Taming the Paperwork: A Success Story

The Trusted Professional
The Newspaper of the NYSSCPA
May 1, 2005
Vol. 8, No.7
By Ronald D. Kranzler
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Deciding on the right software solution was more than a technology decision. It was a practice management decision, affecting data management, quality control and audit quality and efficiency.

For the transition to be successful, everyone would have to agree on all aspects of document preparation and presentation, all the way down to which line items would be capitalized, where colons would be used, and how headings would look. Our goal was to create one consistent format that would be shared across the firm. In the end, we selected the system with the greatest potential to automate workpaper preparation and workflow and eliminate manual and redundant tasks. In addition, it was a solution that all partners believed would lead to quality enhancements.

Document Management: The Benefits
One of the key benefits of being paperless is having every document available with the click of a mouse. Our next step was to choose a document management system that, integrated with the firm’s engagement software, would provide total management of all documents.

Digital files have functionality that simply isn’t possible with paper files. For one thing, multiple people, even those working from home offices or in the field, can access and work on files simultaneously. However, better client service is probably the biggest benefit. Files are never misplaced, so you don’t waste time looking for information. You can answer a client’s questions immediately, without having to go to the file room and search for and through the client’s paper files, which may or may not be where they should be. Also, we realized clear savings in printing and copying expenses, and reduced the need for onsite storage and eliminated offsite storage.

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