From: IOMA

Three of the top five goals for Accounts Payable (AP) departments for 2007 are related to automation, according to the most recent annual survey of AP operations conducted by RECAP Inc., a consulting firm specializing in AP services, such as master vendor file management and payment recovery audits. RECAP revealed the survey results at its annual conference in Ft. Lauderdale.

These three goals in the top five are: Implementing or increasing the use of imaging (second place), electronic payments (fourth place), and electronic invoices (fifth place). The number-one goal (the one most cited) is improving efficiency, timeliness, and processes. Rounding out the top five goals is improving accuracy, controls, and compliance.

It's safe to assume that AP departments will look to automation to help achieve these process-related goals.

Some of the other AP automation-related findings include:

• approximately 75% of companies responding get some invoices electronically, but the percentage is not increasing over prior years' results;
• half get some expense reports electronically;
• use of imaging is high (58%);
• retention of paper source documents is surprisingly high (64%) given the use of imaging;
• use of Interactive Web Response (IWR) for vendors remains low (9%);
• most (67%) use laser checks; and
• use of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) is low (10%) but is increasing rapidly.

DataServ is proud to be a featured speaker at IAPP's 17th Annual Forum May 13-16, 2007 in Dallas, TX at the Gaylord Texan.

Topic: What Purpose Does that Serve Here? (Basic #825)

There are over 100 workshops to choose from so attendees can select workshops that fit with the challenges they are facing in their AP Departments. There will also be ample time for attendees to see the latest technologies and software available in the Exhibit Hall, which will feature over 90 World Class Exhibitors. For more information about the show visit IAPP Annual Forum. We hope to see you in Dallas!

DataServ, the leading on-demand service provider of document management, workflow and outsourcing solutions, announces that our company continues to grow with multiple new hires in Q1.

Marquie Board has accepted the position of Document Solutions Specialist. Board will be responsible for supporting DataServ's systems, handling technical client issues and implementing DataServ's On-Demand document management solutions. Marquie's strong technical background and breadth of skills make him a valuable addition to the DataServ team.

Jeff Watson has accepted the position of Account Manager. Watson will be responsible for uncovering strategic and major account opportunities in the upper Midwest region of the United States. Jeff has over 15 years experience in finance and selling automated data capture and enterprise document management systems as well as "nonstop" Tandem applications across North America. His diverse finance and sales background makes Jeff a valuable member in DataServ's Sales group.

Paul Ikin has accepted the position of Strategic Account Manager. Ikin will be responsible for developing west coast territory and managing existing clients in the region. He brings with him experience from large corporations such as IBM where he managed territories in the Middle East and United Kingdom. His diverse sales and managerial background makes Paul a valuable member in DataServ's Sales group.

Howard Donnelly has accepted the position of Internal Account Manager. Donnelly will be responsible for the acquisition of new business for the company. Howard brings with him over 25 years experience as a top-producing salesperson, sales manager and national sales manager in commercial equipment finance and computer software. His broad experience makes Howard a valuable member in DataServ's sales team.

Ted Sheldon has accepted the position of Project Manager. Sheldon will be responsible for streamlining client installations. Ted brings with him 10 years of financial and project management experience. With his balance of both Accounting and IT systems experience, Ted is an exciting addition to the DataServ team.

Steven Earhart has accepted the position of Document Systems Engineer. Earhart will be responsible for researching, designing, installing, configuring, administering, monitoring, supporting and optimizing all networked software, associated operating systems, server systems and related networked devices. His strong technical background makes him a valuable addition to the DataServ IT team.

"It is a very exciting time for our company to be expanding as quickly as we are," says Jeff Haller, CEO. "As our company continues to grow, we are proud to add on talent to continue to keep our business and solution offerings running smoothly to provide the best service to our clients."

From: IOMA

AP certification credentials can put more money in your paycheck, suggests a survey of over 400 AP professionals. On average, salaries for individuals with AP certification are higher than their colleagues who are not certified. Individuals with vaulted AP titles who are certified earn salaries that are up to 13.5% higher.

We recently surveyed readers about whether they held any AP-related certifications and we also asked about their salaries. Results: A material difference in salaries for many who are AP-certified versus those who are not.

Positive salary differentials exist at higher AP job levels. The average salary of AP directors polled who are not AP-certified is $86,600. But this figure jumps to $98,333 for those who are certified in AP--a 13.5% increase. Salary differentials for AP-certified individuals with the title of AP manager is more modest--a 2.6% increase.

