Professional Development and Event Catalog

The title of this webinar is NOT a joke. If you consistently apply the five principles of ethical intelligence that Forbes Contributor Bruce Weinstein, The Ethics Guy, presents, your business will prosper, you will take better care of yourself and lose that weight, and either find or keep the love of your life. However, you are the one that will have to do the work, day in and day out. All Bruce can do is show you the way. If you are willing to commit (or renew your commitment) to leading your business and your personal life with ethical intelligence, this is the perfect webinar for you. The work you put in during and after the webinar will help to make you a better CPA and a better person. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This course provides a comprehensive analysis of the SECURE 2.0 Act. The principal focus of the Act is to expand retirement coverage and increase retirement savings. As such, the Act has many important changes relating to IRAs and qualified plans. This legislation alters the landscape of retirement planning for taxpayers of all ages. Make sure you are up to date with the latest information available in order to effectively advise your clients on these important changes.

Working from home presents both benefits and challenges for professionals. For employees, working from home provides opportunities to be more productive and gain time that would otherwise be spent commuting to and from the office. Employers who utilize remote work enjoy fewer fixed costs, more efficiency, and greater employee satisfaction. Without proper planning, professionals who work remotely may experience increased anxiety and disorganization. They may also jeopardize data privacy. However, when executed properly, working remotely can help organizations become more efficient and profitable, while at the same time improving employee morale. This webinar looks at how firms and companies have successfully implemented work from home programs and discusses mistakes that can be avoided through proper planning.

"Did you know that fraud is like a parasite, feeding on the lifeblood of the industry and causing billions in losses each year? Join Chuck Gallagher, a renowned expert in fraud prevention, for 'The Many Faces of Fraud: Shedding Light on the Tactics of Modern-Day Swindlers,' a captivating two-hour course that will empower you to thwart these financial predators. Chuck will guide you through the most common forms of fraud, revealing the psychology and motivations of swindlers. Through real-life case studies and hands-on exercises, you'll learn practical strategies for identifying red flags and responding effectively to safeguard your organization. Enroll now to gain invaluable insights and join the fight against these cunning adversaries!"

Accounting and financial reporting for construction contractors may be the most difficult area to be in compliance with the various standards. Also, construction engagements are, in many instances, more "dangerous" than most lines of business due to the many users of the financial statements (especially considering the impact of COVID-19). In this course, we will discuss why construction accounting and financial reporting are so complex and discuss the relationship between the contractor and the surety, both from an underwriting and claims perspective. We will also explore what the surety looks for in order to maximize potential bond credit.

Internal controls are more important than ever, and their importance increases daily. However, internal controls present a challenge for many smaller organizations. This program will teach you how to evaluate, develop, and implement an effective internal control structure in a small business environment. You will identify how to assess risk in smaller organizations and implement preventive, detective, deterrent, and compensating controls to mitigate these risks, even without proper segregation of duties. Additionally, participating in this program will teach you technology-focused techniques for preventing and detecting fraud and securing information systems and sensitive data. For small organizations, maintaining an effective system of internal controls presents a significant challenge. Realistically, implementing many theoretical concepts surrounding internal controls may not be possible in some cases. Consequently, many internal control structures foster an environment where too much risk exists. This factor and uncontrolled information systems can often lead to disastrous results. Participate in this program to learn the necessary insights and tools to design, implement, and monitor effective internal controls, security, and anti-fraud measures in small organizations.

This course will explore the use of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence chatbot technologies in the accounting profession. Participants will learn how to utilize ChatGPT to automate tasks, improve efficiency and accuracy, and provide real-time support to clients. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Automation and outsourcing offer viable options for addressing today’s labor issues. In this session, you will learn about the potential benefits and risks associated with automation and outsourcing.

Best Practices for Identifying and Evaluating Audit Risk - Linking Risk to the Detailed Audit Plan will emphasize the key concepts and best practices that drive a thoughtful risk-based approach to forming an opinion on the financial statements. Properly identifying, assessing, and responding to risk through a detailed audit plan is critical to an effective and efficient financial statement audit. Note: This course is recommended as a part of a 16-hour audit skills curriculum for experienced staff, while it is also appropriate for anyone who has the need to better understand how to link risk assessments to the detailed audit plan. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

How do you raise your skills to the next level to master the Controller or CFO role?  Welcome to a course that provides insights that align the CGMA Competency Framework. The course will examine each of the areas: Technical, Business, Leadership and People to increase your competency.  How are your technical skills?  Are you a traditional accountant or have you learned to expand your technical skills to go beyond “what are the financial numbers?” to “why did these financial results occur?”  Are you able to use ratios to understand the business dynamics and the implications to change course or take corrective action?  Are the systems that you implement and operate best practices or merely stop-gap solutions? How are your business skills?  Can you set a vision? Can you develop a strategy?  Do you understand the macroeconomic environment of your organization?   Can you lead a major project to a successful conclusion?  This session will explore the role of business as opposed to tracking the results of the business. How are your people skills?  How good is your ability to influence others? How are successful are your negotiation skills?   How well can you communicate?  Are you a collaborator or a partner?  This section will help accountants understand that it is people skills that drive the overall success of the accounting operations. Finally, how are your Leadership skills?  Do you inspire staff or make them angry?  Do you know why your staff work for your company and you?  Do you understand what employees want from their position?  Do you know how to deal with a difficult staff person?  Can you lead difficult change?  This session will help you recognize what leadership truly is as opposed to what passes for day to day management.

