Professional Development and Event Catalog

This program addresses the role of client internal controls for balancing efficiency and effectiveness in a risk-based audit. Practical insights regarding an auditor's assessment of the risk of material misstatement when auditing financial statements of non-issuers will be explored, with particular emphasis on internal controls of small-to-medium clients. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available for your questions during the event.

This course will enable practitioners to understand and apply the AICPA "clarification" auditing standards to audits of Small- and Medium-Sized Entities (SMEs). Further, this course will provide guidance on how to perform an effective, efficient and profitable audit engagement. The course is loaded with practical practice aids to help enable participants to comply with the standards. Troublesome areas as identified in peer reviews and litigation will be covered. Participants who take this course will enjoy smooth sailing in their peer reviews, guaranteed! This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The course provides a concise overview of more than 200 data visualization tools which can be used by accountants to enhance the visual appeal of their financial work. All resources are easy-to-use web-based applications that require virtually no artistic or design skill - simply drag and drop, point and click, cut and paste, and/or edit text. You'll discover how to create new image content in a snap to better inform, persuade, and inspire action. Participants will walk away with a whole new creative toolkit and skillset that cuts through data clutter, improves analysis and sharpens decision-making. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Become a trusted and valued business partner In the dynamic landscape of modern business, the role of finance professionals is rapidly evolving. No longer confined to traditional number-crunching, today's finance experts are expected to be strategic partners, influential in shaping the future of their organizations. Global trends and changing organizational environments drive finance to be more strategic and proactive - to move beyond reporting on results to helping business units achieve results. During this session, we will dive into essential skills for finance professionals, such as: Building effective stakeholder relationships Developing acute business acumen Enhancing strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities This webcast will provide attendees with a roadmap to becoming a trusted and valued business partner.

Individuals may cite retaliatory concerns when weighing their decision to report an issue; during an investigation; or, after an investigation’s conclusion. No matter the timing, when an individual raises a retaliation concern, their claims should be taken seriously and fully reviewed. Does your organization analyze retaliation allegations and investigate outcomes as part of their cultural assessment?   Most organizations track retaliation matters at a general, non-specific level. The type of retaliation and the perceived cause of the retaliatory act are not delineated. When a retaliation matter requires investigation, an organization should gather key data points for trending purposes and to fine tune future training and policy initiatives. This course offers recommendations for (1) framing responses to retaliation allegations (2) capturing key data points (3) developing specific metrics for retaliation matters

Financial forecasting is an important part of any successful business. It enables businesses to plan for the future and anticipate scenarios based on strategy. The controller helps forecast financials by calculating future revenue and income streams. In recent years, corporate finance has undergone many dramatic changes due to the growth of a number of high-tech tools. The responsibilities/competencies of the Financial Controller position (FC) has changed in recent years To maximize performance, Controllers must be aware of how the FC position is changing, and how they must adjust to these changes. There are many types and methods of financial forecasting. This course will review the most prevalent forecasts and relative methods being used.

During this presentation, the most common mistakes made by employee benefit plan auditors, as well as, plan sponsors will be identified. Best practices for handling specific issues that arise during the course of the engagement will also be explored. This discussion will help auditors recognize potential pitfalls in audit procedures/documentation and assist plan sponsors with compliance issues.

This course examines the critical issues and special opportunities facing partnerships and their partners, with a focus on reporting tax basis capital accounts.  **Please Note:  If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com.

Is your tech stack aligned with your organizational goals? Is there duplication among software titles? Is your hardware where it needs to be? Get answers to these and other questions in this session!

This webcast is part of the 2020 Power BI Series. Please see below for the suggested viewing order. What good is data analysis if you can't share it? This webcast focuses on using Microsoft's cloud-based sharing/publishing platform, PowerBI.com. You will learn the interface as well as the benefits of using PowerBI.com. You will also learn how to use PowerBI.com to leverage the work performed in Power Pivot or Power BI Desktop. Using PowerBI.com to create visuals is very similar to Power BI Desktop, so we will only review this feature. If you want detailed instructions on creating visualizations, please attend the Power BI Desktop webcast. This class can be taken with no Excel or Power BI Desktop knowledge, but some concepts will be a repeat from those classes and will serve as a knowledge reinforcement for experienced users. Many data analysts may create models in Power Pivot or Power BI Desktop, so we will spend time focused on how to share that data with PowerBI.com. This will ensure that everyone is looking at the same data, no matter the toolset. PowerBI.com adds the ability to create and share dashboards, so we will also demonstrate how to create visualizations that can be turned into dashboards that allow users to customize their PowerBI.com with dashboards that are meaningful to them. This series is presented using Excel 2019/Office 365. Regardless of the version you are using, most concepts covered in this webcast series apply to all versions of Excel. (bold) *In order to follow along and apply concepts being taught during this session, you need to sign-up for a free PowerBI.com account at www.powerbi.com. (bold) Explore the other webcasts in the 2020 Power BI Series: Power BI - Introduction to MS Power BI Tools Power BI - Prepare Your Data Efficiently for Excel Analysis Power BI - Analyze Your Data With Excel Pivot Tables Power BI - Create Excel Dashboards for Maximum Impact Power BI - Use Power Query to Transform Your Data Power BI - Go Beyond PivotTables with Power Pivot Power BI - Use Advanced Calculations with DAX Formulas Power BI - Use PBI Desktop to Create Reports and Dashboards

