Users Tap RSS Tools to Ease Info Overload: Companies Hope to Boost Productivity By Reducing the Flow of Internal Emails
Computerworld (11/26/07) ; Perez, Juan Carlos

In an effort to help cull the barrage of emails workers face everyday, many IT departments are instituting RSS newsfeeds. By using this technology, workers are able to customize the information they receive, greatly decreases the irrelevant information flooding corporate inboxes. Through the RSS system, workers receive alerts with built in links that do not have to be immediately viewed. That way, workers can check updates on company information like corporate benefits or an internal newsletter at their convenience. These kinds of messages often end up being lost in the shuffle and deleted when they are delivered through email. There are several vendors currently offering RSS software. Some of the top providers include, KnowNow, Attensa Inc., and NewsGator Technologies Inc. Microsoft Corp. and IBM are also working RSS feeds into some of their messaging and collaboration suites. Experts say the most important part of instituting RSS technology is a comprehensive training program. Workers need to be made familiar with the RSS system in order to wean them off of a constant emailing habit. The best place to start these training programs is within specific workgroups. Then RSS can be introduced as a way of fixing existing communication issues.
http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&
articleId=307175&intsrc=news_ts_head

Going Mobile
Connecticut Business News Journal (11/26/07) ; Singer, Karen

Real estate agents and other mobile workers increasingly are using handheld devices for more than just phone calls, branching out into such tasks as checking e-mail, accepting payments, and viewing sales and expense reports. Applications for handheld devices once had to be customized. However, experts note that small firms now have access to advanced off-the-shelf products as well as hosted, a la carte services. Real estate agents, for instance, can receive listings via e-mail without the need for a server, says Michael Egmont of Flagship Networks, a networks servicing company. Before purchasing wireless devices and technologies, experts recommend that businesses assess their needs and strategies, compare different carriers and determine whether such an investment is cost-effective. Another important consideration is security, and firms should think about installing virtual private networks to allow employees to securely access the company network.
http://www.conntact.com/article_page.lasso?id=41523

The Business Case for Color Printing
ITWeb (11/26/07) ; Revell, Ian

Integrating color printers can drastically improve both internal operations within a business and provide a competitive advantage. The cost of high-speed color laser printers is no longer a burden to companies as the cost per page of laser printers has become comparable to the cost of a mono printer. Employing color prints within the workplace allows employees to more clearly read and retain information from color documents, evident through a Pantone Institute study revealing information in color has a 78 percent success rate for being absorbed by employees versus information in black and white. Color documents can also serve as an effective method of boosting customer base, while appealing to the clients' experience of chromodynamics or the ability to elicit an emotional response to specific colors. Quality laser printing allows maximum output, with many printers capable of printing at speeds of 25ppm or greater for both mono and color prints. The cost-advantages of in-house color printing are considerable, particularly because color lasers have both low maintenance costs and provide long-term savings. Also, companies utilizing color printers can control the employees that have access to mono or color printing, while hardware controls are available to grant color printing access to specific individuals at specific times.
http://www.itweb.co.za/sections/techforum/2007/0711260802.asp?S=D
igital%20Office%20Solution&A=DOS&O=FPIC

Driven to Distraction Email at the Office: Productivity
Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick) (11/24/07) P. E1 ; Dunne, Melissa

Email has changed the face of business by introducing the possibility of instant communication. But the constant flow of emails has become a burden for many workers. Every year, office workers spend 28 billion hours reading and responding to emails according to the Deloitte and Basex research firms. That time costs companies a total of $558 billion annually in lost work hours. In order to cut down on the amount of time spent on email some companies, like Intel Corp. U.S. Cellular, and Deloitte & Touche, are instituting "no email Fridays". During these days, workers are banned from sending internal emails unless absolutely necessary. Although these bans could be helpful, experts say they are probably not feasible for many workers. There are some alternative methods to cutting down the time it takes to check email. First, workers should respond immediately to each email they receive to avoid pileups. After emails have been read they should be filed in separate folders so they can be easily retrieved later. Workers should also try to limit the number of people each email is copied to. And instead of using email for company announcements, workers should post news on the company Intranet. That way workers can stay abreast of office happenings without clogging their inbox.
http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/135161

Tools for Financial Analysis
Journal of Accountancy (11/07) ; Estes, James ; Savich, Richard S. ; Ivanova, Maya

When clients want information that goes beyond the scope of standard financial statements, accountants can turn to financial analysis software. Leading packages available today include ACCPAC CFO (Comprehensive Financial Optimizer). The product is geared toward smaller companies, enabling them to model the effect of different variables. A roll forward feature produces budgets or forecasts quickly. It can also create finical scorecards with key indicators and financial data. BizBench's Customized Financial Analysis offers financial benchmarking to let a firm compare itself to others in the industry. The tool relies on the Risk Management Association (RMA) database and pinpoints ratios that need attention. A function called Back Calculation calculates profit targets while the DuPont Model Analysis shows how each ratio impacts return on equity. A tool called ProfitCents from Sageworks is Web-based, so it does not need any updates or software. It features multiple types of business analyses for nonprofits and sole proprietorships based on RMA data. The company provides complementary consulting, training, and customer support.
http://www.aicpa.org/pubs/jofa/nov2007/financial_analysis.htm

Working in a Wireless World; Software Vendors Are Answering Employee Demands to Conduct More Business Functions on the Go.
Accounting Technology (11/07) Vol. 23 , No. 10 , P. 30 ; DeFelice, Alexandra

Technologies continue to develop and become more specified, and as a result accountants now utilize laptop computers and personal digital assistants (PDAs) to accomplish a range of tasks without being tethered to the office. Through a series of strokes on an iPhone or BlackBerry, an executive using PayCycle can process the staff payroll while vacationing in Africa, or access CRM databases via software by Microsoft, NetSuite, and Sage. Generic applications like the business solution Mobile Sales by Microsoft's Dynamics AX perform a variety of functions common to all accountants, including order and campaign tracking, and also store contact information, sales history, and route plans. What handheld mobile devices offer in range, they often lack in convenience, which is why Microsoft designed Mobile Sales and other products in its Dynamics line are formatted for viewing on any platform, from BlackBerrys to portable PlayStation sets. Most applications can be tailored to an accountant's needs and medium of technology; however, desktop connections running on HTTP servers carry security risks and can only be viewed by accountants working off-site in an area with wireless accessibility. Through the Colligo Contributor interface, a user logs hours and enters other changes that upload automatically once the device resumes Internet connectivity.
http://www.webcpa.com/article.cfm?articleid=25673&pg=ros