Why firms need to choose an automated workflow product and ways to analyze what to look for in a good product.

1. Today’s Agenda
Workflow: Why Now?
Joseph P. Manzelli, Jr., CPA.CITP
Coordinator of Outsourced Workflow
www.xcmsolutions.com
Twitter: @JoeManz

2. Speaker
• New Coordinator of Outsourced Workflow,
XCM Solutions, LLC
• Former Director of Operations at New
York City-based Fuoco Group
• Led Fuoco Technology consulting group
and firm’s strategic IT initiatives
• Led firm’s move to completely digital
operation and helped to achieve rapid
Joseph P. Manzelli, Jr., growth
CPA.CITP
• Frequent speaker and consultant on
paperless initiatives and virtualization for
better use of cloud computing

3. Why Workflow?
• Significant Productivity Improvements
• Greater Employee Satisfaction
• Enhanced Client Service
• Improved Compliance

4. My Firm’s Journey
• Full-Service Accounting & Consulting Firm
• Five Offices: 2 in New York, 3 in Florida
• Rapid Growth from 6 to 75 people in seven years
• Focused growth strategy:
– Recruit quality staff; professional development
– Engage in selective M&As
– Take progressive approach to technology adoption
– Continuous share/learn practice betterment cycle

5. Productivity

6. What is workflow?
Process standardization &
automation
Knowledge management
Accountability
Individual work
management
Resource management
Team collaboration
Compliance & QC
Ease-of-use/Scalability
Implementation & training
System, integration
Cost

7. Process Automation
Pre-defined statuses that can be turned on
and off
Custom statuses
Linear and horizontal processes
Workflow mapping
Quality control alerts
Manage re-occurring activities
Manage bulk processes
Automatic project creation/Roll forward

8. Knowledge Management
Robust reporting – standard & custom
Exception and bottle neck reports
Project-related files and details
Easily searchable and actionable data
Questions, review points, instructions
Automated archiving and purging
Annual comparisons

9. Accountability
Staff development
Status details on a particular project
View all WIP, or specific workload
Firm-defined user rights

10. Individual Work Management
Virtual desktop
Ability to organize, assign difficulty and priority
Support scheduling/work assignment
Assign individual or group roles, skills and
expertise
Time summary support

11. Resource Management
Move responsibility within team
Cross-team collaboration
Support question/review cycle
Real-time workload balancing
Integrated scheduling
Budgeting support

12. Compliance and Quality Control
Full tracking capabilities
Full due date management capabilities
Customizable sign-offs
Quality control checks and exception alerts
Extension tracking
E-File process management
Customizable checklists
Support for data retention policies

13. Ease-of-Use/Scalability
Intuitive interface
Logical design
Small learning curve
Adaptable to current process and anticipated
future needs
Flexible and scalable – roll out to additional users,
processes, departments, offices
Balance between built and build

14. System Considerations
Vendor’s reputation
Easy maintenance
Remote user support & mobile access
Multi-office support
Firm-wide system
Document storage integration
Practice management integration

15. Implementation & Training
Complexity of infrastructure deployment and
administration
Customary implementation time
IT involvement
Training – basic and intermediary
Ongoing training and best use opportunities
Flexible training options
Dedicated support resources
Feature upgrades/enhancements
Vendor reputation

16. Cost
Base product pricing
Length of contract
Availability and price of optional capabilities
Administrative costs
Training costs
Potential impact on head count/overtime
Potential impact on user productivity and
departmental efficiency

17. Why Workflow NOW?
• Significant Productivity Improvements
• Greater Employee Satisfaction (ability to
empower employees)
• Enhanced Client Service
• Improved Compliance
• You do not want to be left behind
• What’s out there for you?

18. Resources
• AICPA, State Societies
• Networks & Associations
• Consultants, White Papers
• Seminars, Webinars
• Web Sites: TotallyPaperless.com,
CPAFirmTech.com
• Media – Best Practices, Product
Reviews
• Vendor Trainings, User Groups www.cpa2biz.com/workflow

19. Questions?
Joe.Manzelli@xcmsolutions.com
Twitter: @JoeManz
www.slideshare.net/joemanz13
American Institute of CPAs