PASBA

OCTOBER 12, 2019

Although other segments of the business world have mostly embraced automation, accountants have been slow to do the same. Those who bill by the hour hesitate because they fear that automating some tasks will result in fewer billable hours. At the same time, they have concerns about the higher expenses involved with purchasing automation software. However, automation can benefit most accountants if they think of it in terms of freeing up their time and their mind to provide clients with clearer g

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accountant Account accounted accounting software 114

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 12, 2019

The fact that our connected devices are getting to know us pretty well is, by now, well-known. A phone that can unlock a hotel room door. A smartwatch that can call an Uber. A connected car that can not only help the driver find the closest burger joint, but can also order ahead. A voice assistant that can add stuff to a shopping list and then order and arrange for its delivery.

Technology 76

Technology Maine New York Government 76

Katz,Sapper&Miller

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Manufacturing companies across the state are reporting a serious shortage of skilled and unskilled laborers as they move rapidly towards smart manufacturing, known as “Industry 4.0.

Manufacturing 40

Manufacturing Indiana 40

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Payroll and human resource management solution provider Paychex has unveiled a range of new solutions and services at the 2019 HR Technology Conference & Exposition event late last month. In a press release , Paychex announced support for wearable technology through the planned debut of a smartwatch app that enables employees to automatically track time worked.

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payroll Technology accountant Account 76

Speaker: Amanda Adams, Fractional CFO, CPA

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Amanda Adams, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

Account

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

There will be 41.6 billion Internet of Things (IoT)-connected devices around the world by 2025. Consumers and businesses have increasingly employed the technology in a variety of use cases as it becomes more sophisticated, from smart cars to sensors that can be utilized for smart cities. The rise of 5G networks will also enable these devices to communicate more data across longer ranges, which is one of the reasons why investment in IoT is picking up.

Transportation 76

Transportation Florida Manufacturing Technology 76

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

As the digital economy grows, you can bet that crowdsourcing will become an even bigger part of innovation and disruption, along with hiring and investment — all of which will serve to help build only new companies but vital digital infrastructure. One big recent example in favor of such points comes from Goldman Sachs. A Goldman Sachs program called GS Accelerate enables Goldman employers to pitch their bosses on potential new companies, according to CNBC.

California 75

California Government Maine Retail 75

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Drivers can’t make ends meet. Given the median income of roughly $25,000 a year and the number of hours required behind the wheel to earn that, drivers’ wages fall well below the federal hourly minimum wage. As independent contractors, drivers also have no benefits. After taking into account expenses like gas and insurance, there’s barely enough left over to meet their daily living expenses.

New York 71

New York Transportation California Maine 71

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

SoftBank and JP Morgan are in talks to rescue WeWork before it runs out of money, which is expected to happen by mid-November, CNBC reported on Tuesday (Oct. 15). Sources told CNBC that talks between SoftBank and JP Morgan have been ongoing ever since the startup’s IPO was pulled about two weeks ago. The bailout could involve equity from SoftBank and debt from J.P.

payroll 70

payroll 70

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Mastercard is teaming with the taxi ride-hailing app Curb to help the American Cancer Society’s Road to Recovery program, which provides free rides to patients going for cancer treatment, Mastercard announced in a press release on Monday (Oct. 14). “Taxis have long been a primary means of transportation for those unable to drive themselves,” said Amos Tamam, CEO of Curb Mobility.

Transportation 69

Transportation New York B2B Finance 69

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

At multiple restaurants operated by one of its franchisees, Outback Steakhouse is testing machine learning (ML) technology from Presto. The test is focused on the restaurant lobby, but could grow to the kitchen, curbside pickup and dining room areas, CNBC reported. Presto Founder and CEO Rajat Suri said the technology assists restaurants in fixing blind spots, noting that “managers can’t be everywhere at all times.

Technology 65

Technology Retail 65

Speaker: Abdi Ali, Sr. Lease Accounting Consultant

Join this insightful webinar with industry expert Abdi Ali, who will discuss the challenges that can arise from managing lease accounting with spreadsheets! He will share real-world examples of errors, compliance issues, and risks that may be present within your spreadsheets. Learn how these tools, while useful, can sometimes lead to inefficiencies that affect your time, resources, and peace of mind.

