The 2006 National Management of an Accounting Practice (MAP) Survey data collection period is under way. Produced by the AICPA Alliance for CPA Firms – PCPS – and the Texas Society of CPAs, the national MAP survey provides local and regional CPA firms with the most comprehensive information available for benchmarking management policies and financial results against other firms.

CPA firms were sent an e-mail invitation to participate in the online survey. Firms that did not receive an invitation can request one at www.aicpa.org/pcps. The deadline for submission is September 1, 2006. The streamlined survey should take about an hour to complete online.

In addition to offering benchmarking statistics in key practice management areas, the PCPS/TSCPA National MAP Survey includes detailed information about size-specific and practice-specific areas. It also includes questions tailored to sole practitioners.

The survey will provide results in an electronic PDF format according to several respondent and professional classifications, including firm size by revenue and geographic location. Participating firms will have access to an online reporting tool that will allow respondents to filter the data and create customized benchmarks.

Survey results will be available in mid-October to all respondents. The results are free to all new and current PCPS members and to Texas Society of CPA member firm respondents. Respondents who are not PCPS members can purchase their results for $100 if they are an AICPA member ($200 for non-AICPA members). Non-respondents and the general public will be able to purchase results beginning in mid-November. The 2006 price for non-PCPS members is $300. A $100 discount is provided to AICPA members with an additional $100 for firms who complete the survey.

"The biggest advantage of the survey," said Rich Caturano, PCPS Executive Committee chairman and partner with Vitale, Caturano Inc. in Boston, "is that firms have a way of benchmarking against firms in their geographic area, their size range, and possibly in their service area. Firms can get an idea of whether they're on track financially."

John Sharbaugh, TSCPA CEO and Executive Director, echoed Caturano, saying, "It gives firms information to help get a feel for how their practice stacks up against other practices. Hopefully, they can use that information to make changes in their operations. The primary beneficiaries will be small and mid-size firms that don't have access to this type of information."

The support of 41 state societies and the Association for Accounting Administration ensure a strong response that leads to each state society being able to obtain a comprehensive report of state and local results. In the last national bi-annual MAP survey, conducted in 2004, 2,373 firms participated.

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