We hear the feedback. We hear it repeated over and over again. It’s important to you to be able to securely exchange files with your clients all year round – and critically important during tax season.

The demand on the Client Portal at the end of tax season this year far exceeded our expectations and our over-worked servers couldn’t keep up with increased workload.

So we revamped the Client Portal Server infrastructure to quickly scale up to meet the extremely high demand of tax season.

The new Portal server infrastructure utilizes state-of-the-art fault-tolerant load balancing. So when demand is high more servers are quickly brought online to handle the workload. Then after tax season when demand falls the load balancer allows us to take a few servers offline so we can keep your costs down.

We’ve also worked on the software to increase speed and reliability with absolutely no sacrifice to the security you’ve come to expect from the Client Portal. Your files are still protected by 14 layers of security. Including “all time” file encryption to keep your data safe during transfer, storage on the server and in backups.

Brian O'Connell, President

Tax season is just around the corner – and with it comes the need to exchange a lot of financial documents and sensitive files with your clients.

Unfortunately, if you email the files or send them via FTP, you’re out of compliance with state and federal privacy laws and liable for heavy fines and other legal consequences.

The good news is that you have a Secure File Exchange system that comes with your CPA website. This system is ultra safe. Your clients’ data is protected by 14 layers of security with this Client Portal.

One of the layers keeps the files encrypted 100% of the time. Your clients’ files are protected during transfer to the server, while sitting on the server, in all the backups, and when transferred back to you or your clients.

This level of file encryption keeps you in compliance with every state and federal privacy law.

Now You Get a Lot More Storage Space

The more you (and your clients) use the Secure File Exchange and Online Document Management System, the more storage space you need on our secure servers.

This month we are proud to announce that we are essentially doubling the amount of storage space in the Client Portal.

For Those on Our Old Server…

Most of our clients will see these changes in their Portal automatically. But a few of you will need to migrate to our new server to take advantage of the extra space.

If this looks familiar, you’re on our new server, and you’ve been automatically upgraded:

If either of these look familiar, though, then you’re on an older platform, and we need to migrate your website:

Once we move your site over to our newer system, your Secure File Exchange storage space will double.

If you have any questions about whether you need to be migrated, just give us a call at 1-800-896-4500, or email us at support@cpasitesolutions.com.

Continually Improving

This month’s improvement required a major investment in servers and the development of  scalable file storage and backup systems. I hope it demonstrates our commitment to continually improving the service we offer you each month.

We truly appreciate your business. Thank you for letting us take care of your website needs.

Happy Holidays.

Brian O'Connell, President

Last week we rolled out a new feature: SecureReceive for CPA websites. With SecureReceive, when a client sends a file to the Secure File Exchange, you just click on the link in the email notification and you start receiving the file right away.

Instead of 7 steps to download that file to your hard drive, it’s just 1.

And, SecureReceive works for your clients, too – when you deliver a file to their My Documents folder, they get an email with a link that automatically retrieves the file.

This feature works wonderfully for a lot of firms and their clients. But we heard from some of you that you miss being able to log in to the Portal directly from the email notification.

So…

SecureReceive Now Has Two Links

G. Scott McDaniel, CPA, PC, made this suggestion on our blog:

When we upload payroll files, including checks, [our clients] get one file at a time. It is much better for them to be logged into the portal where they can view all the files in their box. They can then determine which files to download, and in what order.

Please give us the other way back, or the option for the client to choose.

It makes a lot of sense to give the option of whether to download a file or log in to the Portal. We added the second link – so now the choice is yours.

Your email notification now has two links, like in this example.

If you or your client just have one file to retrieve, then the first link is best. If, on the other hand, your client has sent numerous files to the Vault and you want to view them all, then choose the second link.

Same High Level of Security

Remember that SecureReceive has the same high security of our Client Portal – the most secure Client Portal on the market.

The new feature doesn’t actually deliver the file through email; it just allows you to receive the file straight from the secure environment of the Portal in just one click – or, as before, to go there directly.

