Evernote for CPAs: Developing a Super Power

By Charles Hall | Technology

There is no Evernote just for CPAs; even so, it’s a game-changer for beancounters. I’ve used this tool for about twenty years and it is one of my favorites software packages. In this article I tell you what Evernote is, how you can use it, how to feed information into it, and how to search it using Evernote operators. 

So, what is Evernote?

What is Evernote?

Think of it as your digital library. 

Evernote is a cloud-based storage system that allows you to capture and file voice recordings, documents (including Word, Excel, PDFs), pictures, and videos. Once information is placed in Evernote, it is searchable in a Google-like fashion. Even hand-written notes are searchable.

What can CPAs do with this app?

Things CPAs Can Do with Evernote

Here are examples of what you can do with Evernote:

• Create a personal digital library (e.g., use an Evernote notebook to store research information, Journal of Accountancy articles, CPE material, videos of class instruction)
• Share individual files or notebooks (a compilation of files) with others 
• Capture meeting conversations with your smartphone and save them to Evernote
• Use your smartphone to take a picture of meeting notes on a whiteboard (remember manually written words are searchable)
• Encrypt selected text within an Evernote note (password protected); the encrypted information can’t be viewed without the password
• Add selected web information to Evernote using an Evernote clipper 
• Forward any email to your Evernote account using your private Evernote email address 

So, what are the main components of an Evernote storage system?

The Skeletal Framework: Notes, Notebooks, and Tags 

The skeletal framework for Evernote has three elements: Notes, notebooks, and tags.

 

1. The primary element of Evernote is a note.

Think of a note as a blank piece of paper on which you can type. You can also attach other files to the note (e.g., an Excel spreadsheet or a picture taken with your cell phone or a voice message recorded with your cell phone or a note you’ve jotted down). Once you create your notes, organize them in notebooks. 

2. Notes are placed in notebooks.

Think of a notebook as a three-ring binder.

For example, if I want to create a note about comprehensive income, I can do so. Then I can attach related files (e.g., PDFs) to the note. Next, I might add a note about other comprehensive income and another about reclassifications from other comprehensive income. The separate notes can, for example, be a text file, an Excel file, and a voice message.

All three notes can be added to a notebook titled Comprehensive Income.

Another way to organize your information is to tag each note.

3. You may also tag each note.

I could place the comprehensive income notes in a notebook titled accounting (a more generic category) and tag each note as comprehensive income. Then I can search and find all comprehensive income notes by using the comprehensive income tag. When I type tag:”comprehensive income” in the Evernote search bar, all notes tagged in this manner appear. (See below for information about operators such as tags.)

Use both folders and tags to help you more readily find information.

And how do you put information into Evernote?

Getting Information Into Evernote

First Set Up Your Default Evernote Notebook

Before sending information from one of your devices (e.g., smartphone) to Evernote, specify where it should go. My default landing area is my Often Used notebook. (You will need to create the Often Used notebook—or whatever you’d like to call it—in your Evernote account.)

Since I send information from a variety of devices, I initially send information to the Often Used notebook; later, when I have time, I tag each note (e.g., Fair Value) and then move each to an appropriate notebook (e.g., Accounting).

Tip – If you put asterisks in front of the folder name (e.g., **Often Used), Evernote will present it (the folder) at the top of your folder list. This will make it easier to locate your default folder.

Here’s a screenshot of Evernote from my iPad. 

In short, my standard operating procedure: (1) capture on the fly and (2) classify with a block of time (it usually takes me less than five minutes each day to tag and move the new notes).

Seven Ways to Feed Evernote

1. Smart Phones

You can use your smartphone to create and send pictures, text files, and voice messages to Evernote.

To download Evernote for an Android phone, click here.

iPhone users should download the Evernote app.

Here’s a screenshot of my iPhone Evernote app. Notice the note names at the top of each note and the tags (in the oval shapes) at the bottom of each note. 

2. Scanners

I use a Fujitsu scanner (model iX500) to scan documents directly to Evernote. (The iX500 costs about $780 from Amazon.)

3. Web Clippers

Evernote provides web clippers for browsers including Safari, Explorer, Google Chrome, and Firefox. If you click this web clipper link, Evernote will automatically recognize your browser; then you can download the clipper software to your browser. While browsing, click the Elephant icon to clip a portion of the web page, the full page, or the full article.

4. Hotkeys

Evernote allows you to use hotkeys to capture information from any program (as long as Evernote is running in the background). To activate screen clipping, use the key combination (e.g., for Windows: Win+PrintScreen). See Preferences to change your hotkeys.

