iOS App for Apple approved!
Finally.
We just got the final approval of the iOS mobile App for CPAnywhere.
For Apple users, please go to iTune and download CPANYWHERE mobile app for use.
Sorry for the delay.
Apple loses its shine!
It has almost been 2 months since we submitted the mobile App for CPAnywhere to Apple Computer for approval. Compared to Apple, we got our approval from Google in one day.
As of now, we are still waiting, so do thousands of other mobile apps. Out of our experience in dealing with Apple, I come to the conclusion that this company is on the way down.
The first time I dealt with Steve Jobs was when I was doing the tax audit of his new company, NeXT Inc. in 1989. The company was situated in a small warehouse in Redwood City. Although it was small but I can see the people who worked there were very energetic.
Steve Jobs gave me a very large monitor and a nice office to work on for several months of ins and outs to examine the documents and performing the tax audit. The whole atmosphere was intense but mission oriented even the strong earthquake of 5.0 that shakes the whole warehouse doesn’t disrupt their focus.
I know their difficulties because I went through the whole 3 years of operating data. I once told my colleague that they may not survive knowing their poor financial condition. Little did I know that the large monitor was later used for Pixar animation and NeXT Inc. was later merged with Apple Computer when they invite Steve Jobs back to Apple. The NeXT operating system was the preview of the popular iOS that made Apple a household name.
The latest episode of purposely delaying the mobile App approval shows their arrogance and ignorance. When they think they are on top of the world, they are already on the way down!
Same fate as for Lotus and WordPerfect. This is totally different from Steve Jobs’ NeXT Inc.’s attitude, to do whatever it takes to survive so that they can bring out Pixar (Toy’s Story series) and the new Apple (iOS).
All these were the result from that little warehouse that Steve Jobs worked so hard for. Steve Jobs used to be very arrogant before he got fired by Apple. But he turns into a humble person and start everything from scratch. Now, the new Apple bureaucracy is now taking over!
Sorry, iOS users, you can’t use the iPhone App for now and you can’t blame Steve Jobs for it.
Mobile App download
You can now use the mobile app (Android or iOS) to conduct your business on the Internet if your company is using CPAnywhere.
The Steps:
- Call us to upgrade your system with the newest program. (Each system is unique and separate.)
- Download the mobile app from Google or Apple. Search by “CPANYWHERE”
- Input your company ID, name and password.
- You are in business!
At present, the app has the following sections:
- Alerts
- Attendance
- Event
- Time sheet
- Employees
- Customer
- Job Assignment
- Leaves
- Approval
Because of the debacle that we had experienced by missing sending out invoices. We were using manual invoicing for CPAnywhere and Network Administrator services, what a shame!
Especially it is coming in from a CPA and a former tax auditor from the Silicon Valley! Now, we have finally decided to put that into the CPAnywhere system.
So, I will be using the mobile app to monitor the issuing of invoices , settlement and printing out receipts. To make it simpler, I will put the Accounts Receivables in the mobile app and restrict the access to only the authorized person to view.
Future addition to the app depends on user feedback. We can put the entire ERP system on the app but it runs the risk of exposing important information especially the financial data. However, there is one area which the mobile app is good for, that is communication.
We asked the question about putting client communication on the mobile app but many beta testers opposed. Well, we hope you can have a better feel after using the app for a while before further commenting on your “wish list”.
Sincerely,
Harry Tsui
Developer
Significant Controllers Register in 2018
Under the recent Bill to amend the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), the government is adding the new requirement for companies to keep a Significant Controllers Register.
- All Hong Kong incorporated companies with or without share structure, except listed companies and exempt companies, will need to maintain this new register.
- The main purpose of this Bill is to meet Hong Kong’s obligations to combat money laundering and terrorist financing by showing who has the significant control of a suspected company.
- The register must be kept in the English or Chinese language.
- Even your company has no significant controller, you still need to maintain this register open for inspection by law enforcement officers.
- Law enforcement officers include but not limited to officers of the following agencies: Companies Registry (C/R), Customs and Excise Department, Monetary Authority, Police Force, Immigration Department, Inland Revenue Department (IRD), Insurance Authority, Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), and Securities and Futures Commission.
Please refer to our Technical Support Bulletin (August 2017 Issue) for law interpretation and implementation detail. If you have not yet received the TSB please call us at 2521-3110.