Let Us Know…

If you have any questions at all about SecureReceive, just give us a call at 1-800-896-4500, send us an email at support@cpasitesolutions.com, or post a comment!

Brian O'Connell, President

Having a Client Portal is a must for accounting websites – and with CPA Site Solutions, you get a secure Portal that saves you time and money.

I’m happy to say that your Client Portal just got a little more efficient, while maintaining our high level of security.

Now, with SecureReceive, you receive your clients’ documents in just one click. And it’s just as secure as ever because it still goes through our secure Client Portal.

The New Way to Receive Client Documents

It used to be that when a client sent a document to the Secure File Exchange and you got an email notification about it, it took you 7 steps to start loading that file. You clicked on the link, gave your username, gave your password, clicked over to the Secure File Exchange . . . and so on.

That was the old way. Want to hear the new way?

Now, when you get your email notification that a client has deposited a file in the Portal, you just click the link in the email and the file starts to load right away. Instead of 7 steps to receive the file, it’s just 1.

Here's an example of the email notification you get with SecureReceive.

If you’re not logged in to the Client Portal at the time, you get a screen asking for your password. Once that’s filled in, the file starts to load.

Once you start receiving the file, you see this screen.

How Is This Secure?

Using SecureReceive doesn’t mean you’re getting client documents through email. (Email is NOT a secure platform for sending and receiving client files – which is why you need a Client Portal.)

SecureReceive still routes through the Client Portal. But now receiving files is quicker because you can easily get the file by clicking on the link in your email.

That’s why, if you’re not logged in to the Portal when you click on the SecureReceive link, the system will prompt you to give your password. This ensures that only authorized users are receiving files with this method.

And your Client Portal is protected by 14 layers of security. In fact, it’s the most secure Client Portal available on the market.

SecureReceive Is Already in Place

This new feature is already working for you. There’s no need to download or install a thing!

With the busy season creeping closer, this little time saver should make life a bit easier for you.

Do you have any questions about SecureReceive? Give us a call at 1-800-896-4500 or email support@cpasitesolutions.com.

Kathy O'Connell, CPA

Cloud computing is all the rage these days.

But what exactly is it? And is it secure enough for accountants?

As financial professionals, we need to make sure our clients’ data is protected. We don’t want their financial information compromised in any way.

How do we balance the efficiencies of cloud computing with the potential threats?

What Is Cloud Computing?

Wikipedia defines “cloud computing” this way:

“Cloud computing is Internet-based computing, whereby shared resources, software, and information are provided to computers and other devices on demand, like the electricity grid.”

So what does that mean?

Basically, when you use the cloud for your IT needs, you no longer need to have servers and copies of software at your office. You just need access to the Internet, and you pay a fee to access programs for things like tax preparation, workflow management, and file storage.

The term "cloud" refers to the Internet. It's based on the cloud drawing historically used to represent the telephone network.

If you’re familiar with Software as a Service – or SaaS – then you’re familiar with the cloud. Think of SaaS as what’s delivered, and the cloud as the medium by which it’s delivered.

Here are some examples of common computer programs that run in the cloud:

• Google Docs

• QuickBooks Online

• online access to bank accounts

Is It Safe?

Accountants are the safeguards of our clients’ financial data. We take that very seriously, as we should.

So should we feel comfortable sending off their data to data centers all over the country – and around the world? What if the files are hacked into, either at the data center or while in transport from our computers to our SaaS provider?

And will we truly own and control that data anymore once it’s left our hands?

I think these are important concerns – but they must be balanced by the benefits of this brave new world.

What Are the Benefits?

The benefits of cloud computing outweigh the risks, in my opinion.

Cheaper

Instead of buying and maintaining servers and software at your office – which usually means hiring an IT guy – you do away with all those needs.

Plus, you get the chance to purchase just what you need, rather than an entire software program that’s far too complicated for the size of your firm.

