Help / FAQ

 

What is Accountants.org?

The public portion of the Accountants.org website allows people seeking an accounting firm to search a database of IGAF Polaris member firms and staff of member firms who have individually registered with the site. Searches can be conducted by geographic location, firm name, industry expertise, service line expertise, or individual name.

The private portion of the Accountants.org website is reserved for IGAF Polaris independent member firms only. The private site offers a wide range of communication and social networking tools to help members stay better connected worldwide. For more information about IGAF Polaris and Accountants.org visit About Us.

How do I become a member of IGAF Polaris?

Please visit About Us or email info@igafpolaris.org for more information on IGAF Polaris membership.

How do I create a profile on Accountants.org?

Only the partners and staff of IGAF Polaris independent member firms are allowed to create a profile. Once your firm has been added to the site by IGAF Polaris Headquarters, your firm must select a "firm administrator(s)". This "firm administrator" is responsible for keeping the firm profile up to date as well as inviting staff members within their firm to create individual profiles. In order for you to create a profile you must do one of the following:

• Receive an invitation from your "firm administrator"
• Request an invitation from your firm

Once you have received an invitation or requested an invitation, you will receive an email with login details and an invitation code. The process of creating a profile takes no more than 5 to 10 minutes. For individual profiles, you will need a professional picture of yourself and a short biography of yourself. Once you have been invited, please complete the following steps:

1. When you receive your invitation email, access the site directly from the links on the email, or click on "Log in" in the top right-hand corner of the site’s Home Page.
2. You will come to the Log in page. On this page, click the "Sign up" link located under the "Login" button.
3. On the next page, enter your Invitation Code and click "continue". A window will pop up for you to enter your profile information.
4. On your information page, enter all of your details for your profile and submit the information for completion of your profile.

How do I log in?

1. Click "Log in" in the top right-hand corner of the site’s Home Page.
2. You will come to the Log In Page. Enter your email address for your account and your password, and click "Login". Click in the "Remember Me" box to have the system save your log-in information.

How do I post documents/resources?

1. To post a document, it must be saved as one of the following file types only: PPT, PDF, DOC, XLS, JPG, GIF, or PNG.
2. Click "Resources" and, on the next page, click "Upload New Resource".
3. A window will pop up where you enter a title and description for the resource. Once you have completed these, click "send". The file is uploaded and should appear on the site in the updates section.
4. You can make resources private (for your firm only) or public (for all IGAF Polaris members).

How do I subscribe to RSS feeds?

1. Go to the site you want to subscribe to.
2. Find where that site holds its RSS and XML feeds and find the specific one you desire.
3. Click on that feed to subscribe or copy the URL (link address) location for that feed. Then, go back to your Accountants.org Dashboard.
4. Click on "Feeds". A window with the title "Add a new feed" will pop up.
5. Enter the URL (link address) for the RSS or XML feed.
6. Click on send and your feed should be loaded. If it isn’t valid, our system will let you know. If it is correct, your feed should appear and you should start receiving article links that appear on your Dashboard, in the Feeds section (located at the bottom under the latest updates).

How do I connect to other members?

• When you encounter a member’s picture, click on it to go to their profile.
• On their page, you will see the "connect" button on the bottom left of their profile. Click on "connect" and it will send a request to the member.
• Once that member accepts your connection, you are connected.

*You can also quickly establish multiple connections (from the same firm) if you are on a Firm Page. Each member in a firm will be listed in the "Associates" section, with a "connect" button to the right of the member’s picture. Just click on the "connect" button for each.

Can I invite others to the website?

Only your "firm administrator" can invite staff to join the site.

Can I communicate with other members directly on the site?

Yes. There are several ways to communicate on the site, including:

• Send a Private Message
• Engage in a Chat/Instant Message
• Post Status Updates
• Set Events

How do I send a Private Message to another user?

1. From your Dashboard, click on "Messages".
2. On the Messages Page, click on "Compose Message". A window will pop up titled "New Message".
3. Fill out all three sections (To, Subject, and Message). In the section for the person that you are sending the message to, you must type that person’s screen name. In most cases, that will be the person’s full name. All names will auto-populate as you begin to type.
4. Once you have completed all of the sections, click "Send".

How do I Chat/IM on the site?

1. At the bottom right of your screen, there is a tab titled "Who’s Online". Click on that tab to view which of your connections are online.
2. Click the name of the person you want to communicate with.
3. Their listing will open into a separate tab and a text box will appear where you can write your message. Click enter it to send to the person.
4. Once initiated, you will be able to chat back-and-forth and hold a conversation in real time.

How do I post a Status Update?

1. On your Dashboard page, find the text box at the upper right-hand portion of the screen titled "What are you working on?" Under the title, it states "[Your name] is…"
2. In that text box, enter the information that indicates your present status or whatever information you wish to share with all users.
3. Click on "Update". Your status will appear as an update to everyone as "[Your name] is [your status]." An example is: "John Doe is working on an engagement for a multi-media company."

How do I set an Event?

1. On your Dashboard, click "Events".
2. On the Events Page, click "Add Event". A window will pop up titled "New Event".
3. Enter all information for every section in regard to the event (Name, Description, Instructions, Event Date, Country, State, City).
4. When you have completed all of the information, click on "Send". The event will appear in the Updates section and members will be able to sign up to attend the event.
5. You have the option of making events private (for your firm only) or public (for all IGAF Polaris members).

If you have any further questions or concerns about the website, please contact info@igafpolaris.org