Details of Who is a Significant Controller? What needs to be recorded on a Significant Controllers Register? What is the proper procedure when you just find out there is a Significant Controller? What if there is no Significant Controller? What if there is an unidentified Significant Controller? What if you cannot confirm the particulars of that identified Significant Controller? What if the company is currently trying to obtain the required information? What if a matter noted in its significant controllers’ register is no longer true? What is the penalty for non-compliance? CSA Expert update.
Beta Tester for mobile App
The new mobile app for Android and iPhone is here, although it is still under an ongoing development. It is a very powerful tool to know almost everything happened to your customer, job or employee on a real time basis.
The interface is very intuitive and easy to use. The system already knows what you want based on your past or existing relationship and present you with the Summaries on the front page. If you need more, just drill into it and get the detail.
The app is personal in nature and different from each person.
Please bear in mind that this is just the beginning of the mobile app development. The potential is huge. You can have an option to connect to a CPAnywhere or MBAnywhere system as an employee.
Beta Testing Arrangement
User group members – we will contact you directly and to set up a date for the demonstration. It is more about system security concerns.
CPAnywhere or MBAnywhere users – if you want to be part of the first beta tester, please call Mr. Oscar Lo at 2521-3110.
Other users or CSA users – we will hold a seminar when the final version is completed.
During this process, we will adopt the opinions from our beta testers to improve to make the system more self-driven.
WannaCry ransomware
Protect your data!
The WannaCry (WannaCrypt0r 2.0) ransomware is still going on to attack vulnerable systems on the Internet.
P & L Associates has received many inquiries about the safety of CPAnywhere and CSA system and would like to share some security measures to help defend your systems against ransomware attacks.
Will CPAnywhere be attacked by WannaCry?
No.
The data center to host the CPAnywhere is protected by the dedicated firewall .
It can defend most ransomwares such as WannaCry. WannaCry targets older versions of Microsoft Windows systems.
That means if you are using our data center service to host your CPAnywhere, then you don’t need to worry about the present threat.
However, if you host your own CPAnywhere on an older Windows platform, then the data in the mapped folder might be at risk of being encrypted.
We strongly recommend that you update your Windows to the latest version.
Will CSA be attacked?
Yes.
CSA is a networked or stand-alone system operates under Windows environment.
If you are still using Windows XP, 7 or 2000, then your chance of being attacked by WannaCry is imminent.
That means if you host your data on a Windows network drive with the write permission enable or simply rest in the stand-alone PC, then the data in the mapped folder or the PC folder might be at risk of being encrypted.
We urge you update your Windows to the latest version for protection.
How can I protect myself against other ransomware in the future?
CPAnywhere:
At the end of the day, the system will copy the data to an offsite Networked Attached Servers (NAS) for safe keeping. Every week, we will backup that data to another offline NAS for safe keeping.
If anything happens to the Internet, we can restore the data backup easily and run it on local server until the Internet comes back on.
We also suggest that you can install a dedicated Networked Attached Server to receive the data backup from our data center every night for triple protection.
CSA:
Always backing up your data regularly and frequently.
Make sure that you have multiple copies of your data in an offsite location on a rotation basis.
If anything happens, we can always restore your system in a working situation if you have a data backup.
What is an encryption-based ransomware?
Encryption-based ransomware, such as WannaCry, encrypts files stored on computers network drives. Once infected, you are left with the option to either pay the ransom to regain access to your files or give up all your precious data previously stored on the computer or storage device.
Since this ramsonware originates from the National Security Agency of the USA, it specifically seeks the “back door” of the Windows system, with or without the knowledge of Microsoft, to initiate the attack, the damage is controllable.
All they need to do is to close that “back door”. That’s why you need to update your Windows system constantly.
Steps to take when discovering ransomware infection
If you happen to encounter a ransomware attack, do not panic.
Turn off your Internet connection, WiFi, or pull out your network cable.
Make sure that you are off the Internet completely.
The next step is use the anti-virus software to clean up the infection.
Afterward, load a copy of your backup data to the system.
Call us at 2521-3110 if you need help!
Report on User Group Discussion on Mobile APP
As promised, we are presenting the practical ideas presented from user group discussion or from user suggestions:
“MAKE IT SIMPLE”, that is the voice we heard from our users. When you log in to the mobile app, the system will search through the system and present the information you need to know.