Greener

Instead of keeping filing cabinets full of paper versions of your clients’ tax returns and financial statements, you have it all online.

You also can likely downsize to just one or two printers per office, instead of one per workstation.

More Efficient

Brian talks a good deal on this blog about the efficiencies offered by our websites for accountants (the secure Client Portal, an emailed Monthly Client Newsletter, the Workteam Collaboration Suite, and so on – see the Increasing Efficiency section of our blog).

When you think about it, all of these are courtesy of the cloud. They save you hours of tedious work and allow you to focus more of your time on client work.

So… What Should You Do?

There is a way to take advantage of the pluses of cloud computing while also guarding against the risks.

Before you jump up into the clouds with any SaaS provider, Greg LaFollette suggests you ask these questions:

1. What’s their privacy policy? Is it published?

2. Is all data safeguarded with 128-bit SSL encryption?

3. Is it compliant with SAS 70? (Starting in June 2011, this becomes SSAE 16.)

4. How well protected are the data centers where your files are stored? (And I would add, are they in the U.S. or outside of the country? If outside, are they in a country with a stable political situation?)

If the answers satisfy you, then go for it. After all, within a year or two or three, you’re probably going to be forced to.

In the words of Mr. LaFollette…

“Cloud computing as we know it now is still a few years away from full acceptance, but I guarantee you, within 10 years there will be no premise-based software in the business of tax and accounting.”

You Might Already Be Up There!

If you participate in online banking, then you’re in the cloud.

Likewise, if you have a website with CPA Site Solutions, you’re also in the cloud!

And just to reassure you, we take your security – and your clients’ – very seriously. Please read about our 14 layers of security for the Client Portal.

If you have any concerns at all, please don’t hesitate to reply to this post or email us at support@cpasitesolutions.com. You can also call us at 1-800-896-4500.

If you don’t have a website with us but you’re ready to get started in the cloud, try us out free for 60 days.

Enjoy running your business from the clouds!

The right kind of client keeps the working flowing, day after day.

Websites for accountants are critical for the CPA. They draw in new clients, help retain current clients, and increase the efficiency of your firm.

But not all clients are created equal.

The All-Important Business Client

A good deal of accounting work centers around tax preparation for the individual. But business clients are often more complicated – thus bringing in more revenue – and provide year-round client work.

CPA Site Solutions provides websites for accountants that help you appeal to the business client – so you enjoy a year-round, stable revenue stream.

Features of Your Website Help Draw Them In

QuickBooks Services

One of the best ways to reach out to business clients is to offer them QuickBooks services. QuickBooks is the most popular accounting software used by small to medium businesses.

Your website with CPA Site Solutions has a whole section dedicated to QuickBooks services.

The menu for QuickBooks services.

Online Payroll

With our partner, Intuit Online Payroll for Accounting Professionals, we offer you an Online Payroll System that gives your clients more control over their payroll.

Our system is a convenient “back office” payroll processing service priced as low as $10.99 per month, per client.

Your clients access their accounts directly from your website  – which means they enter their hours, print checks, and view reports with or without your assistance.

The Onine Payroll sales page.

Client Portal

Our Client Portal – the most secure on the market – is a must for the small business owner evaluating accounting firms.

With the Portal, you can easily exchange large accounting files with your business clients. No more hassle trying to send attachments that are too large (and, as it happens, not at all secure). No more faxing or using a courier service.

Your clients simply log in to your secure Client Portal and upload their materials with the click of a mouse. You access the documents in the client’s folder, and you’re able – just like that – to get back to the billable time that actually supports your business.

The sales page for your secure Client Portal.

Business Services Section

Your website includes an entire 13-part section on the various services you offer to business clients. (Of course, you can remove any pages that your firm doesn’t actually offer.)

From pages devoted to Part-Time CFO Services to those on Business Valuation and Litigation Support, your website explains just how well you serve the business owner.

The menu for Business Services.

