Last week, the discussion in this space was about the role of CPAs in business intelligence. While it is not clear how interested accountants are in doing that or how adept they might be, the interest of companies that sell products and services to tax and accounting firms is growing in providing analytical tools. And why not, the vendors have all that customer data. Read more...

If the way vendors pushing products show interest in online applications, then nonprofits must be demanding them. At least a lot more choices are hitting the markets for those organizations that would like to consider Internet-based software. Blackbaud has been expanding the presence of the online version of its Financial Edge Software; Sage North America is readying the launch of a cloud suite this summer. SaaS-based Intacct has started pushing into the space. And AccuFund finds market interest is accelerating for its online product.

A few years ago, companies that included Thomson, CCH and Sage started marketing products that let users perform scenarios within financial statements. They could change entries in profit and loss statements or on balance sheets and the numbers would ripple through the system. They could also calculate ratios as part of providing clients insight into their businesses. These tools are part of business intelligence, although by no means all of the capabilities that fall under that often-abused term.