Feasibility Assessment of Cloud SaaS Enabled Collaboration and Information Confidentiality for the Public Accounting Industry

Abstract

In recent years, the growing use of Software as a Service (SaaS) presents both new opportunities and challenges for organizations. Specifically, building trust in SaaS as an alternative to traditional methods of conducting business presents unique challenges for the CPA industry, who deals with sensitive financial client information and strict regulations. This study seeks to understand the attitudes and behavior of CPA industry staff members facing changing technology in the workspace. It investigates the usability of cloud SaaS collaboration platform, utilizing Microsoft Office 365 based solution and Microsoft SharePoint Online technology. It examines whether CPA staff members can overcome preconceptions about trust in SaaS tools. Specifically, can these tools, which store client information in the cloud, be used to safely exchange sensitive information between two parties while allowing CPA firms and clients to effectively collaborate on projects. The study design included a walk-through experiment as well as a semi-structured interview survey consisting of both open and closed-ended questions. The study participants were asked to use a pre-configured SharePoint collaboration portal and execute several predefined financial common tasks, following prescribed testing script, as well as fill an online survey regarding their experience. The study results demonstrate that CPA team members felt the software provides a better platform for communicating with clients than the currently used tools. However, participants’ comfort level managing specific sensitive client information on the new online portal was lower, pointing to the potential need for follow-up training and improved education for CPA team members on the SaaS platform capabilities.