iPad Apps for CPAs: Productivity
By Charles Hall | Technology
Here is a list of accountant’s iPad apps for CPAs. You’ll find each one helpful in your daily work.
iPad Apps for CPAs
Here are accountant’s iPad apps:
Checkpoint – A library of accounting and auditing publications by Thomson Reuters. You must pay for the books, but Checkpoint provides powerful search capabilities.
Notability – The best app I’ve found for taking notes. You can also record audio as you take notes and then quickly return to a specific part of the conversation by touching a written word with your iPad Pencil. I use this almost daily.
OmniFocus – A high-end to-do list. It provides contextual listings, including a hotlist (to help me remember the most important things). You can add, for instance, a to-do item for a particular client or a trip to the hardware store. This app takes some time to understand, but very powerful. Consider taking David Sparks online OmniFocus class. I find it useful.
Box – A secure file storage system in the cloud. Very powerful. I started using Box about six months ago. There’s a learning curve, but it’s worth it. It’s pricey. I use this storage system for business files.
Dropbox – Cheaper than Box. A cloud-based storage system in the cloud. Dropbox is easy to use. I tend to use Dropbox for personal data. Dropbox seems to integrate more easily with other apps than Box does. I store large video or audio files here (rather than Evernote). This app feels like a large electronic sandbox.
Evernote – Storage app. I create “notes” inside Evernote and store whatever I desire. Evernote is my electronic library. I have saved thousands of articles and research. Apply several tags to each note, so you can quickly find the information you need.
Keynote – A slide presentation app. I use Keynote more than Powerpoint. The Keynote background slides are the best. I find it easier to create slide decks with my iPad than with my desktop.
Weather – Weather app. I start my day by checking the weather, and, when I’m going out of town, I check my destination’s weather before I leave.
Outlook – Email app. I tried Gmail for a while but returned to Outlook. It’s just easier. And it integrates with Office 365.
Dictionary – App used to define words and look for synonyms. Since I am a writer, I use this often.
Scanbot – I take pictures of multiple pages, and the scan automatically loads to a specified Box folder.
Holy Bible – You Version Bible app. I start each day with this app. You Version is free and provides several different translations.
Explain Everything – Want your clients to see what you are drawing while you are online with them? Pull up a PDF and write on it with your iPad Pencil. Instantly your client sees what you are doing. Record the presentation (including sound) and store it. Then share the conversation with anyone. Crazy.
Audible – Audible book app. I listen to books while I’m on the road (or when I am exercising).
iThoughts – Want to brainstorm visually? iThoughts is your app. Create color-coded maps of your ideas.
Pocket – An easy-to-use use app to capture internet articles as you see them. Don’t have time to read an article? Save the piece with Pocket with one click. The app shares the captured articles across platforms.
Documents – Write on PDFs or annotate them in other ways (like adding a red box to highlight an area). I don’t take paper copies of agendas or additional information to meetings. They are all here in Documents. It’s a great file manager that connects to file storage systems such as Dropbox. Documents works with all types of files, including Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Word, video files, images.
Apple Pencil – Consider using an Apple Pencil with your apps. Cost is $129. I use one daily to write on electronic documents. (If you’ve tried other styluses and they’ve not worked, try this one.)
Your Thoughts about iPad Apps for CPAs?
What accountant’s iPad apps do you like?
