Your firm is a good fit if:
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1
Tax software issues cost you time during your busiest months.
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You handle sensitive client financial data and need documented security controls.
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3
Staff work remotely or across multiple locations and access shared files.
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You do not have dedicated IT and need someone who understands how accounting offices work.
IT support that fits how accounting firms actually work
CPA firms in Lawton, Duncan, and Southwest Oklahoma cannot afford generic IT support during filing season. Tax software has its own quirks. Client data has its own compliance rules. Staff schedules tighten in March and April, and a workstation issue at the wrong moment can cost a client deadline. Wolferdawg IT Consulting builds and supports the technology environment your firm runs on, with experience across the tax platforms, document management systems, and security frameworks accountants depend on.
What we handle for accounting firms
From tax software infrastructure to cybersecurity compliance, these are the services that keep CPA firms in Lawton and Southwest Oklahoma operating without interruption.
Tax software support
We support Drake Tax, Lacerte, UltraTax CS, TaxWise, ProSeries, and similar professional tax platforms in single-user and multi-user network environments. That includes installation, configuration, update management, data path troubleshooting, file locking resolution, and coordination with software vendors when escalation is required. Your team keeps filing. We handle what is breaking in the background.
QuickBooks and document management
QuickBooks Desktop in a multi-user environment requires a correctly configured database server, mapped drives, and user permissions that hold up through updates. We have set up and maintained QuickBooks on-premises environments for accounting firms and know where the common failure points are. We also support the document management platforms firms rely on for client file storage and delivery, including SmartVault, Sharefile, and similar systems.
Cybersecurity and compliance
CPA firms are a high-value target for threat actors because they hold years of client financial records. We build layered cybersecurity controls around your environment, including multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, encrypted storage, and secure remote access. We also build and document your Written Information Security Plan to satisfy IRS and FTC requirements.
Server and network infrastructure
Multi-user tax software requires properly configured shared environments. We design and deploy server-based setups where your entire team accesses Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax CS, or TaxWise from a stable, centrally managed infrastructure. Mapped drives, permissions, print services, and backup all run correctly from day one, and we maintain them so they keep running.
Backup and disaster recovery
A ransomware attack that encrypts your client return library is catastrophic without a tested, offsite backup. We configure automated, encrypted backups of your tax data, client files, and practice management data with verified recovery procedures. If something goes wrong, you know exactly how long recovery takes before it happens.
Secure remote access
Staff working from home or satellite offices need access to tax software and client files without creating security gaps. We configure VPN, remote desktop, and Microsoft 365 environments that give your team full access from anywhere while keeping client data inside a protected, auditable environment. Learn more about our secure remote work approach.
Managed IT and helpdesk
Workstations, printers, email, and network connectivity all need to work every day, not just most days. Our managed IT service covers monitoring, patching, endpoint management, and helpdesk support for your team. You get a flat monthly cost, documented response times, and a provider who already knows your environment when you call.
Filing season is not the time to find out your IT does not work.
Wolferdawg IT Consulting supports CPA firms in Lawton, Duncan, and across Southwest Oklahoma before problems start.
How we get your firm set up
We move fast and build for your environment specifically. No generic onboarding. No learning your software on your dime.
1) Environment review and gap assessment
We start by understanding your practice. How many staff, how many workstations, how tax software is currently installed, how client files are stored, and how remote access is handled. We document what you have, identify what is missing or misconfigured, and give you a plain-language summary of your current risk and compliance posture. You will know what is working, what is not, and what it will cost to fix it before we touch anything.
- Tax software environment and licensing review
- Data storage, backup, and remote access assessment
- IRS and FTC compliance gap identification
2) Infrastructure build and security hardening
Based on the assessment, we build or correct the infrastructure your firm needs. That might mean configuring a shared server environment for multi-user Drake, Lacerte, or UltraTax CS access, setting up encrypted offsite backup for your return library, deploying multi-factor authentication across Microsoft 365, or establishing a documented WISP. We work from a defined scope with a fixed timeline so you know what is happening and when it will be done.
