FAQs about AccountRight Live Security

AccountRight Live is a cloud accounting service available across AccountRight Basics, Standard, Plus and Premier. AccountRight Live gives you the choice of how you do your accounts: on your desktop, in the cloud or both. More importantly, it makes storing your company’s data more secure than ever before. When your files are in the cloud, not only are they protected by industry-standard security levels but everything is synced live so anyone you give access to can work on the files at the same time.

 

• What is accounting in the cloud?

Accounting software with a ‘cloud’ component enables accounting data to be stored securely off-site on servers managed by an external provider. This means you can access up-to-date files remotely from anywhere, in real time.

 

• What are the benefits of cloud accounting?

Working in the cloud gives you the flexibility to work from the office, at home or anywhere in between. You might have workers on the road, an off-site bookkeeper, an accountant across town, interstate customers and overseas suppliers. Modern businesses need to be mobile and flexible, as well as connectable and secure. AccountRight Live enables you to meet these needs.

 

• What’s the difference between browser-based and cloud-based software?

Browser-based software runs on internet browsers such as Internet Explorer or Google Chrome. This gives you the flexibility to work in multiple locations, but relies on an internet connection to work. Good examples of this are Gmail, Facebook and MYOB Essentials. Cloud-based software doesn’t rely purely on the internet to work. A good example is iTunes. You can use it to shop and download music when you’re online, but your library is always available whether or not you are online. And if you lose your iPod or iPhone, all your purchased music is available to download again from Apple’s cloud. Similarly, with AccountRight Live, your data is always available – either on your local computer or in the cloud.

 

• The best of both worlds

AccountRight Live gives you the best of cloud-based and desktop-based computing. You have the security and control of running your accounting software on your local computers with no need to rely on your internet connection. You also have the flexibility to store your files in various ways:

 

- In the cloud where you and others can access the most recent file – the most accessible and safe way to store them.

 

- On your computer’s hard drive or local server.

 

• What security measures are in cloud computing?

In some ways online or cloud storage is more secure than offline storage. Small to medium size businesses are prime targets for hackers and fraudsters because they generally have fewer resources for securing computer data properly. AccountRight Live has a secure gateway through which only an authorised user can access your data. This eliminates the need to send your data to your accountant through potentially unsafe means such as email, CD or USB stick.

 

MYOB worked with Microsoft when designing an online architecture which is designed to best practice standards. The system has:

 

- been externally assessed by a professional information security company

 

- had the source code scanned for security vulnerability by an external information security company

 

- passed application penetration testing conducted under the industry’s best-practice guidelines and accepted standards

 

- automatic daily backups.

 

• The security of Windows Azure

MYOB has chosen Microsoft Windows Azure to manage the online component of AccountRight Live. This means any sized business can easily access top-grade facilities for their cloud computing needs. Windows Azure provides a solid hosting infrastructure which lets us focus on delivering a robust product that leverages off cloud technologies to make business life easier and more flexible.

 

• How have you ensured MYOB’s cloud servers have enough capacity?

MYOB chose the Microsoft Azure infrastructure because it is designed to dynamically expand as demand increases. This means you can be assured that it has almost infinite capacity to store company data files.

 

• What happens if I cancel my AccountRight Live subscription?

If you have an AccountRight Live subscription, your online company file is only writeable while your subscription is maintained. If you cancel AccountRight Live, your online company file will also be cancelled and the file will become read only for a period of 30 days before being removed. In order for you to write to the file, you will need to purchase AccountRight desktop software or resubscribe to AccountRight Live within this period. If you have AccountRight desktop software and cancel AccountRight Live, your company file will no longer be available online, but you will still be able to access and write to the company file using AccountRight on your desktop by taking a backup and restoring it to your desktop software.

 

• What happens to my online company files if I cancel my AccountRight Live subscription?

If you cancel your AccountRight Live subscription your online company files will be available to download to your desktop for 30 days. After this time, all online company files will be deleted.

 

• How do I control access to my data?

You manage the access to company files hosted on AccountRight Live through my.MYOB. This means that to access the data online, a user must be both an authorised user of a company file and have the authority and password to log in to the file online. To further protect data, users must choose an industry standard password that has at least eight characters, contains one number, one uppercase and one lowercase letter. Automatic lockouts are also enforced if a password fails after three consecutive attempts.

 

You have full control over who you give access to and can add or remove users as needed. You can also choose to nominate AccountRight Live administrators to help manage the online company files, as well as manage the access for co-workers, advisors or accountants.

 

Find out more Ways you can protect your AccountRight company file

 

If you have any further questions, please contact us. We are available seven days per week.