WHAT TO DO: If you are AP-certified--and especially if you achieved this recently--make sure the powers at be are fully aware of what you accomplished and what was involved. Of course, you'll have to maintain your certification with ongoing continuing education units (CEUs). If you are not yet certified, now may be the time to consider it. After all, don't you want to get all the salary you deserve?

DataServ, the leading on-demand service provider of document management, workflow and outsourcing solutions, announces that Steven Earhart has accepted a position of Systems Engineer. Earhart will be responsible for researching, designing, installing, configuring, administering, monitoring, supporting and optimizing all networked software, associated operating systems, server systems and related networked devices. His strong technical background makes him a valuable addition to the DataServ IT team. Earhart holds a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Missouri, Rolla.

Prior to joining DataServ, Earhart was a consultant with NetPositive, Inc.

From: IOMA

Respondents to the new MCRC 2007 Benchmarking Survey report overall bad debt write offs as a percentage of beginning receivables averaging 0.87% (based on average beginning receivables of almost $57 million and bad debt of nearly $495,000 annually). Among both manufacturers and nonmanufacturers the percentage is considerably higher at small to midsize (up to 500 employees) than at larger (over 500) companies: 1.14% overall at the former and 0.73% at the latter.

DataServ, the leading on-demand service provider of document management, workflow and outsourcing solutions, announces that Ted Sheldon has accepted a position of Project Manager. Sheldon will be responsible for streamlining client installations. Ted brings with him 10 years of financial and project management experience. With his balance of both Accounting and IT systems experience, Ted is an exciting addition to the DataServ team. Sheldon holds a B.S. in Accounting and Corporate Finance from Drake University.

Prior to joining DataServ, Sheldon was a Business Process Analyst at Reuters. His responsibilities included managing multiple projects that improved business processes for their Shared Services function and deploying technology to enable business management in remote locations like Bangalore, India.

Ted has held accounting roles at both Rehab Care Group and Bridge Information Systems. His extensive experience makes him extremely knowledgeable in both Oracle and SAP R/3 ERP environments, having directly managed first deployments or major system upgrades on both of these well known platforms.

From: IOMA

Make sure employees realize they need to put in for reimbursements of business expenses. Otherwise, they could be in for a tax surprise if they try to write them off on their personal returns, as a new court case illustrates.

NEW CASE An employee traveled for business during a time when his company required prior approval before reimbursing expenses. The employee assumed he wouldn't get the approval, so he wrote off the costs on his personal tax return. But the Tax Court said the expenses can not be deducted. Reason: The employee never gave the company the chance to turn down his requests for reimbursement [Contreras, T.C. Memo. 2007-63].

The IRS will not allow an employee to deduct business expenses that could have been reimbursed by the employer. If a particular expense is reimbursable by the employer, but the employee fails to claim the reimbursement, the expense is not deductible by the employee as a business expense. There are a number of cases on this issue. In one case, reimbursable entertainment and gift expenses were ruled not deductible by a vice president and sales supervisor [Coplon, 60-1 USTC 9425 (6th Cir. 1960]. In another case, reimbursable travel expenses incurred by a salesman were ruled not deductible [Kravatte, T.C. Memo 1987-124].

To be deductible, the expense must be "necessary and reasonable." Expenses for which reimbursement is available, but for which it is not sought, are not "necessary or reasonable" [Orvis, 788 F.2d 1406 (9th Cir. 1986), aff'g T.C. Memo 1984-533].

What to do: Make employees aware of this rule so that they don't get a surprise note from the IRS disallowing their deduction. And, as the new case illustrates, the expenses should be submitted even if they may not be approved.

For the full text of the new Tax Court case, click on the case citation above.

From: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
By: David Nicklaus

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. - The annual InvestMidwest Venture Capital Forum is usually described as a place where startup companies raise money. But the definition of "startup" keeps getting looser.

One of this year's aspiring companies, DataServ of west St. Louis County, is 13 years old. It is profitable, had revenue of $4 million last year and has never needed outside financing, aside from a bank loan. But, founder Jeffrey Haller told potential investors, the company has an opportunity to grow rapidly.

DataServ, which provides electronic document management services, is seeking as much as $5 million to make acquisitions and beef up its sales team.

Haller was one of 30 entrepreneurs who presented their hopes and dreams to potential investors at InvestMidwest, an annual event that alternates between the St. Louis and Kansas City areas. This year's forum was Wednesday on Sprint's corporate campus.

Except for DataServ, none of the featured companies was more than nine years old. Several, though, are familiar names among the venture-capital crowd.

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