So if you are working on an Excel spreadsheet, for example, and would like to capture the information into Evernote, use the hotkey combination and select the portion of the screen you wish to save. The screenshot will go to your default Evernote location.

You can do the same with an email, a Word document, and anything else that appears on your screen.

5. Email Directly to Evernote Account

One of my favorite ways to feed Evernote is to email a document (e.g., Excel, Word, PDF) directly to Evernote; when you set up your Evernote account, you will be provided a private Evernote email address. Set this address up in your email contact list; then you can send any email or document (attached to an email) to your Evernote default notebook.

6. Drag and Drop

With Evernote open, you can create a new note and then drag a document (e.g., Word or Excel file) onto the open note. The material is added to the note. You can add multiple documents to one note.

7. Import Folder

An even easier way to get files into Evernote is to use an “import folder.” After you specify in Evernote where the “import folder” is located on your computer (i.e., a particular Windows folder), you can drop files into the designated folder, and they will automatically feed into your default Evernote notebook. 

Searching Your Evernote Account

Once you’ve used Evernote for some time, you’ll have several thousand notes, so many it can be difficult to find the information you’ve stored. That’s when operators can help. Use these to locate the notes you are looking for. 

Evernote Operators

You can use Evernote operators in the search box to locate particular information. Some of the more commonly used operators are:

1. And
2. Any
3. Tag
4. Notebook
5. Intitle
6. Created

And – Normally you will not type the word “and” as an operator; it’s implied. So if you type: comprehensive income in the search box, Evernote will locate all notes with the words comprehensive and income. If you want to see all notes with the phrase “comprehensive income,” then type: “comprehensive income”–using quotation marks.

Any – Typing the words “any: compilation review” will provide all notes with either the word “compilation” or the word “review.” If a note has the word “compilation” (and not “review”), then it will appear in your search list. If a note has the word “review” (and not “compilation”), then it will also appear in the list.

Tag – By typing “tag:Bank” into the search box, you’re telling Evernote that you want to see all notes tagged “Bank.” (You can tag each note regardless of which notebook it is in; for example, you might have four different notes in four different notebooks, but each tagged “Bank.”)

Notebook – Let’s say you have a notebook titled: Auditing (along with 70 other notebooks). You can type: “notebook:Auditing” in the search box and Evernote will locate your auditing notebook.

Intitle – Typing intitle:”fair value” will yield all notes with the words “fair value” in the title.

 

Created – “created:day-1” will provide you with a list of all notes created yesterday and today. You can substitute “day” with “week,” “month,” or “year”. If you want to see all the notes created in the last two weeks, issue a search with “created:week-1.”

Combining Evernote Operators

Searching becomes even more powerful when you combine operators.

For example, typing:

Intitle:derivative swap “cash flow hedge”

will provide you with all notes that have the word “derivative” in the title and the words (1) “swap” and (2) “cash flow hedge” as a phrase.

Another example, typing:

Notebook:Accounting any:swap “cash flow hedge”

will provide you with a list of all notes from your accounting notebook that have either the word “swap” or the words “cash flow hedge” as a phrase.

Finally, typing:

Notebook:Bank tag:Deposits FDIC “Due to Due from”

will provide you with notes from your Bank notebook that have a “Deposits” tag and that contain the words FDIC and “Due to Due from” as a phrase.

Create Your Evernote Account

To create your account, go to the Evernote website and follow the directions. There is a free version if you want to try it out. You can see a comparison of their plans here. I have not received any type of commission for this recommendation. 

See my article An Auditor’s Cell Phone.

Technology

By Charles Hall |

iPad Apps for CPAs: Productivity

By Charles Hall | Technology

Here is a list of accountant’s iPad apps for CPAs. You’ll find each one helpful in your daily work. 

iPad Apps for CPAs

Here are accountant’s iPad apps:

Checkpoint – A library of accounting and auditing publications by Thomson Reuters. You must pay for the books, but Checkpoint provides powerful search capabilities.

Notability – The best app I’ve found for taking notes. You can also record audio as you take notes and then quickly return to a specific part of the conversation by touching a written word with your iPad Pencil. I use this almost daily.

OmniFocus – A high-end to-do list. It provides contextual listings, including a hotlist (to help me remember the most important things). You can add, for instance, a to-do item for a particular client or a trip to the hardware store. This app takes some time to understand, but very powerful. Consider taking David Sparks online OmniFocus class. I find it useful.