Account

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

British cybersecurity software company Sophos is being acquired for $3.8 billion by U.S. private equity firm Thoma Bravo , Bloomberg reported on Monday (Oct. 14). Sophos’s three biggest shareholders — Apax Partners and founders Jan Hruska and Peter Lammer — agreed to a cash offer of $7.40 per share. The takeover is among the biggest private U.K. tech deals in recent years.

Technology 65

Technology 65

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 13, 2019

High-interest consumer loans — often known as payday advances — are now banned from having apps on the Google Play store, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Sunday (Oct. 13). . Apple doesn’t have a similar ban, but the company told the WSJ that it routinely reviews its App Store rules to “address new or emerging issues.” Lenders in the payday loan space are not happy about the move, though, saying they would have to leave the business or slash rates. .

Ohio 62

Ohio California Technology Legal 62

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Everyone loves a good, free introductory offer: the month of free access to a streaming service, the free lift from a ridesharing service, the free meal kit delivered right to the front door. Brands know that customers like these offers, which is, of course, why they offer them. They are a great way to get that foot in the door with a consumer, and give them a chance to consider how much they might like to continue using the service — for a reasonable fee.

Start-ups 62

Start-ups Maine accountant Account 62

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

The trouble with existential threats is they very rarely show up and announce themselves. When Amazon launched in 1995, it looked to most as a one-trick eTailer that sold books online. A quarter-century later, that online bookstore has profoundly changed the retail landscape and every player operating within it. It would take the better part of two decades for most retailers to see Amazon as much more than a niche business responsible for a tiny fraction of all retail sales on a channel they nev

Start-ups 61

Start-ups Retail Education Sales 61

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Join us in this webinar, where we share best practices on how to think about the reconciliation work each month, when best to do reconciliations, how they should be prepared, and some common pitfalls to avoid. Learning Objectives: This course objective is to understand how to properly prepare and review balance sheet reconciliations and its impact on the financial statements.

financial statements

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Mastercard has outlined its intentions with blockchain after its high profile exit from the Libra Association, a coalition of many successful companies meant to help guide and foster oversight of Facebook’s proposed cryptocurrency. “Following our withdrawal from the Libra Association membership process last week, we’ve received a great deal of interest in understanding how we evaluate technologies, programs and partners that have the potential to evolve the payments industry and enhance the valu

Technology 60

Technology 60

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 13, 2019

The largest FinTech startup in Latin America — Brazil’s Nubank — is reporting a 25 percent increase in the number of clients since August, Reuters reported on Friday (Oct. 11). The digital bank said at the Brazil Investment Forum in Sao Paulo that it has 15 million clients, according to Nubank founder and CEO David Vélez. Vélez said that 10 million out of the 15 million clients are holders of the bank’s credit card.

California 60

California accountant Account accounted 60

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

New data from U.K. Finance shows that contactless payments in the country continue to grow. In fact, almost 50 percent of all debit card payments are contactless. In July of this year, cardholders in the U.K. made 1.5 billion transactions with their debit cards, which is a jump of 8.9 percent from the previous year. The total amount of the transactions was £50.7 billion ($63.8 billion), which is an increase of 1.4 percent from a year ago.

Finance 58

Finance Technology Sales 58

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Chinese eCommerce platform Club Factory has raised $100 million in a Series D funding round as it plans expansion into India, sources reported on Friday (Oct. 11). The new funding was led by Qiming Venture Partners, Bertelsmann, IDG Capital “and other Fortune 500 companies from the U.S. and Asia,” the startup said. . Club Factory has raised about $220 million to date and has more than 70 million users.

Sales 58

Sales Retail 58

Speaker: David Warren and Kevin O’Neill Stoll

Transitioning to a usage-based business model offers powerful growth opportunities but comes with unique challenges. How do you validate strategies, reduce risks, and ensure alignment with customer value? Join us for a deep dive into designing effective pilots that test the waters and drive success in usage-based revenue. Discover how to develop a pilot that captures real customer feedback, aligns internal teams with usage metrics, and rethinks sales incentives to prioritize lasting customer eng

Sales

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

In what is one of retail’s more amusing ironies, the floral industry is not particularly green. The products are, of course, but the industry itself – particularly the segment of the market dedicated to the delivery of fresh-cut flowers – does not have a particularly inspiring environmental record. Flowers are water- and power-intensive to grow – and delivering them on demand can burn a lot of fuel.