- Tax software server configuration and user setup
- Backup deployment and recovery procedure documentation
- Security controls and Written Information Security Plan
3) Ongoing managed support with tax season priority
After the initial build, we manage the environment on an ongoing basis. That means monitoring, patching, helpdesk support for your team, and proactive checks before tax season starts. Accounting firm clients receive priority response during January through April because we understand that a two-hour resolution window that is acceptable in August is not acceptable in March.
- Tax season priority response and proactive pre-season checks
- Software update management and compatibility verification
- Vendor coordination for Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax CS, TaxWise, and related platforms
Tax season support cadence
What the QuickBooks Desktop transition means for your firm
Intuit is moving customers off QuickBooks Desktop on a defined schedule. Accounting firms in Lawton, Duncan, and across Southwest Oklahoma need an IT plan that supports the change.
QuickBooks Desktop has been the standard for client bookkeeping in small accounting practices for decades. That is changing. Intuit has discontinued new sales of most QuickBooks Desktop products and is steering existing customers toward QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Enterprise. For a CPA firm running multi-user QuickBooks Desktop on a local server, that means your environment has a shelf life.
The data migration itself is owned by Intuit and your QuickBooks ProAdvisor. The IT environment around it is a different story. Mapped drives, file permissions, Database Server Manager configurations, local backups of company files, integrations between QuickBooks and the rest of your stack, and the user access policies you have built over the years all need to be evaluated. When QuickBooks data moves to the cloud, your local infrastructure has to be reconfigured or retired, and your Written Information Security Plan has to be updated to reflect where the data now lives and who can reach it.
Wolferdawg IT Consulting handles the infrastructure side of the QuickBooks Desktop transition for accounting firms in Southwest Oklahoma. We work alongside your ProAdvisor to make sure the network, security, and access controls support the new environment before, during, and after the data migration. You keep working. We handle the IT.
What we handle on the IT side
Cloud hosted tax software vs on-premises
Both models work for small CPA firms in Southwest Oklahoma. The right choice depends on how your firm operates, not what is trending.
Tax software vendors increasingly offer cloud hosted versions of their professional products. Drake Cloud, Lacerte hosted by Right Networks, and similar platforms run the software on the vendor's infrastructure and let your team access it from any device with an internet connection. On-premises means the software runs on your own server or workstations inside your office, with your team accessing it over the local network or a VPN. Both models are valid. The trade-offs are real and worth understanding before you commit to either path.
| Consideration | Cloud hosted | On-premises |
|---|---|---|
| Local server required | No. Vendor hosts the environment. | Yes for multi-user. Local server with Database Server Manager or equivalent. |
| Internet dependency | High. No internet means no access to the software. | Low for in-office work. Required only for remote access. |
| Performance | Depends on internet speed and vendor performance. | Local network speed. Generally faster for large client files. |
| Cost structure | Recurring monthly hosting fee per user. | One-time server cost plus ongoing maintenance. |
| Backup responsibility | Vendor responsibility, but verify what is included. | Firm responsibility. Requires configured offsite backup. |
| Compliance documentation | Vendor controls cover part of the WISP. Your access and device controls still apply. | All controls are yours to document and maintain. |
| Best fit | Distributed teams, smaller firms, firms without an IT footprint. | In-office firms with reliable infrastructure and large client file volume. |
We assess your firm size, internet reliability, staff workflow, and compliance posture before recommending one model over the other. The goal is the right environment for your practice, not a sales pitch for one direction.
IRS and FTC compliance is not optional for CPA firms
The IRS requires tax professionals to maintain a Written Information Security Plan under Publication 4557. The FTC Safeguards Rule applies to any firm that handles consumer financial data. Both carry real enforcement exposure if your firm cannot demonstrate documented controls.
Most small and mid-size CPA practices in Southwest Oklahoma do not have a WISP, do not have documented incident response procedures, and have never had a formal security assessment. That is not a criticism. Most practices grew their technology alongside the practice without ever having a reason to formalize it. The regulatory environment has changed, and the documentation requirements now have teeth.
