| Website
of the Month: Accountant.intuit.com
By
Susan B. Anders
NOVEMBER 2006 - Accountant.intuit.com
is a website designed to provide resources for professional
users of the Intuit family of tax and accounting software
products. Several excellent free features that make this
website a good tool for non–Intuit customers as well.
While the intended audience is practicing accountants, there
also are resources for educators and students.
The
homepage of accountant.intuit.com is obviously commercialized,
with much of it devoted to promoting Intuit products. The
main navigational tool is the horizontal menu bar at the
top featuring “Products,” “Training &
CPE,” “Resources,” “Member Programs,”
“Support,” and “Community.” The
main menu is the key to the website’s organization,
and the easiest way to browse the available resources is
to review the main pages, which are similar in style to
the homepage. The center sections of the main pages provide
an overview of the available content, which is replicated
in a left-side vertical index.
Resources
New
users should begin exploring this website on the “Resources”
page, which offers access to the QuickBooks library, tax
resource center, test-drive products, discussion forums,
ProConnection articles, practice development, helpful product
tips, request a speaker, advisor spotlight, and other resources.
Many of these materials are available to the public; those
restricted to Intuit members are indicated by a key symbol.
Most of the features are from Intuit, but some are external
websites.
One
of the best non–product-related resources can be found
buried near the bottom of the “Resources” page,
under other resources. “Links to Accounting Websites”
presents over 250 sites organized under associations and
organizations, auditing, certification, federal government,
financial planning, portals, and publishers and publications.
Websites
are also provided for state boards of accountancy, state
CPA societies, and state public accountant associations.
Financial calculators are also hidden under other resources.
There are more than two dozen tools under home finance calculators,
retirement calculators, personal finance calculators, investment
calculators, and tax calculators.
The
Tax Resource Center on the “Resources” page
offers connections to several external websites organized
under tax links and E-File resources. The IRS hyperlink
connects to a subsidiary page on the accountant.intuit.com
website that offers an index of direct connections to specific
IRS webpages, such as 2006 tax rate schedules and forms
and instructions. State tax forms and state tax departments
show similar indexes listing the individual states for further
selection.
The
current issue of the Intuit ProConnection newsletter is
available via a hyperlink on the homepage, under answers,
and on the “Community” page. Older articles
can be found under ProConnection on “Resources”
page. The articles are grouped under accounting, technology,
practice development, and tax. While many of the articles
are for members only, there are many interesting articles
on a variety of topics, such as the rewards of volunteering
and tax relief for hurricane victims.
Learning
Curve
Users
interested in “test-driving” any of the Intuit
family of products can access full working online versions
via the “Resources” and “Products”
pages, as well as on the QuickBooks library page under resources.
Free evaluation CDs can also be ordered, and introduction
demo videos are available for some products. Training for
the various products, and links to more than 70 third-party
course providers, are located on the “Training &
CPE” page.
The
Intuit education program is a hidden gem on this website.
It can be found on the left-hand vertical index on the “Training
& CPE” page and in an understated hyperlink under
the training calendar graphic.
Instructors
have access to a resource center with an instructor’s
guide, PowerPoint presentations, lesson reviews, and sample
downloads. A hyperlink on the Intuit education program page
connects to the educator’s corner, with further links
to a discussion forum and other education websites.
Discussion
Forums
Accountant.intuit.com
discussion forums can be found under “Community,”
or under the discussion forums on the “Resources”
page. Forums are available for various Intuit products,
as well as for practice issues. Software-user tips can be
found at the resource library under “Community,”
and at product tips under “Resources.”
Susan
B. Anders, PhD, CPA, is an associate professor of
accounting at St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure,
N.Y.
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