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The iPhone is a terrific portable traveling buddy and a marvelous asset for service professionals, including accountants and CPAs.
Right out of the box your iPhone is a powerful tool, but to really get the most of it there are a number of apps designed to help you run your practice on the move. Here are some of my favorites.
Best of all, they’re all free.
1. Trip Tracker – A fully automated application that keeps track of your travel itineraries with minimal set-up. All you have to do is register your frequent flier and hotel rewards numbers on the site and your complete itinerary will automatically be displayed in the program. Status and changes are updated via push notifications.
2. GateMaps – This is a brand new app, but once it’s fully developed it’s going to be really amazing. The application currently supports only five major hubs: Atlanta (ATL), Chicago O’Hare (ORD), John F. Kennedy (JFK), Los Angeles (LAX), and Miami International (MIA). As the app is developed more airports will be added.
3. Skype – You probably already use Skype on your PC or laptop, but they also have a great mobile app. If you’re an international traveler who likes to pinch pennies this is a great app for you. Call Skype-to-Skype for no charge over Wi-Fi, or use the built-in instant messaging feature. Unfortunately skype has recently started charging for using skype over cellular connections.
4. Yelp – Yelp is very handy when you’re out of town. It provides user reviews for restaurants, bars, and shops making it a whole lot easier to find a good, nearby place to eat.
5. Unit Conversion – This nifty little app lets you convert currencies on the fly.
6. Taxi Magic – This is my personal favorite. You push a button and a cab magically appears. All you need to do is enter your pick-up location and the app does the rest. You don’t even need to make a phone call. Taxi Magic coordinates with the local taxi dispatch services to find the closest to your location. You can even monitor the cab’s progress via GPS. This application is available in most major cities in the United States.
7. Bump – This is a very interesting little app. All you need to do is hold two phones next to one another and it swaps their contact information. Think of it as an iPhone business card, only better. Your card is a lot less likely to wind up in the laundry if it’s on someone’s smart phone.
8. Expensify – Eliminate the burden of lugging all your receipts from your trip around with you with Expensify. It compiles your expenses as you go and packages them up into a report that’s IRS-friendly. One of this app’s major selling points is the ease of uploading information: all you have to do is take a picture of the receipt with your phone’s camera!
9. HopStop – This app turns your iPhone into a public-transportation-sensitive GPS of sorts. By inputting your start and end location, your route will be calculated, taking into account buses, trains, transfers, and turns, and always getting you there as quickly as possible.
10. World Customs and Cultures – Did you know that in Japan it’s considered rude to turn down a drink, even if your glass is full? Down that sucker and hold your glass out for a refill or run the risk of seriously pissing off your host! The World Customs and Cultures app will help you bridge cultural gaps and avoid the many pitfalls of international business negotiations.
These apps make hitting the road for your CPA practice a lot less arduous – and possibly even fun!
Brian O’Connell is the President and founder of CPA Site Solutions, one of the country’s most successful web design firms oriented solely to CPA sites. His company currently provides websites for more than 4000 CPA, accounting, and tax preparation firms.
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