Join me: screen sharing: being on the same page as your client.

• Author: Cohen, Joshua F.

As a recently minted CPA just a few years out of college, I entered the workforce passionate, ambitious and driven to help bring accounting into the 21st century. As a member of Gen Y, the Facebook generation, millennials or whatever label you want to use,.I saw many opportunities to improve the profession through technology. However, I learned early on that technology cannot replace the tried-and-true methods that highlight the quality of our work. Doing it the right way does not always mean adding the bells and whistles a computer can provide.

Recently, I have experienced a synergy between those stalwart methods and accessible, easy-to-use technology in screen sharing.

As I started my CPA career; I noticed that one of my challenges was common among other CPAs: Clients were unfamiliar with sending an electronic data file, sending the wrong file, taking too long to send the file or making incorrect journal entries in QuickBooks files. Once I realized these patterns, I looked for ways to smooth the process of sending information electronically.

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Screen sharing was exactly what I needed.

As I started asking clients to screen share, I noticed it was saving me time and energy and the client money. Clients even started asking me to join them.

Most importantly; I maintained that important connection with clients. Screen sharing enables me to be with clients even when separated by a great distance. It's easy to use, simple, safe--and fun!

The Basics

Allow me to first explain screen sharing and answer some common questions:

1. What is screen sharing? It is allowing remote access to a person's computer through a program so that two people can see one screen at the same time.

2. What are the hardware requirements? None. All you need is an Internet connection with Windows, Mac OS or Linux.

3. Are there security issues? There is always a security' risk when it conies to any type of computer program. If you are using a virus software, firewall and constantly running updates on your computer, then it's "more likely than not" that you should be secure. just like IRS Circular 230 Disclosure goes, so goes computer/internet security!

Also keep in mind that there are some security features that accompany most screen sharing programs. SSL encryption: Once a connection is established, all traffic is encrypted with end-to-end 128-to 256-bit SSL encryption. This is the same technology trusted by major banking...