to compact and thenclick the Compact Client button. A prompt opens automati-cally after the process has been successfully completed.

Tip for Using Write-Up CS

Prevent data errors in Write-Up CS. If a write-up client hasmultiple checkbooks and you carry out bank reconciliationsfor those accounts, you will find that setting up a separatejournal for each checkbook account can be helpful in a num-ber of ways. When you choose Setup / Journals, you can speci-fy a default Balance Account to save time during data entryand to ensure that you are balancing checkbooks and depositsto the correct account. During data entry for GL transactions,simply press ALT+B to balance checks and/or deposits, andthe program automatically enters the checking account num-ber for you. (You can override that account later, if necessary.)You just need to press ENTER to save the transaction. Thisguarantees that your checks and deposits show up in the cor-rect bank reconciliation.

PAYROLL CSQ: I need to print multiple child support payments

for a client. What is the best way to set this up?

A: Set up each client with a unique vendor name for eachemployee — for example “Friend of the Court – <employeename>.” In the Address and Accounts tab of the Vendors win-dow, enter the name as it should be displayed on the check.This allows you to print separate checks for each employeeand maintain the year-to-date payment history on each ven-dor record.

Q: Can I file the annual Form 944 using PayrollCS or Write-Up CS?

A: Yes. To do so, mark the 944 checkbox in the Payroll tabof the Client Properties dialog. Form 944 will then be avail-able in the Payroll Tax Processing window. Note that electron-ic filing for Form 944 will be available in January 2007.

TRIAL BALANCE CSQ: I have five companies that need to be consoli-

dated. Can this be done in Trial Balance CS?

A: Yes. Set up a sixth company to represent the consolidated

TIPS & TACTICS

company. In the General Information tab of the ClientProperties dialog, mark the Consolidation Client checkboxand the Account Balances Only checkbox. This gives you theability to consolidate by grouping schedule or account number.When you’re ready to begin the consolidation process, chooseFile / Consolidate Clients.

ENGAGEMENT CSQ: I am trying to create a five-year comparison

report in Engagement CS, but only the current-yearand prior-year amounts are showing up in MicrosoftExcel. Is there a way to correct this?

A: Yes. In the General tab of the File / EngagementProperties dialog, you can select the Number of years of bal-ances to use. Increase the number from two (default) to fiveand click OK. The next time you open the workpaper, five yearsof balances will be available to pull into the workpaper.

Q: During roll forward, I would like to clear tick-mark columns on the leadsheet schedule. Can thisbe done?

A: Yes. You can highlight the items linked from EngagementCS in the workpaper or document and then click the Clearduring Roll Forward button in the Engagement CS menu inWord or Excel. The items selected to be cleared during roll for-ward will be displayed on the screen in a green font.

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS CSQ: Is there a way to see how the client’s GL accounts

transferred from Write-Up CS or Trial Balance CS intoFinancial Analysis CS? Can those be changed?

A: The categories in Financial Analysis CS can be viewed orprinted in the Account Mapping Diagnostic Report that dis-plays how specific accounts were mapped between a client thatwas transferred from Write-Up CS or Trial Balance CS intoFinancial Analysis CS. To open this report in Financial AnalysisCS, choose File / Print Reports and double-click theDiagnostics / Account Mapping Diagnostic Report near thebottom of the reports list pane. Select the client in the ReportOptions section of the Print Reports screen. The report dis-plays the account names that were transferred, the groupingschedule codes or account group names, and the equivalentcategory name in Financial Analysis CS.

Q: Does the installation process for FinancialAnalysis CS differ from my other Creative Solutionssoftware?

A: Yes. It is a different process because Financial Analysis CSstores data in an SQL or MSDE database and takes advantageof new technology such as the Microsoft .NET platform. Whilethe installation process is not complex, it does require planningand a sound understanding of your firm’s network configura-tion. It is important to review the CS Professional SuiteAccounting Products Installation and Program Essentialsguide, including the information specific to installing FinancialAnalysis CS (Chapter 3). If you need assistance, consult yournetwork administrator or contact Creative Solutions ProductSupport prior to starting the installation process.

FIXED ASSETS CSQ: Can I update print profiles in an existing client

from the template client?

A: Yes. Open the client whose print profiles you want toupdate and choose Tasks / Update Profiles from Template.

Q: How can I determine when Fixed Assets CS willapply mid-quarter conventions to a client’s assets?

A: Choose Tasks / Display Summary Information and clickthe Tax Summary tab. The MACRS mid-quarter group box (atthe bottom of the tab) contains information about the percent-age of assets that were placed in service during each quarter. Ifmore than 40 percent of the basis of the client’s assets wereplaced in service during the fourth quarter, Fixed Assets CSapplies mid-quarter conventions.

FILECABINET CSQ: How can I find out how much hard drive space

my FileCabinet CS drawers, folders, and data loca-tions are using?

A: Starting with FileCabinet CS version 05.1.0, you canview drawer, folder, and data-location statistics (for all datalocations) by clicking the Stats button in either the DrawerProperties dialog, the Folder Properties dialog, or the Setup /System Configuration / Data Locations tab. You can view statis-tics for the current data location by clicking the Stats button inthe File Locations tab of the Setup / User Preferences dialog.

Tip for Using FileCabinet CS

You can now preview documents in the FileCabinet CSDocuments dialog before sending the print job to FileCabinetCS. You have this option when you print from other CreativeSolutions applications, such as UltraTax CS or CS ProfessionalSuite Accounting Products, or when you use the FileCabinet CS


print driver to print from non-Creative Solutions applications.To preview a document, click the Preview tab in theFileCabinet CS Documents dialog. For multiple-page docu-ments, use the arrow buttons to navigate through the pages. Tocontinue printing, click the Document Names tab and thenclick OK

PRACTICE CSQ: When viewing a report in Practice CS, is it pos-

sible to determine the source of the information in agiven field?

A: Yes. Most reports in Practice CS include drill-downcapability for certain fields. When previewing a report onscreen, click the desired field to see if drill-down capability isavailable for that field. If so, Practice CS switches to the screenin which the data was originally entered. From there, you canview, edit, or delete the item as necessary.

Q: Can I view email messages from clients inPractice CS?

A: Yes. If you use Microsoft Outlook® 2000 or later as youremail program, you can view all of the messages that you sentto and received from the selected client in the Outlook Mailportlet on the Client Dashboard. To open this portlet, right-click the dashboard, choose Add Portlet from the contextmenu, and mark the Outlook Mail checkbox.

Q: Can I track the time spent on a job or taskwithout first starting a new transaction in Practice CS?

A: Yes. Practice CS provides a unique desktop timer. Toopen the timer, start Practice CS and right-click the PracticeCS icon in the Windows system tray (next to the clock), thenchoose a client from the drop-down list. Practice CS displaysthe timer until you close it, and you can pause and restart thetimer as needed by clicking the stop or start button. When thetask is complete, maximize the timer and post the transactionto Time & Expense Entry by clicking the button to the right ofthe desired item.

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Financial Analysis CS™

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Payroll CS™

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ToolBox CS™

Trial Balance CS™

UltraTax CS™

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Client CS™

Engagement CS™

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TIPS & TACTICS

Volume Four â€¢ Number Two Success Strategies for Users of

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