Retail 57

Retail B2B Technology accountant 57

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

While toilet paper seems like a product that should have been around for as long as there has been commerce, it actually is a fairly modern invention. Before 1857, the most common “toilet paper” in the United States actually consisted of pages from the Sears Roebuck catalog. That finally changed when one brave innovator, entrepreneur Joseph Gayetty, got the idea that a better alternative could be created.

E-commerce 56

E-commerce Manufacturing Start-ups Retail 56

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Bunch Bikes Founder Aaron Powell went on vacation with his family three years ago and visited Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. His family chose those locations because they are very bike-friendly cities, and they were interested in biking. While he was in those locations, Powell noticed there was a cargo bike (defined by one website as any bike designed to carry a load), family bike or something similar on “almost every single street corner,” he told PYMNTS in an interview.

Oregon 56

Oregon Start-ups Finance Retail 56

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

The emergence of online shopping and eCommerce inevitably seeped into the B2B world, leading to rising demand for corporates to make purchases online the same way they do as consumers. For some firms, particularly smaller ones, or those with one-off purchases of simple products like office supplies, the translation of B2C eCommerce to B2B is relatively straightforward.

B2B 56

B2B B2C Technology 56

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PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Price wars usually only have one winner: Consumers. Price wars tend to be decent short term strategies to lock in customers. But then, what happens when the price wars stop and pricing levels return to some degree of normality? Welcome, perhaps, to the eCommerce platform pricing wars. Bloomberg reported Monday (Oct. 14) that retail juggernaut Walmart is subsidizing some of its third-party vendors that sell across its online marketplace.

Start-ups 56

Start-ups Sales Retail B2B 56

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 13, 2019

Bengaluru-based Razorpay would like to work with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on new regulations that would make it mandatory for payments companies to comply with RBI’s entry point, technology, security, data storage and more. With that in mind, Razorpay has hired Amitabh Tewary, a vice-president at Mastercard, as its chief innovation officer to help increase its engagement with banks, networks, and regulators.

Technology 56

Technology 56

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Earnings season happens every three months, like clockwork. Also, like clockwork, banks give a glimpse into the state of how interest rates and the economy are faring — and, of course, consumers’ willingness to spend. In general, banks have pointed to the continued resilience of the consumer, evidenced in JPMorgan’s increased card loans, and Citi’s 5 percent growth in card purchase sales.

Gaming 55

Gaming Sales Technology 55

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 13, 2019

A source has revealed that Brazilian lender Banco Inter SA is currently in discussions with Uber about partnering in financial services. The move is another move by Japan’s SoftBank Group — which is a shareholder in Uber — to integrate its business in Latin America. While the source wouldn’t comment on the terms of a possible deal, it would target the rideshare giant’s drivers and Banco’s more than 3 million clients.

Healthcare 54

Healthcare Technology accountant Account 54

Speaker: Mark Stovel

When it comes to automating, many firms focus on finding the latest tech, believing that efficiency is something achieved through new tools. Yet true efficiency is achieved by delivering real value to clients, not merely by upgraded systems. Without a clear approach, no level of automation can overcome the complexities of serving every client’s needs.

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

As consumers and commerce get much more sophisticated , payment service providers and merchants are following suit. The vaping industry will tell us a lot about this innovation and disruption, and will likely provide multiple lessons for other types of merchants. As that happens, it’s vital for retailers and other participants in the digital economy to get past buzzwords and take on new tools.

Retail 53

Retail 53

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 16, 2019

Fast food and quick-service restaurants (QSRs) are much more about mass production than customization, no matter how many personalized options those operations offer hungry consumers. However, change is afoot, according to Tim Ridgely, head of order and delivery for Paytronix Systems , in a new PYMNTS interview. That could mean the QSR world will form relationship-like ties with consumers.

Maine 53

Maine Technology Sales 53

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 14, 2019

Supply chain risk never sleeps, and as global expansion becomes a more viable option for growing enterprises, so does the prospect of heightened risk exposure. Global growth inevitably means working in unfamiliar territory, whether it be new geographic markets, business partners or otherwise. The ongoing trade disputes between the U.S. and China, and between South Korea and Japan, have forced corporates to shift their supplier bases into new markets.

Technology 53

Technology B2B 53

PYMNTS

OCTOBER 18, 2019

Travel today is much more than backpacks and hostels (those were the days), beaches or amusement parks and free buffet breakfasts at the hotel (along with sunburn). As more consumers turn to luxury and adventure travel experiences, payments are along for the ride. Indeed, the future growth of that part of the travel industry depends so much on payments.

Maine 52

Maine 52

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