LinkedIn is the most popular social network among accounting professionals according to the SocialCPAs 2010 Social Networking Survey. Accounting professionals have joined LinkedIn, built profiles and connected with colleagues. However, I keep hearing that they don't see the benefit from their time spent on LinkedIn.

Scenario 1: A clients asks for help with a business problem that doesn’t quite fit with our ordinary tax and A&A service offerings and you say, "of course, we can help you with that." Then you head back to the office to figure out your next steps. Scenario 2: Your firm has a couple of really good consultative type CPAs who seem to have a gift for taking on unusual projects. I call these Consulting Savants – they have the ability to create unique deliverables on the fly when a client presents the need. But when they are not around what happens to the firm's ability to provide similar services?

While Facebook, MySpace and Twitter build friendships and followers, LinkedIn focuses on business communications and relationships. Through "LinkedIn Answers," relationships are made with peers in a professional forum. While spending time providing answers to various questions might seem like a time-waster, it is anything but that. LinkedIn Answers builds your credibility and may even lead to more business for your company.

The term "paperless workflow" has been buzzword in the profession for some time; yet firms that have adopted a true paperless system are still the minority. The percentage implementing basic workflow enhancements, such as scanning and on-screen review (via dual monitors), is progressing steadily. However, adoption rates of advanced paperless technologies, such as client portals, tax document automation solutions, and document management systems, are still relatively low.