CPE Catalog & Events

Common Audit and Financial Reporting Deficiencies in State and Local Governments, is a 2 hour webcast detailing many of the more common mistakes that auditors and accountants are making in either the preparation of their annual financial statements or the audits of such financial statements. Deficiencies in audit standards (AICPA, GAO, Single Audit) and preparation standards (GASB) noted in this webcast are driven by the most recent results found in audit organization peer reviews, workpaper or desk reviews, and various organizations checklists for oversight. 

This course examines how agentic AI is revolutionizing tax compliance, planning, and advisory services. Participants will explore real-world deployments by leading firms such as EY, which has developed agents that handle millions of global tax transactions. The course also delves into cross-border compliance issues, transfer pricing automation, and emerging advisory models powered by agent-led simulations. Risks related to bias, unauthorized practice, and data privacy will be addressed, with guidance on aligning autonomous operations with professional and regulatory standards. CPAs must understand these advancements to ensure tax compliance, manage client expectations, and mitigate professional liability risks when providing agent-assisted advisory services.

AI is reshaping accounting, tax, and finance. This update surveys the state of AI technology in 2026: core concepts, software tools, risks/controls, and practical CPA use cases. You will leave with an expanded AI vocabulary, a current view of the AI landscape, and actionable talking points for staff, clients, and service providers. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Valuation techniques and cash management activities are two other tool categories that can round out your analytical toolbox. In this course we will initially discuss how to turn your financial plan into a powerful valuation engine.  We then will discuss the formation of an efficient cash management program based on solid banker relationships.  Finally, we will review Ten Steps for keeping your financial toolbox full.

This business coaching course is designed to enhance your coaching effectiveness by integrating innovative tools like ChatGPT (Generative AI) to support and elevate your coaching practice. You'll explore the key differences and similarities between coaching and managing, uncover the most important skill every coach should master, and learn how to get to the root cause of any problem. With hands-on coaching strategies, including neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) techniques, you'll enhance your ability to drive results. Additionally, you’ll discover how to use performance gap analysis to identify and bridge gaps, ensuring the success and growth of the individuals you coach.

Evaluating performance for professionals used to GAAP. A strong foundation in financial statement analysis is essential for understanding a company's performance and financial health across reporting standards. This seminar is designed for professionals, particularly those trained in U.S. GAAP, who want to enhance their understanding of IFRS-based financial reporting using a real-world Canadian public company as a case study. We will walk through the company's IFRS-based balance sheet, income statement, and statement of cash flows, highlighting both presentation and interpretation differences compared to U.S. GAAP. Participants will learn key analytical tools such as common-size analysis, trend analysis, and financial ratios covering liquidity, profitability, and leverage for an IFRS reporting company. Throughout the session, comparisons to GAAP will help clarify terminology, classification differences, and measurement principles-including treatment of leases, revenue, financial instruments, and impairment. The seminar also moves beyond basic ratios to explore advanced analytical techniques, such as ROE decomposition, operating vs. non-operating performance measures, and managerial ratios that reveal cost behavior, efficiency, and cash flow dynamics. Participants will see how IFRS disclosure requirements can offer additional insight into performance, risk, and sustainability. This practical and comparative seminar is ideal for accounting, finance, and business professionals who want to sharpen analytical skills, interpret IFRS-based financial statements, and better understand how to bridge IFRS and GAAP for global comparison and 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.

This CPE course explains Yellow Book independence including the general requirements, requirements for auditors providing non-audit services and documentation requirements. This course also explains the basic elements of a Uniform Guidance compliance audit, including an overview of requirements, major program determination with examples, an understanding of compliance requirements and related internal control over compliance, sampling, and single audit reporting. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Participants will learn to create customized AI chatbots that can enhance client interaction and internal operations-all without coding experience. This course provides a concise overview of specialized, task-oriented AI chatbots and GPT builders, focusing on how these technologies are revolutionizing professional workflows. Through hands-on exploration of platforms like AgentGPT, Claude Projects, Gemini Gems, and NotebookLM, participants will learn to design, deploy, and manage custom AI assistants tailored to their specific needs. The course emphasizes creating advanced AI apps that can understand context and solve complex problems autonomously. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

CPAs get a bad rep regarding bookkeeping services. Walk through how to overhaul your offering by reviewing your client expectations, tech stack, and workflows.

So, you've been using Power BI to create fundamental reports and dashboards, and now you're ready for even more advanced reporting & if so, this session is for you. In this session, you will learn how to extend your Power BI environment by incorporating tools such as Data Analysis Expressions, Key Performance Indicators, Hierarchies, and Apps and Content Packs, among others. By taking advantage of the tools and techniques covered in this session, you will be able to move beyond simple reports and dashboards in Power BI and truly leverage the power of this awesome reporting tool.

Many organizations have a process documented for their employment life cycle but do not look at it wholistically. Having a longer view of the employee life cycle can provide more value to your company that you might think. Join us for an interactive discussion around the entire life cycle of employees with best practices discussed on continuous improvement for your organization. This session will provide an overview of each of the steps in the timeline from multiple perspectives, to provide keen insights on actionable ideas to take back to your workplace and implement today.