Wolferdawg IT Consulting builds your Written Information Security Plan from your actual environment, not a generic template. We document your data handling practices, your access controls, your backup procedures, and your response plan in language that satisfies both IRS and FTC requirements. You get a document that is current, specific to your firm, and maintainable as your environment changes.
Cybersecurity insurance is now a buying decision, not a checkbox
Insurance underwriters are tightening requirements for accounting firms. Wolferdawg IT Consulting builds the controls your carrier expects to see.
Cyber insurance carriers used to issue policies based on a short questionnaire and a signed application. That is over. Carriers writing policies for accounting firms now require evidence of specific security controls before they will issue or renew coverage. Firms that cannot demonstrate the controls face higher premiums, lower coverage limits, sub-limits on ransomware claims, or outright denial of coverage.
The common requirements include multi-factor authentication on email and tax software, endpoint detection and response on every workstation and server, verified offsite backups with documented recovery testing, a Written Information Security Plan, employee security awareness training, and documented incident response procedures. Some carriers also require that privileged accounts be separated from daily-use accounts and that remote access be protected by something stronger than a password.
Wolferdawg IT Consulting builds and documents the controls your underwriter is asking for. We can also work directly with your insurance broker to translate your environment into the language carriers use on their applications, which often means the difference between a clean approval and a renewal that gets flagged for additional review.
Common cyber insurance requirements
- Multi-factor authentication on email and tax software
- Endpoint detection and response on all devices
- Verified offsite backups with recovery testing
- Written Information Security Plan (WISP)
- Employee security awareness training
- Documented incident response procedures
How IT pricing works for an accounting firm
No surprise invoices. No hourly rates that climb during tax season. A clear monthly cost for the support your firm actually needs.
Managed IT for CPA firms is priced as a flat monthly retainer, typically scaled by user count or workstation count. The retainer covers proactive monitoring, patching, helpdesk support, security tooling, backup, and tax software vendor coordination. There are no hourly bills for routine support, and there are no markup surprises during filing season. Final pricing depends on the size of your firm, the complexity of your environment, and the specific tools required to support it.
One to two users
Single-workstation or two-workstation practices. Tax software, secure email, document management, and backup. Designed for a CPA running solo or with one assistant.
- Workstation monitoring and patching
- Endpoint security and backup
- Microsoft 365 and tax software support
- WISP framework and security baseline
Three to ten users
Multi-user environments running shared tax software, QuickBooks Desktop, and document management. Most CPA practices in Lawton, Duncan, and Southwest Oklahoma fit here.
- Server monitoring, patching, and helpdesk
- Endpoint security and offsite backup
- Tax software vendor coordination
- WISP development and ongoing maintenance
Ten or more users
Larger practices with multi-location access, broader compliance scope, and integrations across tax, document management, and practice management platforms. Pricing scoped to the environment.
- Multi-site infrastructure support
- Advanced security controls and EDR
- Compliance documentation and audits
- Strategic IT planning and roadmap
We provide a scoped proposal with a fixed monthly cost after the initial assessment. You see exactly what is included before you commit.
What to do if your CPA firm has a data breach
The first hour matters more than the rest of the response combined. Here is the order of operations.
Disconnect, do not power off
Pull the affected machine off the network by disabling Wi-Fi or unplugging the network cable. Do not shut the system down. Powering off destroys volatile evidence that incident response needs to determine what happened.
Call your IT provider and your cyber insurance carrier
Contact us, then contact your insurance carrier. Most policies require notification within a defined window, and most also require approval before you engage outside incident response or forensics. Do not skip this step.
Preserve evidence and stop changing things
Do not delete files, reformat drives, or attempt to clean the system. Document what you saw, when you saw it, and what was happening at the time. The temptation to fix it yourself is strong and almost always destructive.
Notify required parties under your WISP
Your Written Information Security Plan defines who gets notified and when. That typically includes the IRS Stakeholder Liaison for tax-related breaches, your state board of accountancy, affected clients, and law enforcement when criminal activity is suspected. Your WISP is the playbook.