Box – A secure file storage system in the cloud. Very powerful. I started using Box about six months ago. There’s a learning curve, but it’s worth it. It’s pricey. I use this storage system for business files.

Dropbox – Cheaper than Box. A cloud-based storage system in the cloud. Dropbox is easy to use. I tend to use Dropbox for personal data. Dropbox seems to integrate more easily with other apps than Box does. I store large video or audio files here (rather than Evernote). This app feels like a large electronic sandbox.

Evernote – Storage app. I create “notes” inside Evernote and store whatever I desire. Evernote is my electronic library. I have saved thousands of articles and research. Apply several tags to each note, so you can quickly find the information you need.

Keynote – A slide presentation app. I use Keynote more than Powerpoint. The Keynote background slides are the best. I find it easier to create slide decks with my iPad than with my desktop.

Weather – Weather app. I start my day by checking the weather, and, when I’m going out of town, I check my destination’s weather before I leave.

Outlook – Email app. I tried Gmail for a while but returned to Outlook. It’s just easier. And it integrates with Office 365.

Dictionary – App used to define words and look for synonyms. Since I am a writer, I use this often. 

Scanbot – I take pictures of multiple pages, and the scan automatically loads to a specified Box folder.

Holy Bible – You Version Bible app. I start each day with this app. You Version is free and provides several different translations.

Explain Everything – Want your clients to see what you are drawing while you are online with them? Pull up a PDF and write on it with your iPad Pencil. Instantly your client sees what you are doing. Record the presentation (including sound) and store it. Then share the conversation with anyone. Crazy. 

Audible – Audible book app. I listen to books while I’m on the road (or when I am exercising). 

iThoughts – Want to brainstorm visually? iThoughts is your app. Create color-coded maps of your ideas. 

Pocket – An easy-to-use use app to capture internet articles as you see them. Don’t have time to read an article? Save the piece with Pocket with one click. The app shares the captured articles across platforms.

Documents – Write on PDFs or annotate them in other ways (like adding a red box to highlight an area). I don’t take paper copies of agendas or additional information to meetings. They are all here in Documents. It’s a great file manager that connects to file storage systems such as Dropbox. Documents works with all types of files, including Excel, Adobe Acrobat, Word, video files, images. 

Apple Pencil – Consider using an Apple Pencil with your apps. Cost is $129. I use one daily to write on electronic documents. (If you’ve tried other styluses and they’ve not worked, try this one.)

Your Thoughts about iPad Apps for CPAs?

What accountant’s iPad apps do you like?

Accountant’s iPad: My Favorite Computer

By Charles Hall | Technology

Today I discuss an accountant’s iPad.

Accountants use all types of electronic devices and software: Caseware, Excel, scanners, Powerpoint, Adobe Acrobat, monitors, QuickBooks, iPhones—just to name a few. For me, the iPad tops them all.

I purchased my first iPad about six years ago for about $500.  Then, four years ago, I bought a second one. A year ago I picked up my third. Now, having spent hundreds of hours on iPads, I am smitten. 

You may be thinking, “Charles, you’re a CPA. How do you and why do you spend that much time on an iPad? Don’t you primarily use a desktop computer?” Yes, my work computer is my primary tool. But in terms of enjoyment, the iPad wins hands down. 

Accountant’s iPad

“How do you use it?” you say. Here are few ways:

• Create presentations using Keynote
• Store and retrieve files using Evernote and Dropbox
• Read the Wall Street Journal
• Read the Bible 
• Read my Amazon Kindle books
• Listen to books with my Audible app
• Listen to music on Pandora
• Write blog posts using Scrivener
• Perform research using Checkpoint 
• Check the weather using The Weather Channel app
• Check my email using Outlook
• Maintain my to-do list using Omnifocus
• Check my Facebook account (including my CPA Hall Talk Facebook group—you can join)
• Send and receive text messages using Messages
• Send and receive sensitive information using Box
• Doodle using Paper
• Watch college football using Hulu
• Create mind maps using iThoughts
• Create outlines using OmniOutliner
• Control my home thermostat using Nest
• Check my bank account
• Learn new skills using Learning from Linkedin
• Scan information using Scanbot
• See where my wife is using Find Friends
• See how many new blog subscribers I have using ConvertKit (subscribe below)
• Check my calendar using Fantastical
• Watch movies (I use an Apple TV device)

As you can see an accountant’s iPad is a powerful tool.

