CPE Catalog & Events

SSARS No. 21, Clarification and Recodification, and updates to SSARS No. 21 due to the issuance of SSARS No. 23, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services SSARS No. 22, Compilation of Pro Forma Financial Information SSARS No. 24, Omnibus Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services -- 2018 SSARS No. 25, Materiality in a Review of Financial Statements and Adverse Conclusions  SSARS No. 26, Quality Management for an Engagement Conducted in Accordance With Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services Sample comprehensive engagement work programs for preparation, compilation and review engagements Reporting and disclosure illustrations for each level of service, including attesting on personal financial statements, prescribed form, special purpose framework and other engagement variations Other communication requirements, such as sample engagement letters and management representation letters

Overall landscape of the construction industry GAAP and recent changes affecting the construction industry The new Revenue Recognition Standard and its impact on the construction industry The unique relationship between the contractor and the surety The new lease FASB ASC and its impact on the construction industry

Overall landscape of the construction industry GAAP and recent changes affecting the construction industry The new Revenue Recognition Standard and its impact on the construction industry The unique relationship between the contractor and the surety The new lease FASB ASC and its impact on the construction industry

Economic update Leadership and management changes as a result of the pandemic Managing for productivity Hiring the best people for the organization New motivation techniques

Economic update Leadership and management changes as a result of the pandemic Managing for productivity Hiring the best people for the organization New motivation techniques

Why forecasts and budgets are frequently wrong: behavioral finance; improper goal setting, games, continuing the status quo, traditional budgeting techniques Incorporating strategy into budgets: improving measurement systems; common errors, developing strategies and appropriate measurements Expanding the budgeting framework: rolling forecasts; mission-based budgeting, zero-based budgeting, post-completion evaluations, contingency planning, black swan events, identifying improvements Big data: definition, challenges, goals, current uses/examples, sources of information Analytical tools: ration analysis, benchmarking, Pareto analysis, trend analysis, regression, simulation, dashboards

Changing Role of Financial Professionals: Priorities Change in mission Valued-added actions Strategic Measurements: Common errors and guidelines for improvement Balanced scorecard Strategy development and implementation Budgeting basics and next steps Risk Management: Recent lessons, including Black Swan events Defining Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) Implementation Developing a Financial Leadership Pipeline: Changing employment environment Retaining the right employees Compensation Hiring process Capital Projects: Types of projects Factors affecting capacity Valuation techniques Cash management M&A Activity: Current environment Controller’s role Strategic questions Sample transactions Due diligence Implementation Introducing Improvements/Innovation: Getting started Establishing an environment Potential first projects Organizational structure

Recent trends: M&A activity; contributing factors/reasons for current levels; examples of recent transactions; IPOs (Initial Public Offering) and SPACs (Special-Purpose Acquisition Company); strategic spin-offs/splits; internal venture capital activities; incubators Expanded role of financial professionals: establishing strategy; valuation techniques; execution plan; due diligence; sources of industry information; goodwill; post-completion evaluations Negotiations: Improving your communication skills; establishing an environment for success; list of dos and don’ts Alliances and outsourcing: steps to forming an alliance; examples of recent alliances; determining if outsourcing (short and long-term) is correct for your organization; steps to improve results

Rethinking Risk Management: Historic view Challenges Rules Recent lessons Required skills Sources of Risk: Economy Competitors Operations Investments Strategy Compensation Routine practices Unethical behavior. Enterprise Risk Management (ERM): Defining ERM Areas of focus Implementation Planning for disasters Business continuity Contingencies Analytical Tools: Post-completion evaluations Simulation Z-score Hedging Brainstorming Mind mapping Delphi technique

Economic update Leadership and management changes as a result of the pandemic Expense control that works. Understanding our changing workforce and working environment Financial risk analysis Enterprise risk management Metrics and benchmarking Improving bank relationships and borrowing

Recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates, the PCC Update, and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda Leases – Topic 842 Review of SAS No. 142 – Audit Evidence Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity Detailed review of SAS No. 145 Other important A&A practice matters

