Many companies that sell product have an end-of-quarter rush to boost revenue. That model is no longer valid with cloud companies, according to NetSuite CFO Ron Gill. Because revenue is recognized bit-by-bit over the lifetime of a subscription, it is difficult to move the quarter with an ending flurry of sales, he told attendees at NetSuite's SuiteWorld conference.

On the heels of its purchase of inventory software company, Lettuce, Intuit has announced the acquisition of Australian start-up, Invitco. The Sydney-based company developed cloud-based data extraction technology that is used in its accounts payable processing product, Invitbox. Intuit's rival Xero named Invitco as its Emerging Add-On Partner of the Year for 2013.

A pilot program, designed to tax preparers who abused the Earned Income Tax Credit, kept $590 million from being improperly paid out in 2013, according to John A. Koskinen, commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service. Koskinen made the observation recently in written testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.