Convenience and Portability

Mostly, I use my iPad at home, seated on my couch. The portability of the device is its primary benefit. It’s large enough to read from and work on—and small enough to take wherever I go.

Your Favorite Device

So what’s your favorite tool and how do you use it?

Here are my favorite iPad apps.

Accountant’s Scanning System: How to Build

By Charles Hall | Technology

In this article, I tell you how to build an accountant’s scanning system.

Are you overwhelmed by stacks of paper? Do you find it difficult to locate the information you know you have? Today, I teach you how to build an accountant’s scanning system.

Accountant’s Scanning System

I have the privilege of visiting other CPA firms, and our firm has about 120 people, so I have the opportunity to see plenty of offices. It is my observation that some CPAs are paperless, but many are not.

One problem with “paper everywhere” is we can’t find what we need. We have it (somewhere), but we can’t find it. Scanning is the easiest way to capture and organize the paper monster.

To create order, take three steps:

1. Buy a scanner
2. Build a scanning structure
3. Build scanning habits

1. Buy a Scanner

My scanner is a Fujitsu iX500. (There is a newer model now, the iX1500.) It sits just to my right in my office, so I don’t have to leave my desk to scan. Convenience is key to creating order. Otherwise, you will think I’ll scan that later, but it doesn’t happen. Then the paper litters your desk–and distracts you.

The iX1500 costs $420, so it’s not a huge cash outlay. The scanner’s footprint is small (the dimensions are 11.5 x 6 x 6.3 inches) and it weighs 7.5 pounds. Also, the scanner comes with  software (ScanSnap) that offers you destinations such as these:

I often scan to Evernote, my cloud-based library. (Amazon also offers Fujitsu ScanSnap iX1500 Document Scanner with Evernote Premium.) If I were buying my first scanner and didn’t have cloud-based storage, this would be my choice.

Another favorite destination: Caseware, our paperless engagement software. 

2. Build a Scanning Structure

So, of course, when you scan, you need final resting places for your documents.

My two primary file locations are:

• Evernote for non-engagement documents
• Caseware for engagement documents

Non-Engagement Documents

If you’ve followed my blog, you know I’m a raving Evernote lunatic. Why? 

• Ease of use 
• Notebooks (you use notebooks to organize your documents)
• Tags (you can tag each note with multiple tags, making it easy to find the material)
• Feed-ability (I can feed Evernote from my scanner, email, clip-apps, drag and drop, and many other ways)
• Find-ability (Evernote even recognizes hand-written notes making it possible to search electronically and find keywords–even if written)
• Accessibility (I can access Evernote from my iPhone, iPad, and desktop)
• Cost (paid version starts at $7.99 per month; they do offer a free version but with limitations)
• Allows storage of a variety of documents (including Excel, Word, PDF, Audible files)

There are other cloud-based storage systems such as OneNote and Dropbox. Pick one and learn it well.

Engagement Documents

If your audit and tax services are not already paperless, consider making the leap. We have used Caseware for years and, personally, I love it. We use this software for storage of the following engagement files:

• Tax
• Audit
• Reviews
• Compilations
• AUPs

My firm has built templates for each of these services, so everyone in our firm knows where documents (including scans) belong.

To scan promptly, you need to build habits, so creating a repeatable, mental system is critical to the process.

3. Build Scanning Habits

Build your scanning habits. My system is as follows:

• If it takes less than two minutes to scan, scan now
• If it takes more than two minutes, I place the paper in a file tray where I will later batch process
• Scan all paper by the end of the day
• Don’t leave unscanned paper on my desk (it’s a distraction)
• Keep a shred box just below my scanner (where I place sensitive paper documents)
• For long documents (e.g., CPE workbook), ask an assistant to break down the paper copy, scan it, and email it to me (I don’t use my Fujitsu scanner for heavy-duty scanning. We have a copy machine that will convert large scans to PDF.)

Like any new habit, new scanning actions will–at first–feel awkward and inconvenient. But push through the pain and the actions will become routine. (Some of the above thoughts come from David Allen’s book: Getting Things Done—one of the best productivity books you’ll find.)

Act Now

You may feel like the above will take too much time to implement, especially if you have lots of paper. So how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.

Schedule your scanning plan. Pick two days a week and put one hour a day on your calendar. Then attack. Slay your paper monster. I dare you.

More Evernote Information

For more information about Evernote, check out these posts:

Evernote for CPAs

Seven Ways to Feed Evernote

Tips on Searching Your Evernote Account