Recently issued FASB Accounting Standards Updates, the PCC Update, and items on the FASB’s Technical Agenda Leases – Topic 842 Review of SAS No. 142 – Audit Evidence Recently issued SASs and other AICPA activity Detailed review of SAS No. 145 Other important A&A practice matters

Where can you create a calculated column? Understanding evaluation context- row and filter context When does evaluation of the formula occur (before, as, or after the data is loaded?) Understanding storage requirements of calculated columns Understanding the analytical data model of the Star Schema Dimensions Facts Exercises- calculated columns Adding a calculated column in a table in Excel Creating a dimension table in Power Query Creating a hierarchy in Excel with calculated columns Adding a calculated column in Power Query JE testing with calculated columns Other test- opening balances

Creating a table Parts to a table Benefits of an Excel table Structured references How it helps to create formulas Formulas are column based not cell based Tables are data sources for Power Query Exercises- tables Creating a table Resizing a table Removing duplicates Descriptive Statistics using the Total Row Inserting a slicer Creating formulas using structured references

Named ranges- how they help in creating formulas Naming conventions and why they are important What you need to know to master formulas How to audit your formulas to limit errors Exercises- formulas Named ranges How to enter a formula- best practices to improve skill levels

Visualization tools in Excel (camera, slicers, and timelines) Data view- why it went away. Power BI is the visualization tool to use All concepts learned in course are brought together in this last class to create a dashboard: Power Query- to extract transform and load data for the dashboard Power Pivot -to create the data model for the dashboard DAX formulas- for pivot tables to calculate values needed for model Pivot tables and charts- to create visualizations Camera tool to create dashboard Exercise- Using the data analytics workflow introduced in first class of series- to create dashboard for JE testing Journal entry by month and income statement accounts Descriptive statistics of journal entries Number of journal entry by month Journal entries by day of week Round journal entries Evaluate output of journal entry analytic Other approaches What are the false positives (noise)? Next steps in data analytics journey

Definition of Data Analytics Assessing your organization’s current status and establishing an environment for success Financial staff’s core activities Common uses of analytics and current examples Behavioral forces that impact decisions Examples of inaccurate forecasts Identifying strategic measurements (KPIs) Improving budgeting and forecasting and addressing Black Swan events Collecting and using data from traditional and non-traditional data sources Statistical tools, including Median, Mode, Moving average, Ratio analysis, Pareto analysis, Rolling forecast, Mission-based budgeting, Trend analysis, Regression, Z-Score (public and private organizations), and Simulation Analytical techniques, including Brainstorming, Mind mapping, and Delphi technique Software tools that are readily available and can assist in visually exploring data; expanding the scope of available data, as well as collecting, analyzing and presenting results (including Dashboards). Specific ideas for using Data Analytics, including immediate opportunities and areas for further consideration Expanded lists of readings and next level software for a participants’ future reference

Definition of data analytics and big data; challenges and goals; establishing an environment for success; governance; common uses of analytics and current examples Behavioral forces that impact decisions; examples of inaccurate forecasts; identifying strategic measurements (KPIs); data sources Statistical tools, including median, mode, moving average, ratio analysis, Pareto analysis, trend analysis, regression, z-score, and simulation Software tools that are readily available and can assist in visually exploring data, expanding the scope of available data, as well as collecting, analyzing, and presenting results Specific ideas for using data analytics for accountants and financial managers, including current examples and areas for further consideration Lists of readings and next-level software for a participant’s future reference

Why have companies struggled to implement data analytics? What are the barriers you face in becoming a data-driven organization? How does self-service business intelligence help in developing a data-driven organization? Why is Power BI the self-service business intelligence application you should use? Why should everyone in your company be assigned a data role?

Ethical duty to safeguard employee, client, and litigant data Common threats, including phishing, ransomware, and bad password management Security management of business and personal electronic devices Best practices for creating and securing passwords Insight into how our personal information is exploited in our daily lives