CPATA Productivity Survey

Introduction & Instructions

The following pages present a series of questions relating to professional practice standards, office processes, backup procedures, paperless office technologies, connectivity and general technology utilization.

Questions are broken down over six pages into the following sections, making it easier to complete the survey in smaller pieces:

Engagement
Administration
Communications
Technology
Demographics
Software Solutions

Some questions call for only one answer, while others allow you to select more than one response. So please read each question carefully.

The survey will not time out if you find the need to multitask while taking the survey. However, you must finish the survey and submit your results before closing your browser, or your responses will be lost. If you'd like to go back and review/change your responses to a previous page, simply hit the back button on your browser.

Once you have completed and submitted the last page of the survey, you will immediately receive your "productivity score" along with your individualized report that outlines correlations between technology adaptation and overall productivity. If you provided your demographic information, you will also see your score in comparison to the overall profession and in comparison to firms of similar size and geographic area.

Your report will offer suggestions for improving productivity based on recognized "best practice" processes.

Please enter your email address and then click the Continue button below to begin. The survey should take you approximately 30 minutes to complete.

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Page 1 of 6

Engagement

1.In your firm, how is technology implemented in the tax review process?

All returns are reviewed on-screen before the return is printed.
Most returns are reviewed on-screen, but we occasionally review copies of specific clients or for specific partners.
We review on-screen, but also use a printed copy.
We use mostly printed copies with some on-screen reviews.
We review everything on paper (no on-screen review).
N/A - we don't prepare or review returns.

2.Is it firm policy to create a digital preparer copy of the tax return for firm storage?

Yes - we don't keep paper copies.
Yes - prepared when we print the return.
Yes - prepared subsequent to printing the return.
Yes - and we also keep a paper copy.
No - we don't store these digitally.
N/A - we don't prepare tax returns.
No

3.Is it firm policy to create a digital client copy of the tax return to provide to the client?

Yes - in secure client portals.
Yes - via email.
Yes - through DVD, CD, USB or other digital media.
Yes - in secure client portals, plus we provide paper.
Yes - via email, plus we provide paper.
Yes - through DVD, CD, USB or other digital media, plus we provide paper.
No - we do not provide digital copies.

4.Regarding client invoices, how are the majority of invoices delivered to clients?

We print and mail invoices.
We generate an electronic copy of invoices and deliver via email.
We draft our fees electronically from client accounts.
We post client invoices to client portals.

5.How do you utilize tax document automation?

We use a service to scan and organize our clients' documents.
We use a service to scan, organize, and populate our tax returns.
We scan our documents but don’t organize.
We scan, but bookmark our own documents.
We don’t scan documents.
N/A

6.Does your firm policy call for scanning of tax support documents?

Yes - all supporting documents are scanned before preparation begins.
Yes - the preparer scans supporting documents while preparing the return.
Yes - we scan supporting documents after the return is completed.
N/A - we don't prepare tax returns.
No - we don't scan supporting documents.

7.Is it firm policy to bookmark tax documents that are scanned and stored electronically?

Yes - we use a service that electronically bookmarks all tax documents.
Yes - we manually bookmark internally.
No - we scan our documents, but we don't bookmark.
No - we do not store digital documents.

8.How does your firm monitor due dates?

Electronically in real-time.
Electronically in daily batch mode.
Electronically in batch mode, but less frequently than daily.
We use a manual system.
We have due dates, but we don't monitor them.
N/A

9.What is your policy regarding engagements that require a trial balance?

We utilize specific software for all such engagements.
We utilize specific software for many of these engagements.
We utilize specific software for a few of these engagements.
We don't use this type of software.
N/A - we don't have these types of engagements.

10.What is your policy regarding the format of client trial balances?

We request all trial balances in electronic format, and we import them electronically.
If a client gives us the trial balance electronically, we usually import it.
If it's electronic, we sometimes import, but usually we re-key it.
We always key in our beginning trial balances.
N/A - we do not perform this type of engagement.

11.What percentage of your clients are providing some of their documents to your firm electronically?

0
1-25%
26-50%
51-75%
76-100%

12.Are financial statement report engagement workpapers stored in a paperless engagement application?

As a matter of firm policy, every financial statement engagement utilizes this type of professional software.
We use this type of software for some, but not all of our financial statement engagements.
We don't use this type of software.
N/A - we don't prepare financial statements.

13.How does your firm prepare financial statements?

We utilize engagement type software to automatically generate financial statements.
Our professional staff prepares statements by linking to the trial balance.
We have para-professional / administrative staff prepare statements, and they utilize links to the trial balance.
We have para-professional / administrative staff prepare statements, and they are not directly linked to the trial balance.
N/A - we do not prepare financial statements.

14.Do you electronically link between trial balance/engagement and tax applications?

All business returns are prepared by importing trial balances.
Some returns are prepared via trial balance import; others are keyed from workpapers.
We don't import, but rather key all our business returns.
N/A - we don't prepare this type of return.

15.Are all financial statement engagements performed using the same software?

Firm policy has standardized our approach, and all engagements utilize the same software.
Most engagements use a "preferred" software product, but some use others.
That decision is left to the professional in charge of the engagement and varies by partner and/or client.
N/A - we don't prepare financial statements.

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Page 2 of 6

Administration

16.How does your firm make firm-wide information available to employees (i.e. personnel manual, firm procedures, knowledgebase, etc.)?

Paper
Interoffice Network
Employee Portal
N/A - we don't have any of these types of materials.

