IT Support for Accountants in Vancouver: ready before tax season hits

Tax season is close. Is your IT ready, or just hoping?

A local Vancouver team of IT specialists and technicians visits your firm, and many issues are fixed quickly in a group chat plus remote access. One firm of about 75 people now saves $33k a year on email with our managed IT. From $55 per PC per month.

Call (604) 813-7881

Book a free IT review

24/7 emergency line

Our regular hours are Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm MT. For emergencies we’re 24/7 on the same number, (604) 813-7881, and it’s always answered by a person. Call us at (604) 813-7881 or email hello <at> bensonhunt <dot> com.

Who provides IT support for accountants in Vancouver?

Benson Hunt provides IT support for accountants in Vancouver through a local team of IT specialists and technicians who visit your firm. We cover email, backups, cybersecurity and the IT side of your accounting software. Many issues are fixed quickly in a group chat with remote access. Our Vancouver office is at #250-1766, 997 Seymour St.

Vancouver firms ask us about BC privacy rules, CPABC guidance, fake payment requests and remote work. This page covers how we help on the technical side. The accounting firm IT support overview has the full list.

3cities with a local team: Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary
24/7emergency line (604) 813-7881, always answered by a person

Managing partner or office manager? Start with your column.

If you’re the managing partner

Is managed IT just another bill? For one firm of about 75 people, it saved $33k a year on email.
How long are we down if the server fails? Restores from local storage have taken less than 2 hours.
Where do backups live? Locked for 30 days, with an encrypted offsite copy here in Vancouver, BC.

If you’re the office manager

Who picks up? A person answers (604) 813-7881, 24/7 for emergencies.
Who shows up? Our Vancouver team, at your office.
Who deals with the software vendor? We do, when the problem is inside the program.

Why it matters, in plain words

What keeps a Vancouver firm working when something breaks, explained without jargon.

Hyper-V

Why your server should be able to move house

On Hyper-V, the server is a set of files that can run on other hardware. When the box dies, the firm doesn’t have to wait for a new one.

Immutable backups

Why attackers look for backups before they strike

No backups means pay or rebuild. A copy locked for 30 days can’t be changed or deleted in that window.

DNS filtering

Why a bad link can be stopped before the page opens

Every web visit starts with a lookup. DNS filtering blocks known bad sites right there, before anything downloads.

More plain guides: RAID 10, business firewalls, multi-factor sign in, or all of them.

What tax season support do you offer for accounting firms in Vancouver?

Tax season doesn’t move, so we offer help around it: a check before it starts, rechecks during it, and a technician who can come to you.

Pre-season check

A look at your setup before the busy weeks.

Before tax season starts we can review your computers and scanners, remote access, accounts for seasonal staff, updates, and your backups. We use a 3-2-1 backup plan with immutable backups (locked so they can’t be changed or deleted for 30 days), and we do spot checks on multiple copies of the backups and a yearly disaster recovery test, so you know the files come back.

Ask us what the check covers for your firm.

Tax season rechecks

A second look once the season is under way.

We can check your setup again during tax season, so small problems are found early. Ask us what a recheck includes for your firm.

On-site technician in tax season

A technician can come to your Vancouver firm, because we understand the urgency.

Tax season is urgent for accounting firms, and we understand that. An on-site technician is available during tax season. Many issues can still be solved quickly with remote access. To ask about an on-site visit, call (604) 813-7881.

What does IT support for accountants in Vancouver cover?

Computers, network, email, backups and security, and the IT side of your accounting software.

BC privacy context

BC’s PIPA looks different from Alberta’s when it comes to breach reporting.

The OIPC BC: breach notification page says the Commissioner has called for a mandatory reporting rule for private organizations and strongly recommends reporting in the meantime. Federal law (PIPEDA) can also apply to some firms. Check current rules and ask your lawyer which applies to you.

CPABC guidance

CPABC (bccpa.ca) publishes cybersecurity resources for members.

See CPABC: cybersecurity resources. We can compare your setup with it in plain language. CPABC sets professional rules, so check with them for current requirements.

Payment fraud and email

Fake invoices and changed bank details target firms that handle other people’s money.

We set up two step sign in, email and web filtering, and a call back rule for payment changes. See the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre: frauds that target businesses.

Remote and hybrid work

Protected remote access for staff who work from home or at client sites.

We help with remote access that doesn’t drop, laptops with sign in protection, and Wi-Fi and firewall setup with Cisco Meraki. A quick fix is often one message away in the group chat.

Software we support

Logos belong to their owners. We’re independent IT support, not the software vendor.

How does IT support for accountants in Vancouver work?

1Reach us by the channel that suits you
2We fix what we can quickly
3A technician comes on site

Every firm gets its own group chat with dedicated technicians, on WhatsApp, Slack, Google Chat or Microsoft Teams. It’s for IT help, so keep SINs and client financial details out of the chat.

Also see

Security and cloud

IT questions from Vancouver accounting firms

Do you provide IT support for accountants in Vancouver?

Yes. Our local Vancouver team of IT specialists and technicians visits accounting firms, and many issues are also fixed quickly in a group chat with remote access. Call (604) 813-7881, our main line for all three cities.

Do you have a Vancouver office?

Yes. Our Vancouver office is at #250-1766, 997 Seymour St, and our technicians also come to your firm.

Does BC privacy law require us to report a breach?

BC’s PIPA doesn’t have a mandatory breach reporting rule for private organizations as the OIPC BC describes it today, and the Commissioner strongly recommends reporting. Rules can change, and federal law may apply, so ask your lawyer and check current rules.

Who answers the 24/7 emergency line?

A person. Our regular hours are Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm MT, and the same number, (604) 813-7881, is answered by a person 24/7 for emergencies.

See all questions

What does CPABC say about cybersecurity?

CPABC publishes cybersecurity resources for members. We can walk through them with you and show what they mean for your computers, email and backups. Check CPABC for current requirements.

What software do you support for Vancouver accountants?

We support the IT side of tools such as QuickBooks, Sage, Sage ERP, NextERP, OfficeTools, Karbon, Xero, Caseware, TaxCycle and CCH iFirm. We’re independent IT support, not the vendor.

Do you offer extra support during tax season?

Yes. We offer a pre-season check of your setup and rechecks during the season, and an on-site technician is available in Vancouver during tax season because we understand the urgency. Ask us what is included for your firm.

Do we need MFA for CRA accounts?

The CRA says MFA is mandatory for CRA accounts, including Represent a Client. Check the CRA’s current steps. We can help set up two step sign in across your team.

How do I ask for an assessment or audit?

Call (604) 813-7881 or email hello <at> bensonhunt <dot> com. There is no booking tool and we don’t list prices online.

Ready to talk about your Vancouver firm’s IT?

Call our main line at (604) 813-7881, which serves Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary, or send us a note. Our regular hours are Monday to Friday, 7am to 5pm MT. For emergencies we’re 24/7 on the same number, and it’s always answered by a person.

Prefer email? Write to hello <at> bensonhunt <dot> com or use our contact page.

Vancouver office: Benson Hunt Technologies, #250-1766, 997 Seymour St, Vancouver BC V6B 3M1. Edmonton mailing address: 1312 Webber Greens Drive NW, Edmonton, AB T5T 7C5 (mail only).

Call (604) 813-7881

Book a free IT review