Welcome to BalaBoss

We can provide you with the Balaboss solution on a “balaboss appliance” – a server fully loaded that you just plug into your in-office network. To ensure that the solution actually works, our software has to be the only software on this server. To be clear, this server cannot share any functionality other than running Balaboss. The cost for this “balaboss appliance” is $ 2,500 and includes both hardware and labour to install and customize our software on the special server.

#2. Has this technology been used before by someone else?

We are launching this new product with our development partner, SmartSimple Software. They are using most of the same features and functionality in a variety of clients from insurance companies to government agencies. Literally thousands of users have put this software through its paces over the last five years.

#3. What Type of Internet Access Do I need to use SaaS?

Any regular high-speed Internet connection (DSL or cable) is adequate for the service.

#4. What browsers are best to use?

Any version of Internet Explorer and recent versions of Firefox. Safari lacks some specific functionality required for optimal usage.

#5.What happens if the internet connection is lost at any time? Can we access data?

As with any “Software as a Service”, the data is located on an Internet server and can only be accessed with an Internet connection.

Security

#1.Its MY data. How do I back-it up and how often can I back it up?

We provide you with the ability to run a report of the information in your database. You can extract the information as often as you wish in either an excel spreadsheet or database format.

#2.Where are the data servers located and what type of physical security is there?

The servers are maintained in dedicated server facilities with redundant power and Internet connections. The Canadian located servers (NO Canadian client data is maintained on any U.S. servers due to concerns about the Patriot Act) are maintained by iWeb in Montreal. You can check their site directly for information on their physical security.
In addition to the version that your organisation uses for day to day work, you have access to a second backup version. We update the backup versions nightly at a different server facility with all the current information from the main version as it exists at about 3:00 a.m.
You can log into the backup version with the same username and password as the production instance. Users get the web address of the back-up server after the main version is up and running.
If you are interested in more information on security, please request our white paper on physical security of the data.

#3. Who can access my data?

You set permissions by type of user related to your firm. Naturally, you can restrict client's data to be only accessed by that client. You can restrict other files by staff level within your firm and apply special security for any specific client or on any specific matter.

#4. How do you manage the data security?

Our data security is inherent in the SmartSimple platform – used currently by several insurance companies in Canada and government agencies in North America and Ireland. You can review the SmartSimple for more technical information but summaries are available on our site from these links: System Security and Protection of Sensitive Information ,Physical Protection of Data.

#5. What is your disaster recovery plan?

Each data centre’s data is backed up to a separate data centre at least once a day. If the east coast data center goes down, the west coast data center takes over. How many professional firms have multiple data centers?

#6. What are the delays to be back in production? At what cost?

If some catastrophe shut down the data centre, the system would immediately start using the back-up with a maximum data loss of one day and no incremental cost.

Privacy and Data

#1. How do you deal with privacy of information concerns?

You can review Balaboss’s full PIPEDA policy here Protection of Sensitive Information

However, in summary:

BalaBoss only collects, uses, and discloses client data in compliance with the consent of the client, to which such client data relates, and all applicable legislation, including without limitation, PIPEDA and any applicable laws or regulations in the jurisdiction of the applicable clients.
BalaBoss employees are not allowed to access client information with the exception of troubleshooting technical issues.
All employees have signed PIPEDA compliant non-disclosure agreements

#2. How do I get my data if I terminate my SaaS service?

You can routinely export your data to a database or excel file. You can do that while you are maintaining the service or in the unlikely event that you plan to cease service, such as when you merge with another firm not yet progressive enough to use our solution.

Getting to Use the Solution

#1. What is the conversion process and how long will it take?

The conversion process is mostly controlled by you. You will provide us with your current database. We will extract all non-financial information and put it into a format that is capable of being imported into the new solution. However, much of the functionality of the new system requires information not captured in the old program and we need information from you to proceed. Within 48 hours of receipt, we will return to you an xls for you to edit. For example, billing amount is now the greater of the highest dollar amount considering the billing level of the client, billing level of the type of project you are doing for the client and the billing level associated with the service code used by the staff. You have to provide those categories to us to use that billing feature. You have to tell us what rights and restrictions should apply to your staff – who gets to prepare invoices, who authorizes them, for example. Lastly, some of the databases we have seen are in poor shape – address fields have not been properly used, email address in fields for phone numbers, etc. Where we can fix that quickly we will. Where we cannot, you will have to fix the errors if you wish to effectively use the new solution.
After you have returned the completed xls to us, we will import it into your solution within 48 hours, usually within 24 hours. You will then have some time to train on the software, adding new clients, billing time etc. After about a week or two when you are ready to start using the software for your entire firm, you will upload your data to us again so that we can extract the total WIP and A/R per client. We suggest that you upload that to us on a Friday so that on Monday morning your system will be ready to go with carry forward financial information.
We suggest that in preparation for that, you bring your billings as up to date as possible to minimize the data in wip since we will be carrying forward only total wip per client.

#2. What type of training would be provided for the SaaS solution?

We will be scheduling “in-house” ½ day training sessions downtown (111 Peter Street) monthly.
We will have weekly webinars on basic elements of using the software
We will be supplying a concise manual on the time-billing functionality.
There is a very comprehensive “wiki” available at our developer’s website www.smartsimple.com which covers email broadcasting, shared calendars, document management and a significant amount of other functionality.

#3. What type of support do you provide?

We have user documentation which you can print out, an online wiki. When that is not enough, you can contact our support team by phone or email. If people express an interest, we have arranged for “online chat” support during and after hours.

#4. How long will it take to download the product?

The solution is almost entirely online. You do not download anything except some small applets such as those required to edit Word documents in your browser or upload multiple documents at one time or synchronize to your desktop Outlook. Virtually all other functionality is provided from your browser without any software downloaded to your desktop.

#5. How will this work with Caseware or tax files located on the server?

In Smart Practice, you can maintain files on the SaaS server attached to the project (e.g. Year-end 2010 project). Except for Microsoft Office files, you will not work with files from the SaaS server. You will download them to a local computer, work and then re-upload. For some large files in regular use, like Caseware, you may find it easier to work with the files on your local server as you have been doing in the past. You can then upload the files to the project for “archiving” or not.

#6. How will this work with Microsoft Office files (e.g. Word & Excel) ?

For Microsoft Office files, we have a download applet which enables you to edit the files from our server without downloading them. This feature is not always turned on since some firms do not want that functionality, however, there is no cost and no effort to enable that feature.

General and Other

#1. We only have one office – will the new features help us?

Every firm will benefit from the new functionality (you can review the new features and benefits under the “solutions” tab from any page on the website). You will be able to see which features most appeal to you – but being able to securely pass forms to all clients without any special set-up should be a help. For those that work out of the office, booking time from any location will be of interest. Tracking referrals in and out - with quantifiable reports will be of interest to others. You can make your own decision by reviewing our features and benefits lists.

Other

#1. What is the Cancellation Policy?

After the initial 30 day free trial, you are billed monthly until you cancel. You are NOT signing any contract for any fixed period of time, you will only use the system while you are happy with it and you will only be billed while you are registered to be using the system.

#2. How much accounting functionality do you provide?

We provide the ability to track time and expenses related to client engagements and then convert that WIP into an invoice and account receivable. You can track amounts received in trust on a matter by matter basis. You will have to export that information to a general ledger product (such as Quickbooks) to prepare financial statements.

FEATURES

Data Import – we can import virtually any data from any system, from a database or Excel format.