Recover from verified, offsite backup
Once incident response confirms the threat is contained and the environment is clean, recovery begins from verified offsite backup that was not connected to the compromised network. This is why backup verification matters before an incident, not after.
Wolferdawg IT Consulting handles the technical response. You handle the regulatory and client communication side. We work in parallel so neither side waits on the other.
Questions to ask before hiring an IT provider for your accounting firm
Generic IT providers can keep a coffee shop running. An accounting firm needs more.
Most CPA firms in Lawton, Duncan, and Southwest Oklahoma have used at least one IT provider that did not understand the practice. Tax software is not Microsoft Office. A WISP is not a firewall. Tax season is not a calendar suggestion. Ask these questions before signing anything, and listen for confident, specific answers rather than reassuring generalities.
- Have you supported Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax CS, or our specific tax platform before? Vague answers here are a hard no.
- Can you build and maintain a Written Information Security Plan that satisfies IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule? If they ask what a WISP is, end the meeting.
- How do you handle tax season prioritization? Listen for documented response time commitments, not promises.
- What are your response time commitments in writing? A real provider has a service level agreement. A break-fix shop has hopes.
- Do you carry your own cyber insurance and errors and omissions coverage? The right answer is yes, and they should be willing to show proof.
- Can you provide references from other accounting firms? Generic references do not count. You want firms that look like yours.
- How do you handle a data breach if one happens? They should be able to walk you through an incident response process without notes.
Red flags to watch for
- "We can figure out your tax software."
- No mention of IRS Publication 4557 or the FTC Safeguards Rule.
- Hourly billing as the primary model.
- No documented response time commitments.
- Unwilling to share proof of insurance.
- No accounting firm references.
Frequently asked questions
Do you support Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax CS, and TaxWise?
Yes. Wolferdawg IT Consulting supports Drake Tax, Lacerte, UltraTax CS, TaxWise, ProSeries, and similar professional tax platforms in single-user and multi-user network environments. We handle installation, network configuration, file locking issues, update management, and data path troubleshooting so your team does not lose time during filing season.
Do you support QuickBooks Desktop and document management systems?
Yes. We configure and support QuickBooks Desktop in multi-user, on-premises environments, including the QuickBooks Database Server Manager, mapped drive setup, and permission structures that break during updates. We also support document management systems commonly used by accounting firms, including SmartVault and Sharefile. If your firm uses a platform not listed here, ask us. Chances are we have worked with it.
Is QuickBooks Desktop being discontinued?
Intuit has discontinued new sales of most QuickBooks Desktop products and is moving existing customers to QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Enterprise on a defined schedule. Existing installations continue to work for a period, but new licenses are limited and feature support is shifting away from the desktop product line. Accounting firms running multi-user QuickBooks Desktop should plan for the change rather than wait for forced cutover.
Do you handle the QuickBooks Desktop to QuickBooks Online migration?
The data migration itself is handled by Intuit and your QuickBooks ProAdvisor, not by us. What we handle is the IT environment around it. That includes assessing your current infrastructure, reconfiguring network access and security, updating multi-factor authentication and user permissions, and revising your Written Information Security Plan to reflect the new environment. We work alongside your ProAdvisor so the technical side is ready when the data moves.
Should a CPA firm move tax software to the cloud or keep it on-premises?
It depends on your firm size, internet reliability, staff workflow, and compliance posture. Cloud hosted tax software like Drake Cloud, Lacerte hosted by Right Networks, and similar platforms remove the burden of maintaining a local server and add built-in remote access. On-premises gives you direct control over your data, faster local performance, and no recurring hosting fees. For small firms in Lawton, Duncan, and Southwest Oklahoma with reliable business internet, both models work. We assess your environment and recommend the option that fits your firm rather than pushing one model.
What cybersecurity protections do CPA firms in Lawton and Southwest Oklahoma need?
CPA firms are required under IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule to maintain a Written Information Security Plan. At a minimum, that means multi-factor authentication, encrypted data storage, endpoint protection, secure remote access, and documented breach response procedures. Wolferdawg IT Consulting can assess your current posture and build a plan that meets those requirements.