Being consistently ethical is a challenge. Most of us have had to make tough choices.  This session will discuss real world cases involving thorny ethical dilemmas and how to resolve them. Being ethical is not the same as complying with the law and ethical issues are not always black and white. This session will review different professional ethical standards.  What does integrity mean in the office? If you want to learn lessons from the best in a short time, this session is for you.  Participate in engaging dialogue about how to prepare for the inevitable ethical situations.  These lessons are valuable for every business leader.

Stay up-to-date on rapidly changing developments by participating in the 2024 Governmental Accounting and Auditing Update! Take advantage of this opportunity to find out about breaking government issues. This is your opportunity to hear about the latest challenges facing state and local governments and practitioners who work with them and audit them, presented by leading experts on governmental accounting and auditing, both those who work in the trenches and those from the regulatory world. With all of the fiscal, regulatory, and new standards challenges facing governments and their auditors, it is important to keep current on critical issues and developments. In 2024, governments and their auditors continue to operate in a rapidly changing environment as they continue to face the many challenges associated with significant federal funding with complex requirements. From a governmental accounting, auditing, and compliance perspective, 2024 will be a critical year for addressing the complex federal funding challenges as well as focusing on implementing new standards and requirements! Plus, it is imperative that you start planning for the significant changes coming in 2024 and beyond! Exciting new topics this year include focused discussions on addressing the new GASB pronouncement on risk disclosures and the GAO’s 2024 Yellow Book! You’ll receive an update on the most recent accounting and auditing developments affecting governments and government auditors. This includes Single Audit issues, AICPA and Yellow Book issues, new and recently effective GASB pronouncements, audit issues, and a look at what’s on the horizon. Join ACPEN’s panel of experts as they discuss, not only the technical requirements of new standards, but also the key implementation issues that must be addressed by auditors and their governmental clients! Benefit from their experience and insights from many perspectives, as well as their long experience in governmental accounting and auditing. **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.

This intensive 2-hour course is designed specifically for those aiming to master data management skills in the modern business environment. As data becomes increasingly central to accounting and financial analysis, the ability to effectively manage, clean, and transform this data is critical. This course delves into Microsoft Power Query, a potent tool within Excel and Power BI Desktop, known for its robust data processing capabilities. This course is designed to take participants from the basics of Power Query to exploring its more sophisticated features. It is an ideal blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application, centered around diverse data scenarios encountered in multiple industries. The aim is to ensure that the skills and techniques learned are universally applicable and beneficial in any professional context. Structured to be participant-focused, the course encourages active learning through a series of practical exercises, live demonstrations, and illustrative case studies. This approach not only deepens the understanding of Power Query's features but also demonstrates how to turn complex data sets into actionable insights. While the course is broad in its application, it remains detailed in its instruction, catering to both the novice and the seasoned professional. It is particularly beneficial for those who regularly interact with data, such as business analysts, project managers, and financial professionals, providing them with the tools to streamline data processes and enhance data analysis capabilities. Additionally, the course underscores best practices in data management. Participants will learn strategic approaches to data challenges, ensuring that their data processes are efficient, scalable, and sustainable. This is not just a course about mastering a tool; it's about empowering professionals with the skills to transform data into a strategic business resource. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to leverage Power Query in Excel or Power BI desktop to its full potential, turning data into a powerful driver for business success and innovation. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This session explores the importance of internal controls with an emphasis on best practices for small- and medium-sized entities.  We will examine the roles of both preventive and detective controls and practical, cost-effective suggestions for implementing effective internal controls will be addressed.

Are you ready to maximize the utility of ChatGPT? If so, participate in this session so you can learn the best ways to leverage this tool.

The term “automate” has been an industry buzzword for at least a decade. Yet, few organizations have embarked on successful automation journeys, leading to greater efficiencies, reduced errors, and happier team members. In this session, you will learn how to crank up your automation projects and see first-hand how easy and effective automation can be. More specifically, this session shows you exactly how you can work with tools from Zoho, Zapier, and Microsoft to enable powerful routines that will allow you and your team to get more done in less time.

This program will examine the key provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that was enacted to not only curb inflation, but reduce the deficit, promote clean energy solutions, and much more.  Learn how this new legislation can provide tax savings for both your individual and business clients.  **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.

Whether you are responsible for managing 1 employee or 20, your leadership can make or break your team. Learn practical leadership strategies that you can implement when you return to your office. In today’s competitive market, it’s more imperative than ever that as leaders we are inspiring and motivating our teams to success.  

Business professionals can automate data collection processes by using today’s electronic forms. Learn about these tools and how to deploy them in this session.

Microsoft Teams is one of the most widely used applications for communications, collaboration and knowledge sharing in business today. Most users are unaware of many time saving features available to help you manage your conversations, files and related content on a daily basis. John Higgins, a strategic advisor to the profession on Microsoft 365, will teach you how to leverage all the functionality Teams has to offer to compose, organize and retrieve your conversations, files and related content for maximum effectiveness. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.