Articles and Newsletters

Don’t forget about the 3,000 pages of financial guides included as stock content on your site, or the Monthly Client Newsletter – both of which educate and guide your clients wrestling with the day-to-day functioning of their organization.

Let Your Website Shoulder the Burden

If you ever feel overwhelmed by the need to even out your workload throughout the year, remember that your website can help.

In highlighting your usefulness to the business client, your site attracts the kind of stable, revenue-generating work that helps to build up your firm.

Have Questions? Give Us a Call

If you would like to remove any of the Business Services pages on your site – or add a new page for a service that’s not listed – call your Dedicated Webmaster at 1-800-896-4500, or email support@cpasitesolutions.com.

What feature of your site do you find most useful for business clients? Tell us about your experience with a comment!

Think of the Quick Login for the Client Portal as a gateway to billable time.

It’s 9:00 am. You’re in webmail, checking messages and mapping out your day.

You get an email from a client asking you to check on a figure in his tax return. You start to close the message and move on, thinking you’ll take care of it later – when you remember:

“I can log in to the Portal directly from my webmail!”

And so you can.

Accounting websites from CPA Site Solutions just got more efficient. Now you can access the Client Portal directly from a link in webmail – which means you only need to remember one password, and it’s that much easier to jump in to client work.

And, of course, the easier it is to do client work, the more you do – and the more your profits grow.

Quick Login to the Client Portal

When you add the link, you get a Portal option in the menu on your webmail.

This means you can quickly go from your email to your Portal – eliminating the need to open a new window, get into your website, enter your password, and click to the Portal from there.

The link to the Portal shows up on your “More” menu, as seen here:

Two Mighty Features That Save You Time

Two of our most popular features – our email solution and the secure Client Portal – are now connected.

Email Solution. Our email service is a huge time saver for your firm.

For one thing, our webmasters support the tech aspect, so you no longer need to rely on the IT guy if your email is down. Our email is also easy to manage – there are no folders, and the search function is fast and highly targeted.

Note that the Quick Login feature does not integrate with Outlook. To take advantage of this time saver, use our email solution. (When you do, you benefit from its full integration with the Workteam Collaboration Suite, including its shared calendars, wikis, and instant messaging.)

Secure Client Portal. Our Client Portal includes QuickSend and 1-click send, both of which save tedious administrative steps and help your day run more smoothly.

Of course, our entire Client Portal is highly efficient – allowing you to easily and securely exchange large accounting files and sensitive financial information with your clients.

How to Get the Quick Login Feature

It’s easy to add the Portal link to your webmail page.

If you’re a Gold client, give us a call at 1-800-896-4500 or email us at support@cpasitesolutions.com. We’ll be happy to add it for you.

If you’re a Silver client, visit our Help file for instructions on how to add this link. Don’t worry – this is an easy one! It takes just a couple clicks. (If you’d like us to add it for you, upgrade to Gold and have a Dedicated Webmaster make all your changes.)

Add the Quick Login to the Client Portal and enjoy the improved workflow – from webmail straight to work.

Do you think this new feature will improve your workflow? What other suggestions do you have for cutting out steps in your daily routine and bumping up efficiency? We’d like to know. Share your thoughts below.

A new Security Measures page helps clients understand the Web is not the Wild West anymore.

Are your clients afraid of the Internet? Do they mistrust the security of cyberspace? And does this prevent them from taking advantage of all CPA websites have to offer?

The Internet is not the Wild West anymore. Safety measures are now in place – firewalls, encryption, and anti-virus software – that make it a much more trustworthy environment.

It might be time to give your clients a little push – to show them how secure the Internet is these days. With a bit of encouragement, clients start to feel comfortable using the Web for more than just contact information.

A great place to start is your secure Client Portal. Once clients see how it improves their financial lives, they’re hooked. They’re more satisfied with your services…

And you reap the reward in higher retention.

Our New Security Page

You have an easier time convincing your skittish clients to use the Client Portal with the new Security Measures page.