What does cybersecurity insurance require from an accounting firm?
Cyber insurance underwriters now require accounting firms to demonstrate specific controls before issuing or renewing a policy. The common requirements include multi-factor authentication on email and tax software, endpoint detection and response, verified offsite backups, a documented Written Information Security Plan, employee security awareness training, and incident response procedures. Firms that cannot demonstrate these controls face higher premiums, lower coverage limits, or denied applications. Wolferdawg IT Consulting builds and documents the controls underwriters look for.
What should a CPA firm do if it suspects a data breach?
Disconnect the affected systems from the network without powering them off, contact your IT provider and your cyber insurance carrier immediately, preserve logs and evidence, and do not attempt to clean or reformat anything until incident response begins. Notify the IRS Stakeholder Liaison and your state board of accountancy as required, and follow the breach notification procedures in your Written Information Security Plan. Wolferdawg IT Consulting works through the technical response while you handle the regulatory and client communication side.
Are accounting firms required to have a Written Information Security Plan?
Yes. The IRS requires tax professionals to maintain a Written Information Security Plan under Publication 4557. The FTC Safeguards Rule also applies to firms that handle consumer financial data. Wolferdawg IT Consulting can help you build and document a WISP that satisfies both requirements.
How do you handle tax season support for accounting firms?
We prioritize accounting clients during tax season. That means faster response times, proactive monitoring during high-volume periods, and on-call availability for software issues that cannot wait. We also coordinate with software vendors on your behalf when escalation is needed.
Can you help our CPA firm move tax software to a server or hosted environment?
Yes. We design and deploy server environments for multi-user tax software access, including Drake and Lacerte. We handle the infrastructure build, user permissions, mapped drives, backup configuration, and ongoing maintenance so the software runs reliably across your team.
What happens if our tax software goes down during filing season?
You call us and we respond. Accounting firm clients receive priority support during tax season. We keep documentation on your software configuration, licensing, and environment so we can move fast without spending time figuring out your setup during a critical moment.
How much does IT support cost for a small CPA firm?
Managed IT for accounting firms is typically priced per user or per workstation on a flat monthly retainer that includes monitoring, patching, helpdesk support, security tooling, and backup. Pricing scales with the size of the firm and the complexity of the environment. A solo practitioner pays less than a five-person office with a server and a document management system. Wolferdawg IT Consulting builds a scoped proposal after the initial assessment so you know exactly what is included and what it costs before you commit.
What is the difference between break-fix IT and managed IT for an accounting firm?
Break-fix means you call IT only when something is already broken and pay an hourly rate to fix it. Managed IT means a flat monthly retainer that covers proactive monitoring, patching, helpdesk support, and security so problems are prevented or caught before they affect your firm. For an accounting practice, the difference matters most during tax season when downtime is unacceptable. Break-fix providers respond when they can. Managed providers have already documented your environment and prioritize your firm by contract.
What questions should a CPA firm ask before hiring an IT provider?
Ask whether the provider has direct experience with Drake, Lacerte, UltraTax CS, or your specific tax platform. Ask whether they can build and maintain a Written Information Security Plan that satisfies IRS Publication 4557 and the FTC Safeguards Rule. Ask how they handle tax season prioritization. Ask what their response time commitments are in writing. Ask whether they carry their own cyber insurance and errors and omissions coverage. Ask for references from other accounting firms. A provider that cannot answer these clearly is not the right fit for a CPA practice.
Do you work with small CPA firms, not just large practices?
Most of our accounting clients are small to mid-size practices operating in Lawton, Duncan, and across Southwest Oklahoma. Solo practitioners, two-to-five-person offices, and growing regional firms are all a good fit. We are built for that scale, and our pricing reflects it.
Ready for IT that understands how your firm works?
Wolferdawg IT Consulting supports CPA firms and accounting practices in Lawton, Duncan, and across Southwest Oklahoma with tax software infrastructure, cybersecurity compliance, and managed IT built specifically for your environment.
Start with a short call. We will tell you exactly what we see, what your firm needs, and what it will cost.