This program addresses the critical issues and special opportunities facing S-corporations, with a focus on reporting shareholder basis and distributions.    *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 terri.storer@acpen.com    

The Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200) pertains to the management of Federal Financial Assistance for grants and cooperative agreements.  The Biden Administration has performed a comprehensive update where the revised Uniform Guidance was released in April 2024. We will review all of the significant compliance and threshold changes. In addition, we will provide a brief presentation of the revised guidance as it pertains to Time and Effort reporting.

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 Part 2 of this seminar we will go into more depth about how to get more done in less time, as well as how to not burnout from all the work you do.  We will discuss additional methods for working smarter through technology, communication, stress reduction, and creating smart and helpful goals.

Step into the future of accounting and finance with our cutting-edge course on Artificial Intelligence (AI). Designed to demystify AI and transform it from a theoretical concept into a practical tool, this course will equip you with the skills to tackle modern challenges head-on. Whether you're looking to boost productivity, enhance accuracy, or streamline operations, our course has you covered. Discover the incredible problem-solving capabilities of AI, tailored specifically for accounting and financial professionals. Learn how to leverage AI features integrated into everyday applications like Excel to detect fraud, identify transaction errors, and elevate your financial operations. Witness firsthand how AI is revolutionizing the industry and positioning you at the forefront of this technological wave. Join us and unlock the full potential of AI to transform your workflow and drive success. Don't miss out on this opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and lead the way in the future of accounting and finance!

Embark on a journey to master Power BI, a powerful tool for data analysis and business intelligence, in our comprehensive course, "Get Started with Power BI." This course is meticulously designed for professionals who seek to understand the full spectrum of Power BI capabilities, including its integration with Excel's Power BI features like Power Pivot and Power Query, and its comparison with standalone Power BI tools such as Power BI Desktop, Power BI Service, and Power BI Report Server. In the first part of the course, participants will be introduced to the fundamentals of Power BI. This includes an overview of Power BI's interface, key features, and its seamless integration with Excel. The course will cover Excel's Power BI tools - Power Pivot, for advanced data modeling, and Power Query, for efficient data transformation and preparation. This segment is essential for understanding how Power BI extends and enhances the data processing and analytical capabilities of Excel. The second section of the course delves into the standalone Power BI tools. Here, participants will explore Power BI Desktop for creating complex data models and sophisticated reports, Power BI Service for cloud-based collaboration and sharing, and Power BI Report Server for on-premises report deployment. This part of the course will focus on the unique features and strengths of these standalone tools, providing attendees with the skills to leverage Power BI in a variety of business contexts. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Properly identifying performance obligations is a critical step in the five-step revenue recognition model. It is a step that must be completed at the inception of the contract and prior to moving on to step three of the model. As discussed in segment one on performance obligations, there are many types and variations of obligations and as such, management will be required to utilize significant judgment when applying this step. However,  it is important that the judgment be supported by considerations of the proper factors. The course further evaluates areas that impact performance obligations. We utilize multiple examples from various industries to illustrate the considerations that must be evaluated in line with both identifying performance obligations and allocating the transaction price appropriately.    

Accounting is a man-made science, built on principles that require a consistent framework to ensure comparability and reliability in practice. This course introduces participants to the FASB Conceptual Framework, which serves not only as the foundation for developing accounting standards but also as a guide for applying sound judgment in practice. Jeff Sailor will cover the key elements of the framework, focusing on recognition, measurement, qualitative characteristics, and disclosure requirements. The course will draw on all eight chapters of Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts (Concept 8), bringing clarity to how the framework supports financial reporting. Jeff’s signature video parodies will also be featured, offering memorable reinforcement of the material. 

Stay current on key developments affecting audit and attestation engagements with this comprehensive update on what's happening at the AICPA. This course begins with the next phase of quality management, with a particular focus on firms' monitoring and remediation responsibilities and what those requirements mean in practice. Participants will also review recent and upcoming standards impacting audit, attestation, and consulting engagements, including SSAE No. 24 and SSARS No. 26, along with high-impact exposure drafts related to confirmations and fraud. The course concludes with an overview of SAS No. 149 and its implications for group audits. Designed as a timely update for practitioners, this course helps participants understand how recent and proposed changes may affect engagement planning, execution, and compliance in the years ahead.  

U.S. Department of Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) imposed a new reporting requirement that went into effect on January 1, 2024. Millions of businesses may have to file a Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Report. In a surprise turn of events, the Federal District Court from the Northern District of Alabama ruled on March 1, 2024 in National Small Business United v. Yellen ("NSB") that the CTA is unconstitutional. This course will discuss the CTA's provisions and the court's decision in NSB. Also covered will be future implications for business entities and steps to consider given the recent ruling. We will also discuss recent proposed rulemaking by FinCen with respect to nonfinanced purchases of residential real estate and gratuitous transfers so that businesses can prepare for any additional reporting burdens that might arise. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.