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The relationship between the American Institute of CPAs and its for-profit subsidiary CPA2Biz is something I have never had much respect for. And this week's press release about the new Service Organization Control reports, which are designed to replace SAS 70 reports regarding companies that outsource services or process to third parties, is one of the reasons.

Nothing wrong with the reports - it's what's in the press release announcing SOC reports. The release quotes CPA2Biz as the AICPA's as a "leading cloud services provider." Everybody uses the word leading, so I'll let everyone make their own judgment on that. I would say CPA2Biz is more a marketer of other people's cloud products than a cloud services provider.It gets called a suite--I'd call it some very good products that don't necessary fit together being put on the same price list.

This is just wrong to use this kind of standards setting announcement as an opportunity to push your own products. Of course, I've heard some CPA friends note that they believe the organization uses whatever name it thinks will work at any particular time it is trying to push products and services, whether AICPA or CPA2Biz. Maybe this was just a PR blunder--but someone with a VP title had to sign off on this so it wasn't just a low-level problem.

I hope firms are making their decision based on product and features, not on the old school tie. For example, a Dynamics SL provider Synergy Business Solutions picked Intacct for its project management features, not because of any relationship. That's fair and clearly from the number of CPA firms joining the Intacct program and the NetSuite program, there's interest. CPAs don't tend to sign up for things they can't make money on.

If a firm is picking products solely based on the alliance, not on the features or services, that firm needs new leadership.

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