AICPA, CPA2Biz and Intacct form alliance to benefit millions of small businesses.

Today's challenging economic climate demands that accounting professionals better collaborate with clients to improve their financial performance, deliver better financial advice and help them make faster, smarter business decisions. The AICPA, its subsidiary CPA2Biz, and Intacct have formed a groundbreaking alliance to benefit millions of small businesses across the U.S. and improve the productivity of CPA firms. In this new arrangement, small businesses that want to use the Intacct service can do so only through their CPAs.

The alliance will help CPA firms and small and mid-sized businesses adopt "cloud computing." Intacct and CPA2Biz also will co-develop a new version of Intacct's on-demand financial management and accounting applications specifically for CPA firms and their clients that includes unique content from the AICPA.

Cloud computing refers to the variety of ways in which technology companies offer computing services over the Web from remote data centers. Gartner, a leading technology research firm, estimates that the market for cloud-based services was more than $46 billion in 2008 and will grow to more than $150 billion by 2013.

"In today's economic climate, small and mid-sized businesses need to actively manage their financial performance by becoming continuously aware of their financial position and collaborate with trusted CPA advisers to make the best possible business decisions," said Barry Melancon, AICPA President and CEO. "Our vision for this new alliance is to improve productivity, increase transparency and reduce costs for both AICPA member firms and the millions of small and mid-sized businesses they serve."

By participating in the program, CPAs get access to the Intacct Accountant Edition from CPA2Biz and an array of resources and support tools:

* Core modules, including: General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Cash Management, Order Entry, Purchase Order, Employee Expenses, Standard Reporting and Dashboards

* Unlimited accounting firm users and demo accounts

* Access to the unique Accountant's Console and use of Intacct Partner Portal

* Training for...