Personalized information presentation on mobile app’s main screen:
- Most important deadlines for job, correspondence and annual return.
- Your upcoming meeting with client, together with relevant information on job progress status.
- Pending post-it messages from the system, employees or clients.
- Jobs that are over budget, past deadline or need urgent attention.
- Today’s time sheet entries.
- Your present vacation time available.
- Absence request and approval status.
- Pending invoices that need to be reviewed and approved
- New job task assigned with budget and deadline to complete.
- Settlement on invoices that are under your control.
- Newly added clients with welcoming note.
- Prospective client’s change of sales steps.
- List of absence.
- Attendance detail for today.
- Change of director of your client.
- Any change to your own personnel record.
Security setting based on levels and department
- Three basic levels: staff, manager and partner
- User defined restriction on each piece of information
We are working towards the above goals. There may be some difference in presentation between Android and iOS apps but the contents will remain the same.
The user group attendees will get to test the beta version once it is available. So far, we are quite happy with the progress.
Our experience with the mobile app tell us that using the mobile app to access the system is the future.
If you are a windows phone user, please let us know.Our goal is to make it so user friendly that no user manual or instruction needed to use the system. Once we pass through the beta version testing, we will report to you the final version for installation.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Harry Tsui, Director
__________________________________________________________________________________
Discussion Group Agenda:
User Group Discussion on most-wanted features on mobile phone
Customer Relation Management:
What kind of information we want to see?
Group or related companies’ information?
Contact information?
Past historical contacts?
Job Assignment Management:
What do you want to see in job information?
Deadline management?
Participants involved and detailed activities?
Work-in-progress calculation?
How to calculate productivity of a job?
Timesheet Entry and Expenses:
How detail should it be in mobile phone entry of time?
Weekly or daily submission of timesheet for approval?
Approval by item or the whole submitted report?
Financial information:
How to calculate the profitability of each client?
What kind of information you need in invoicing?
How to better present the accounts receivable in mobile phone?
Shall we project the cash flow?
HRMS Issues:
Submission of leave request and approval?
One touch on availability of leaves?
Should the person able to see the leave situation on the intended date before submission?
Is payroll information useful on mobile phone?
Should the person be able to view his or her own personnel record on mobile phone?
Communication:
Who can initiate company-wide communication?
Does the company allow staff to staff communication?
Should all communication involving a client be recorded on client’s folder?
Should we allow communication with your clients using the mobile platform?
Should we allow communication among your friends on the same platform?
Executive Information Summaries:
What the figures show on the top?
Any Other Suggestions
User Group on Mobile App
We have conducted a user group discussion on the most wanted features on mobile app.
The areas that we have touched on are customer relation, job assignment, time sheet and expenses, financial information, HRMS issues and communication.
We would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to the users who came to the discussion sessions. Once the prototypes on Andriod and the iOS are out, we will invite the attendees to try them out first and report for any improvement.
Applying Client Advances
The function – ‘Settlement’ handles all the foreseeable payments through check, cash, foreign currency, write off or setting up Client Advance account automatically in case of over payment.
If a client has deposited the advance for further payment, at the time of producing proforma invoices, the advanced amount will be deducted directly from the invoice. However, this practice may not be applicable to some firms.
In order to clarify the situation, we have created a new function called Advance Apply. The meaning is to apply any advance on record to an existing invoice. This is just like a settlement but handled separately.
The automatic journal entries generated will be grouped under the Settlement journal.
New Expense Claim
The old way to do things is to integrate the expense claim to time reporting function. This is perfect for expense claim form and if you need to keep track of every expense along the way.
However, this is not really practical to Hong Kong practice. Most Hong Kong CPA record their expenses before or after the actual event. This is good for billing purpose. Get paid first before delivery of service.
After listening to our user’s suggestions, we have set up a brand new function called Expense Claim with Approval. The staff can enter the projected expenses claim and submit it to his supervisor for approval. Once approved, the claim will be put under Miscellaneous Charges waiting for Invoicing. This change will streamline the operation especially if the firm bills its client for expenses ahead of time.
This new function also allows staff to set up the expenses using the best estimate. When more information comes, he or she can then change the amount as long as it is before approval. This is just a convenient way to do things, the natural way.
The best way to design a system is to keep a natural flow of events to fit the users. We hope this one small change will bring more convenience to users.