Clients get to the new page with a link on the updated Client Portal page.

When clients go to the updated page on your site, they see this:

Your updated Client Portal page includes a link to information on Security Measures. Click on the image to enlarge.

When they click on that last link, they’re sent to a Security Measures page detailing the Portal’s impressive 14 layers of security.

Benefits of the Client Portal

Although they might need some encouragement to try it out, once your clients do take your Client Portal for a spin, they love the benefits.

The Client Portal provides…

• a secure, convenient, and easy way for you and your clients to exchange and share files;

• 24/7/365 access for clients to their tax returns, financial statements, scanned documents like W-2′s, employee data, corporation papers, and legal documents;

• secure access to their tax information – with your Online Tax Organizer – anytime from anywhere, so they no longer need to complete and mail paper organizers;

• a way for them to make entries, print reports, and have full access to QuickBooks, Sage Peachtree, or any accounting software from home, office, or any location in the world (when you add the Online Accounting module); and

• a secure environment to enter their hours and earnings, print detailed reports, print checks, make direct deposits, and file all federal and state payroll taxes (when you add the Online Payroll option).

There’s no question that the Client Portal improves your clients’ financial lives.

And in a way, when you push them to try the Portal, you’re doing your job at a high level – offering information, technology, and support to help your clients stay organized and in control of their finances.

How to Get the New Pages

Let us know if you want the new Security Measures page on your site. It means adding two pages – the updated Client Portal page as well as the Security Measures page.

If you’re at the Silver service level, visit our Help file called “Adding the Updated Client Portal and Security Measures Pages” to learn the steps involved in publishing them.

If you’re a Gold or Platinum client, give us a call at 1-800-896-4500 or email support@cpasitesolutions.com to request these pages. We’re happy to add them.

Sometimes the only barrier between your clients and all the tools built into your Client Portal is creating user accounts for all those new users.  If you’ve got a lot of clients who need to send you files through the Secure File Exchange, it can be a long process to create their accounts one at a time.  Fortunately, you can spread out the work by encouraging your clients to create their own accounts.

There are three ways to add your clients to the Client Portal system: a firm or admin user can add client users one by one, an administrator can add a batch of client users through the Firm Administration menu, and by clicking the link on your Client Portal page, your clients can self-register.

After clicking that “register here” link, all your client has to do is fill out their contact info and choose a password.  They won’t have access immediately, but they’ll receive a confirmation email and their username and password will simply log them into a page with no access.

Once the client completes the registration, all your administrative users will be notified of the new registration, and any firm or admin user will have the ability to log in to the portal and verify the new user.  The verification system ensures that your resources won’t be used up by users who are not already your clients.

When a new client is waiting, you’ll see a notification above the Firm Portal menu.  Just click the link then select the email address of the user you want to verify or delete.

Then it’s just a matter of clicking the appropriate button.  Verify will allow the user to log in and send an automated email to the client. The delete option permanently disables the log in and sends no email, though the user could still attempt to self-register again.

No matter how your client users are added to the Portal, you have complete control over access to your Firm and Client Portal and all the tools inside.  For a more detailed walkthrough of managing clients, take a look at our instructions for adding client users and Self-Registration.

Your Client Portal has a brand new feature.  In response to your requests, we’ve made it easier for you to manage your Portal users.

Now you can stop spending your valuable time searching through unfamiliar email addresses to edit a single client. The next time you log into your Portal’s Add/Modify Client Users section, you’ll see our new Search By Name feature.

Your client User list can get pretty long, and with the self-registration tool it’s easy to lose track of which email addresses belong to which clients.  This new Search By Name lets you easily find a user by simply entering a name or company in the search field.  The Portal will then list every matching account, allowing you to quickly find the user you’re looking for.

With your feedback, we’re continually improving our tools and features to produce the best possible services for you. If you have any concerns, suggests or improvements we can make for you, please give us a call, send an email or contact us through our Live Help Chat.