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KEYAPPLICATIONS 149the commercial providers of tax research materials also
offered their materials on CD-ROMs. By the late 1990s, the
primary commercial providers of tax research materials,
such as the Research Institute of America (RIA) and the
Commerce Clearing House (CCH), were providing the ma-
terials on the Web. Web-based access to tax research ma-
terials has several significant advantages over both paper
and CD access. For example, providers can update the
materials much more quickly and efficiently on the Web
than can be done by sending new pages or CDs to cus-
tomers. Less office space is needed with a Web-based li-
brary. Also, CPA firms have 24/7 access to the Web-based
research materials and can access them from anywhere
without the need to carry around several CDs. Web-based
tax research is efficient because links are inserted into the
online documents that enable users, for example, to click
on a link in a document to see the full text of the cited
case (rather than going to the physical library and pulling
a book off the shelf). Finally, the search techniques using
Web-based materials are superior to what is possible with
a paper-based tax research tool.
Over the past several years, commercial providers of
tax research materials have put more and more of their
materials online, including treatises and journals. Much
tax information is also accessible via the Web site of the
IRS. In fact, the IRS Web site is one of the most frequently
accessed sites, receiving heavy use by both taxpayers and
practitioners. During the tax-filing season in early 2002,
the IRS Web site had 1.97 billion hits, which was a 28%
increase from 2001. On April 15, 2002, alone, there were
78 million hits to the site (IRS News Release, IR-2002-53,
April 25, 2002, available at Tax Analysts’ Tax Notes Today,
2002 TNT 81-19).Other Information
Various commercial publishers provide Web-based ac-
cess to accounting pronouncements, such as financial ac-
counting standards and SEC documents. The Financial
Accounting Standards Board ([FASB], 2000) Web site has
information on current activity regarding drafting and re-
viewing new accounting standards and guidance. Copies
of the various pronouncements can be ordered from the
FASB Web site. Also, the SEC Web site has many types of
items that previously could be obtained only by subscrib-
ing to a commercial service or by requesting them from
the SEC. With the Web, this information is available im-
mediately and at no cost. The SEC Web site provides links
to statutes, press releases, special reports and studies, and
regulatory actions. In addition, the well-known “EDGAR”
service on the SEC Web site (http://www.sec.gov/) allows
visitors to view or download copies of the reports (such
as 10-Ks) filed by publicly-traded companies.
CPA firms also find value in using the Internet as an
information source because many business journals, in-
cluding theWall Street Journal,can be viewed online, in-
cluding archives of older articles. CPA firms can also ac-
cess a variety of information useful in their work at portal
Web sites designed specifically for CPAs. For example, the
CPAnet.com site provides links to a wide range of account-
ing and tax news items, articles, conferences, job post-
ings, and even accounting jokes. This portal also includes
discussion groups where people can post questions andhope that another member of the discussion group offers
an answer. These discussion groups significantly broaden
the professional reach of a CPA, although they are not
often used to their full potential.CPA Organization Information
CPA firms can also find a great deal of useful informa-
tion at Web sites run by accounting organizations, such as
AICPA or state societies of CPAs. In March 2000, the AICPA
and state CPA societies partnered to launch “CPA2Biz,” a
service to provide information and products to members
(the state societies later left the arrangement). All AICPA
products and services (such as registration at AICPA con-
ferences) are only available at the CPA2Biz site. The site of-
fers low-cost access to the AICPA’s Resource Online, which
enables users to search for documents or view specific ac-
counting reference materials. CPA2Biz also offers online
courses (there is a charge for most courses), business ap-
plication software (such as for payroll and billing), job
search and resume posting services, and accounting news
and product updates via e-mail (CPA Insider). CPA2Biz has
relationships with companies that have invested money
in CPA2Biz, such as Microsoft (some of the CPA2Biz Web
features are only supported by Microsoft’s Internet Ex-
plorer) and Thomson (members can buy products from
this company at the site).Access and Controversy
CPA2Biz is marketed as a “revolutionary site” and a “single
source” that will address all of a CPA’s professional needs.
The launch of the site caused some controversy between
CPA2Biz and some CPA firms, however, primarily because
of the AICPA’s work in establishing and being an investor
in a for-profit venture as well as the fact that AICPA’s man-
agement received a small ownership percentage (1.6%).
The AICPA, its members, and state CPA societies owned
40% of CPA2Biz. In March 2002, AICPA president and
chief executive officer, Barry Melancon, announced that
he was donating his 1% stock interest in CPA2Biz to the
AICPA Foundation. In October 2001, national accounting
firm BDO Siedman filed a lawsuit against CPA2Biz. BDO’s
complaint calls for an injunction based on such causes
of action as unfair competition, restraint of trade, and
breach of fiduciary duty. The litigation and the degree to
which CPAs use the CPA2Biz site will certainly affect the
future direction of this for-profit venture designed to pro-
vide quick access to products, services, and information
for members.Public Relations
The Internet has provided businesses, including CPA
firms, another vehicle to promote themselves. Much of
what is on a CPA firm’s Web site is similar to what could be
in a printed brochure. Many firms have taken advantage of
the relatively low cost yet wide reach, of the Internet and
provided more information about their firm on the Web
than they would place in a brochure. For example, some
CPA firms have financial “calculators” available on their
Web site (although typically the calculators are not propri-
etary to the firms) to allow visitors to calculate such things
as mortgage payments on a potential home purchase and