Required minimum distributions (RMDs) must begin for the year in which the account owner reaches age 72 - later if they were born in 1951. RMDs must also be taken from inherited accounts, and the process for determining RMDs for these accounts is more complex than those that apply to RMDs for non-inherited accounts. Failure to comply with the RMD rules will result in the account owner owing the IRS an excess accumulation penalty on any RMD shortfall. Interested parties must understand the compliance requirements that apply to RMDs to be able to assist in ensuring that penalties are avoided. Additionally, the recent changes that affect RMDs must be considered when advising clients about their RMD obligations.

This segment will focus on the analytical process required to derive a logical and supportable estimate of value for a regulated marijuana businesses and related intellectual property rights. Valuing recreational and medical license rights for marijuana cultivation, processing or retailing will be emphasized with a focus on use of the income and market approaches to value. A sample sanitized appraisal report will be provided and discussed. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

A detailed analysis of the calculations related to determining a shareholder's tax basis for S corporation shares and loans. How to use the Form 1120S, Schedule K-1 information for basis determination, as well as an update on Schedules K-2 and K-3. An illustrative example demonstrates how the process works, as well as the many potential pitfalls. **Please Note:  If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program, please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab and submit to kori.herrera@acpen.com.

Conflict is as natural as breathing air. For many, the thought of dealing with conflict is difficult and horrifying, and yet unresolved conflict can damage relationships, cause pain and suffering as well as hinder workplace productivity. When addressed, however, conflict has the power to be transformative in strengthening workplace relationships, shared understanding, and increased productivity. This workshop will provide an intimate understanding of how to deal with conflict in collaborative and constructive ways. Using ethical values and principles, we will explore how to move conflict from an obstacle to an opportunity. This workshop is geared toward individuals who are wanting to improve their conflict management skills and create more harmonious and positive working environments. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Auditors are entrusted with obtaining reasonable assurance that financial statements are free from material misstatements, whether caused by fraud or error. However, the risk of undetected fraud is higher because of its potentially sophisticated nature. Fraudsters may employ forgery, intentional omission of transactions, or misrepresentations to conceal their schemes. This webcast delves into the fundamental reasons auditors prioritize fraud detection. In this webcast, we will: Explore the evolving fraud landscape in today's business environment Share key takeaways from the ASB's outreach to forensic professionals Provide valuable insights into essential behaviors and strategies for auditors to effectively consider fraud risks.

This course examines actual fraud circumstances through the lens of potential prevention. We will examine how selected frauds were accomplished and consider what internal controls may have prevented fraudsters’ ability to accomplish their nefarious acts.

Substantive Analytic Procedures - Strengthening Evidence to Satisfy Audit Objectives will provide the tips and best practice techniques for strengthening substantive analytic procedures in order to reduce over-reliance on tests of details. One of the ways to perform a more effective and efficient audit is to maximize the use of substantive analytic procedures in the detailed audit plan. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for in-charge or supervisor auditors, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has responsibilities for analytical procedures. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

For many business professionals, accessing and managing data in Excel is one of the biggest stumbling blocks when creating reports and analyses. Common practices include far too many manual processes and formulas, including never-ending manual processes needed to update your data and related reports. Make plans now to join us in this session to learn best practices for accessing and managing data using Excel. In this session, you will learn how you can use Power Query and other Excel tools to quickly access and manipulate your data and generate reports in record time! This is a “must-see” session for any business professional working with Excel!    

Automating the tax practice is – or should be – a major initiative of almost all public accounting firms today. From ingesting data, processing returns, distributing draft and final copies, and billing and collecting fees, practitioners have outstanding opportunities to automate their tax practice. Those that choose to automate will experience the benefits of reduced staff turnover, increased productivity and efficiency, fewer errors, and improved cash flow. Participate in this session to learn the “how’s and why’s” of automating your tax practice. This session includes critical topics such as hardware and software options, workflows, and security and privacy issues. Plan to join us in this session to position your tax practice for greater success! 

There is always too much to do and too little time to do it all.  Fortunately, if you know the right ways to manage people, projects and your time, you can get on top of everything by working smarter.  In this seminar you'll learn the best ways to get more done in less time, how to stay sane with all you have to do, and how to get other people to do some of "your" work by building great relationships.