IT support for accounting and CPA firms in Jacksonville
Tax software that works in April, client data that stays private, and a written security plan you can actually hand to someone who asks. Managed IT for Jacksonville and St. Augustine firms, from a local team that answers the phone.
- Tax software support
- FTC Safeguards and WISP help
- Month to month, 30 days notice
- Locally owned since 2014
What goes wrong in an accounting firm
Most of it happens in the same few months, which is the worst possible time.
Tax season is when things break
Software updates, a full server and every seasonal login arrive in the same weeks. A slow workstation in July is an annoyance; in April it is a missed deadline.
You hold exactly what criminals want
Social Security numbers, bank details and signed returns. Accounting firms are a common target for phishing and for invoice and payment fraud by email.
The rules want it in writing
The FTC Safeguards Rule and the IRS expect a written information security plan. Many firms have one from a template, and it does not match how the office actually runs.
Partners, remote staff and seasonal help
People working from home, and preparers who join for a few months, all need access set up properly, and taken away properly when they leave.
The tax and accounting software we support
We look after the computers, servers, network and Microsoft 365 your accounting software runs on, keep it updated around your deadlines, and work with the software vendor when a problem is theirs to fix.
If you run your tax software on a server in the office, we keep that server monitored, patched and backed up, and test the restore so you know it works.
Running something not on this list? Ask. Most of the work is the same whatever the software.
A security plan that matches how your office runs
Tax preparers and accounting firms fall under the FTC Safeguards Rule, and the IRS expects every tax professional to have a written information security plan, often called a WISP.
Because we run your systems, the plan we write describes what is actually configured, not what a template assumed. More on our compliance service.
What we handle
- Quarterly risk reviews, with a written report
- A written security plan and policies, kept current
- Security training for staff, assigned and tracked
- Multifactor sign-in and encryption, set up and enforced
We are not your attorney or your auditor. We make the IT side true and documented, and work alongside them.
What a managed agreement covers for your firm
Every managed client gets all of this, for every user.
Support
- Unlimited remote help desk
- 15 minute acknowledgment, working within the hour
- On site visits with no hourly labor charge, only a flat trip charge
Upkeep
- Monitoring of computers and servers
- Windows and software patching
- Firewall and basic network management
Security
- Endpoint detection and response on every machine
- Multifactor sign-in set up and enforced
Microsoft 365
- Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace administration
- Email and file backup, with a test restore every month
Want round-the-clock security monitoring on top? See the managed IT levels, including Advanced Security.
No long contract, no phone tree, no guessing at the price
Questions accounting firms ask
I can't even say enough positive things about our experience. Advanced has been so helpful and has literally saved our business on more than one occasion. They are professional, knowledgeable, quick to respond and pleasant to work with.
Do you support our tax and accounting software?
Yes. We support QuickBooks, Lacerte, ProSeries, Drake, CCH Axcess, CCH ProSystem fx, UltraTax and Xero, and the computers, servers and network they run on. When a problem is the software vendor's to fix, we deal with them for you.
Can you help with the FTC Safeguards Rule and our WISP?
Yes. Our compliance service covers quarterly risk reviews, a written security plan and policies kept current, and tracked staff training. We are not your attorney or auditor; we make the IT side true and documented.
What happens if something breaks in the middle of tax season?
During business hours a person answers the phone. On a managed agreement, tickets are acknowledged within 15 minutes and a technician is working on them within the hour.
Can our partners and staff work from home securely?
Yes. Remote access is set up behind multifactor sign-in, and access for seasonal staff is added when they start and removed when they leave.
What does it cost?
Managed IT is priced per user, per month, and the rate per user comes down as you add people. Our pricing calculator gives you a monthly estimate in about a minute.
Is there a long contract?
No. Agreements are month to month. Give 30 days notice and you are done, with no early termination fee.
Find out if your firm is ready for next tax season
Our free IT assessment looks at your network, backups and security, and you keep the written summary whether or not you hire us.