TECHNOLOGY ROADMAP
FOR CPA FIRMS IN 2011
By: Andrew Spottswood
Introduction
• Lived in Redmond since 2009,
from TN
• University of TN, Knoxville
• Kat, Griffin (3yrs), and Elliot
(6mos)
• Technology Consulting for 10+
years.
– Cisco, EMC, and Business Continuity
Certifications
• TROI started in 2004 - LeMaster
Daniels
• Inland Imaging merger December 2010
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Agenda
1. Why have an IT Roadmap?
2. Roadmap Overview
3. Build Your Own Technology Roadmap -
Step by Step Process
4. TROI Propaganda
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Why do we need an IT Roadmap?
• Chief Causes of Lost Data (in order) are: equipment
failure, accidental deletion, employee security, external
security breach, viruses, and disasters.
– Gartner Research
• Computer systems fail on an average of nine times per
year, with an average of four hours downtime
per failure.
– The Disaster Recovery Journal, Business Impact Analysis, 2009
• 40% of SMBs that manage their own network
security and use the Internet for more than email will
experience a successful Internet hack. More than 50%
will not know they were attacked.
– Gartner Group
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Why do we need an IT Roadmap?
“We used to work that way?”
BEFORE
NOW
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Filing cabinets
Ledger sheets
Dictaphones
Fax machines
Message call pad
Adding machines
Carbon sheets
Typewriters
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Servers/Networks
Practice
Management/Billing
Digital recordings
Email/E-discovery
Voice-over-IP
Laptops
Copiers
Smart Phones
IT Roadmap Overview
• Customized, Prioritized
• Business driven short
and long-term plans
• Technology Best
Practices
• Strategic Drivers:
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–
–
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Cost
Efficiency
Reliability
Business Continuity
Collaboration
• Living Document
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Build Your Own Roadmap
1. Technology Committee
2. Foundational Technology Goals/Best Practices
3. Documentation
4. Technology Requirements
5. Technology Opportunities
6. Budgeting
7. Meet Regularly
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1. Technology Committee
• A group, not just IT and/or
Administrator
• Representatives from each
Department
– Tax, Audit, Quickbooks,
Business, Operations,
Shareholder, etc
• Bring perspective from each
department and software
platform - “power users”
• Build and Update Plan
together
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2. Technology IT Goals/Best Practices
“What is important to the business?”
• Equipment and Software
– Longevity
– ROI
• Implementation
– Planning
– Communication
– Minimal Downtime
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• Management
– Efficiency
– ROI
– Business Intelligence
• Collaboration
– Security
– Speed
3. Documentation
• Inventory
– Servers
– Network Equipment
– PCs/Laptops
– Printers
– Phones – Mobile+Office
• Visio Diagrams
• Passwords
• Software Maintenance
• Vendor Maintenance
• Business Continuity
Plan
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4. Technology Requirements
• Necessary Upgrades
• Prioritization of
required upgrades
throughout the office
• Technology Committee
Recommendations
• Examples
– PCs, Toner, Software
Maintenance, etc
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5. Technology Opportunities
“How can we leverage IT to
support our business?”
• Business Goals
• Current view from
Clients, Employees
• Technology Committee
Recommendations
• Examples
– Remote Access, Disaster
Recovery Plan,
Paperless, Client Portal,
More Efficient Workflows
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6. Budgeting
• Prioritize Technology
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•
Road Map
Add Costs for each
Hard and soft cost
Compare your IT
spending to peers
Build ROI for initiatives
– Do some pay for
themselves overtime?
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7. Meet Regularly
• Commit to a schedule
to meet regularly
(monthly or quarterly)
• Decisions made about
Technology Road Map
in meeting – give it
purpose
• Update documentation
as a prerequisite
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TROI Business Model
What makes TROI different?
• Business First, Technology Second
• Technology is a Business Strategy
• Our People
• Service Delivery Specialization Teams:
– Accounting
– Medical
– Professional Services/Other
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TROI Business Model
 Consulting Services
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Strategic Planning – Virtual CIO
Technology Assessment + Total Cost of Ownership
Project Based Engineering
Business Process Re-engineering
 24/7 Managed & Hosted Services
 Hosted – TROI owned
 Hardware, software, applications, service delivery
 Managed – Client owned
 Service delivery
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CPA Specialization
TROI Support Team
•
Technology Specific Expertise
•
– Project Managers
– Infrastructure
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Security
Remote Access
– Systems
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Microsoft
Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity
The Cloud
•
Strategic Planning
– Account Manager
– Virtual CIO
Application Specific Expertise
– CCH (ProSystems, Research, etc.)
– Thomson (Engagement, GoFileRoom,
etc.)
– Intuit (QB, ProSeries, Lacerte, etc.)
– CaseWare
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Project Management
“TROI has an in-depth
understanding of a CPA firm’s
billable hours, efficient work flows,
and meeting deadlines.”
Questions?
Andrew Spottswood
(425) 216-2727
aspottswood@mytroi.com
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