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According to research from Forrester, nearly 80 percent of businesses using Microsoft Office do not plan to implement competing alternatives. Furthermore, more businesses are adopting office platforms according to the comfort level of their employees: college graduates are trained on Google Apps while employees that have been in the workforce for years still rely heavily on Office. Research analysts suggest that businesses survey employees according to their needs, accounting for collaboration, remote access, and technology comfort levels; SMBs should then assess an upgrade based on these factors. With cloud computing becoming virtually ubiquitous, SMBs are also advised to encourage the use of Software-as-a-Service and mobile applications. While the cost of Office 2010 seems like a sizable investment for some companies, Forrester recommends that the enhanced features of the latest office version are worth the cost. With Office 2010, SMBs will be able to access Office apps through the desktop, Sharepoint, the Internet, and mobile devices. Companies that are start-ups or have cost-savings as their priority should continue using their preferred Office platform; but for those desiring the latest features of an enhanced office solution, upgrading to Office 2010 is the right choice.
(http://bmighty.informationweek.com/hardware_software/showArt icle.jhtml?articleID=222500038)

Michael Burns is founder and president of 180 Systems, and has recently written a white paper that explains the concept of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. The document goes over the differences between ERP systems and accounting systems, and also explains how to establish goals when choosing and using an ERP system. Accountants need to understand the entire business process and know how to measure success with regard to saving money, boosting revenue, and increasing market share. Employees at all levels should be included in the process so that they can provide input. The white paper also includes suggestions on how to choose a vendor that will find a product that is relevant to the company. The cost of an ERP system, including direct and indirect costs, is additionally covered. Finally, Burns discusses how to implement the ERP system successfully.
(http://www.accountingweb.com/topic/cfo/how-select-and-implem ent-erp-system)

Viewfinity has launched three services aimed at helping small businesses manage their own IT maintenance. The three suites, Systems Management, Privilege Management, and User Migration, will assist SMBs to resolve application issues and troubleshoot technical problems. Viewfinity affirms that their product suites can supplant traditional on-site solutions, such that this cloud computing software will be easier for SMBs to update and maintain. The suites range from about $30 to $50 annually and control tasks such as remote software deployment, asset inventory reports, and real-time reporting. SMBs also have capabilities for setting administrator privileges for individuals or groups of PCs. Viewfinity says their products focus on ensuring employee productivity so that SMBs are spared spending unnecessary time on IT maintenance.
(http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/news/article.php/38666 16/Viewfinity-Aims-to-Ease-Pain-of-PC-Management.htm)

A few great Web-based products provide SMBs with managing their Web content. Wufoo.com provides a free service that helps SMBs to create forms quickly and with ease. Pre-made templates on Wufoo are available for SMBs to tailor to their own needs. Google Alerts is another top service for SMBs, since companies can choose to receive email alerts whenever their company is quoted in a blog or a news story. Alerts can be customized so that companies receive the alerts weekly or daily. BYO Audio is another useful tool for companies that want to stream audio messages from their Web sites. BYO Audio is very easy to use, allowing SMBs to record their audio via phone; the tool then generates an HTML code that can be used on the company Web site.
(http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/buyersguide/article.ph p/3866356/Small-Business-Software-Build-Your-Own-Web-Forms.htm)

Virtualization and blade servers are especially beneficial tools for small- to medium-sized businesses. At Nicholas Barrett & Associates, the inefficiency of old servers and document storage led the company to implement new IT solutions. Using Citrix XenServer to virtualize the firm's existing servers, the company opted for IBM Blade Center S Chassis. This solution provided the firm with overwhelming costs, since it provided server integration and greater security against infrastructure failure. Through this implementation, the firm reduced the amount of rack space needed and cut their power consumption in half.
(http://smallbizresource.informationweek.com/bmightyblog/main /archives/2010/02/a_recent_case_s.html;jsessionid=EOIAYKNEGKAAHQE1GHPSKH4ATM Y32JVN)

Due to the recession, a number of small businesses have reduced their overall spending. While a slight economic recovery for some companies has alleviated the budget burden, Info-Tech Research Group says that many SMBs are keeping costs at bay and only minimally increasing spending. To encourage SMBs to upgrade their systems without incurring overwhelming costs, HP is offering SMBs one year of zero percent interest for purchases over $1,500. HP also offers trade-ins for used laptops and desktops, a factor that SMBs should consider since newer operating systems like Windows 7 cut company electricity bills in half. Info-Tech says that SMBs should prioritize which upgrades are most critical for them and proceed accordingly. For those that need to invest in new hardware, they should consider the following: opting out of extended warranties since they are costly; negotiating with resellers to ensure the lowest costs; and considering using netbooks, which are cheaper than laptops and provide similar functionality.
(http://www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/biztools/article.php/3 866326/How-to-Save-Money-on-Small-Business-Technology.htm)

The Financial Accounting Foundation (FAF) will now maintain the U.S. GAAP Financial Reporting Taxonomy in the data-tagging format known as Extensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), which was recently required by the Securities and Exchange Commission. FAF and the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) will create a team of technical workers who will maintain the tags and work toward creating a taxonomy update in 2011. "The FASB team assigned to taxonomy maintenance will work closely with the SEC, investors, issuers, accounting firms, and other stakeholders to develop updates that are of the highest quality," says FAF Chairman Jack Brennan.
(http://www.webcpa.com/news/FAF-Will-Now-Maintain-XBRL-GAAP-T axonomy-53227-1.html)

The fourth generation of the Internet, known as the Grid, is expected to change the speed and the amount of business that is done on the Internet. The Grid was built in order to send large chunks of data for research involving the Large Hadron Collider. The collider speeds up protons and then slams them together in order to recreate the Big Bang. The test collision showed that the collider was created correctly and data could be collected and sent quickly via the Grid. The Internet is involved in a paradigm shift, in which it is becoming the preferred way to gather, store, and pass along information. The Grid will help professionals by enabling them to transfer information much faster, similar to the collider. Many sectors have already been changed by the transformation, including news media organizations, the travel industry, and the insurance industry. Accounting professionals can take advantage of the Grid by becoming the aggregator of information for clients. In order for accountants to do this, they need to reconsider how they interact with clients and they should partner with technology, software, and service providers that will allow them to be aggregators. Accountants need to store, gather, and access large amounts of data, including payroll information, invoicing, payables, and PDFs of file information.
(http://www.accountingsoftware411.com/Press/Insider/InsiderAr ticleView.aspx?iid=1041&docid=11583)