17.Do you provide regular in-house technology training?

We schedule regular in-house technology training and all staff are required to attend.
We have occasional in-house training for those staff who need the training.
We regularly send individual staff to training classes as needed.
We watch webcasts as an office or promote other third party webcast classes.
We encourage self study of automated “on-demand” training.
We rarely provide any technology training.
We do not provide technology training.

18.How do you deliver internal firm financial and management reports?

They are posted to our firm portal.
They are emailed to each recipient.
They are printed and physically distributed.
We don't have/distribute this type of report.

19.Regarding document storage:

We have and utilze a formal electronic document storage system.
We use our electronic workpaper system for document storage.
We store most documents electronically in PDF format on our PCs or network.
We store documents electronically but retain paper copies "just in case".
We store documents in paper form only.

20.Do you have a document destruction procedure to ensure all confidential documents are adequately disposed of?

Yes, and it covers both paper and electronic files.
Yes, but it covers only paper documents.
We have a policy, but it's not written.
N/A - we don't keep anything, paper or electronic.
We destroy paper only when we run out of room.
Our policy is simple -- we keep everything. Forever.

21.Regarding client billings -- how are the majority of invoices prepared?

Our time is captured in real time, and we prepare bills on-screen.
Our time is captured regularly (less than daily), and we prepare bills on-screen.
All of our work is fixed fee.
Our bills are prepared from printed worksheets.
N/A - none of these answers reasonably describe our firm's method.

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Page 3 of 6

Communications

22.What type of Internet connection does your firm have?

Full T-1 or above
Fractional T-1
DSL
Cable
Satellite
ISDN
Dial-up Modem
Don't Connect

23.Do you provide wireless access in your office?

Yes - and the connection is encrypted and the SSID is hidden.
Yes - and the connection is encrypted.
No, we don't have wireless in our office.
Yes.

57.What type of smartphone does the majority of your partners use?

Please select up to 2 responses from the list.

BlackBerry
iPhone
Android
Palm
Other, please specify:
None of us use smartphones.

24.Do firm members carry a smartphone that allows synching to the firm's network for email or other purposes?

Yes - all partners and managers.
Yes - some do.
Yes - a few do.
No.
No - our firm policy prohibits that.

25.Which of the following best describes how you monitor your website?

We don’t have a website.
We have a website, and we count website visitors.
We have a website, and we monitor visits and usage patterns.
We have a website, and we incorporate search engine optimization techniques.
We have a website, and we count and monitor visitors AND incorporate search engine optimization.
We have a website, but don’t have any formal monitoring or reporting.

26.Does your website provide for personalized client "portals"?

27.Do you provide client documents on a secure client portal?

Yes - for some.
Yes - for all.
No.

28.Regarding your document management system (DMS), do you store all documents in your DMS?

We store all static documents, emails and live Word and Excel files in our DMS.
We store only static documents in our DMS.
We don’t utilize a DMS.

29.Does your firm provide business clients access to client accounting software via your firm's website?

30.Have you standardized file names and directories on the network and provided training so everyone can create, save, and access files effectively?

Yes - and we always follow the policy.
Yes - we have a policy, but we mostly do what seems best for each client.
No policy. It's up to each staff member.
N/A - not applicable to our practice.

31.Do you have a digital fax system that allows you to receive faxes?

Yes - we have a general mailbox, and faxes are emailed to the appropriate person.
Yes - each person receives their faxes in their own inbox.
No - we only have a hardcopy fax machine for incoming faxes.
N/A - we don't receive faxes in our practice.
Yes - but we print and distribute.

32.How often is your website/web presence updated?

Weekly
Monthly
Annually
Never
No web presence

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Page 4 of 6

Technology

34.How often do you back up client files?

Continuously
Daily
Every other day
Weekly
Monthly
Irregularly
Never

35.Is backup integrity tested regularly?

36.Are backups stored off-site?

37.Do you have a written disaster recovery plan?

Yes - it is maintained onsite.
Yes - it is maintained offsite.
No.

38.Do you utilize multiple monitors?

Yes - some workstations have them.
Yes - every workstation has them.
Yes - at one workstation.
No.

39.Do professionals have a personal printer/scanner at their desk?

Yes - we all have printers and scanners.
Yes - we all have scanners, but not printers.
Yes - we all have printers, but not scanners.
Yes - a few have one or both.
No - we have neither.

40.Do you provide electronic 1040 client organizers?

Yes - and it is web-based.
Yes - and it is emailed.
Yes - but some clients elect paper.
No - paper only.
No - we don't utilize organizers.
N/A

41.What is your firm’s policy for installing most software releases and updates?

We install at night.
We install on weekends.
We install during the day.
We use a SaaS or Web-hosted solution so it’s done automatically.
N/A

42.Which operating systems do most of your firm's computers use?

Please select up to 2 answers.

Windows 7
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Other

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Page 5 of 6

Demographics

43.Number of locations for this firm.

1
2
3
4
5 or more

44.ZIP Code of residence of the main office.

45.How many years has the firm been in existence?

3 years or less
4 to 9 years
10 to 14 years
15 to 29 years
30 years or more

46.Total firm gross revenue for the past 12 months.

Less than $150,000
$150,000 to $299,000
$300,000 to $549,000
$550,000 to $999,000
$1 Million to $1.99 Million
$2 Million or more
I prefer to not answer this question (Note: Your report will NOT be comparative.)

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