CPE Catalog & Events

Many organizations struggle to keep budgets current in an ever-changing business climate.  Twenty-first century performance metrics focus on determining what budgets should be rather than what they were in the past.  Using performance metrics effectively reduces work, reduces politics, provides flexibility and substantially improves the performance management process.  This session will show you powerful techniques to drive your organization’s performance.

Major benefits of detailed Excel workbooks Understanding list comparisons in Excel is vital for improved workbook efficiency. In this webcast, the facilitator will walk you through comprehensive learning exercises that provide an overview of the following topics: Performing list comparisons Building multicolumn list comparisons Using lookups Indenting commands In-depth training for Excel upskilling This webcast is crafted to enable active participation as you follow the demonstrations. It will navigate you through the intricacies associated with working Excel columns, helping you to apply key functions effectively for significant improvements through the following: ISERROR COUNTIFS SUMIFS *Session 6 is one of eight sessions that is available as an individual session. Each session builds on the prior sessions, so you'll want to consider watching [Session 7: Data- Driven Workbooks and Concatenation] (https://www.aicpa-cima.com/cpe-learning/webcast/excel-for-accounting-professionals-session-7--date-driven-workbooks-and-concatenation) to further prepare to tackle real-world issues and build powerful workbooks.*

Developments in the Management Commentary and MD&A Narrative reporting is entering a new era-one that moves beyond compliance checklists to focus on cohesive, decision-useful communication. This seminar examines the evolution of corporate narrative reporting through the revised 2025 IFRS Practice Statement 1: Management Commentary and the U.S. GAAP-based MD&A under SEC Regulation S-K, with key comparisons to help practitioners understand how each framework supports investor-focused disclosure. Using real-world examples and excerpts from the actual annual report of an IFRS reporting company, this seminar highlights how the revised Management Commentary guidance aims to improve the quality, relevance, and connectivity of narrative insights. Participants will explore its emphasis on strategy, risks, sustainability factors (ESG), key performance indicators (KPIs), and the integration of financial and non-financial information. The session also analyzes the modernization efforts in U.S. MD&A, including principles-based guidance, reduction of boilerplate disclosures, and expanded expectations for entity-specific analysis and trend-based insights. Through a comparative approach, participants learn how both frameworks are converging around common principles: enhanced connectivity, balanced presentation, entity-specific content, and alignment of strategy, performance, risk, and value creation. This practical seminar provides accounting, finance, and business professionals with the knowledge needed for better understanding the management commentary and MD&A. 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 focused analysis of the individual and small business provisions in Pub. L. 119-21 (H.R.1), "One Big Beautiful Bill." Tailored for tax professionals working with Form 1040 filers, the course explores impactful updates, from the no-tax-on-tips provision to enhanced bonus depreciation. Designed to inform planning strategies and compliance for the 2025 tax year and beyond. Participants will gain actionable insight into newly proposed deductions and expanded credits. 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 equips participants with the tools and strategies needed to create sustainable, long-term budgets that align with policy goals and ensure fiscal responsibility. Participants will explore key budgeting frameworks, learn techniques for forecasting revenue and expenditures, and analyze scenarios to mitigate financial risks. The course incorporates practical exercises and case studies to provide hands-on experience with scenario planning, enhancing budget transparency and resilience. By the end of the session, attendees will have the knowledge and confidence to design and implement budgets that support long-term governmental priorities and strengthen financial stability.

As ever more jurisdictions move toward mandatory disclosure of ESG metrics, (ex: the European Union’s new Corporate Sustainability Reporting directive and impending U.S. SEC requirements) the urgency to get those disclosures right has gone up. This course to as an introduction to the concept of requirements for Controllers and financial personnel to understand ESG disclosures .Whether the role related to ESG disclosures and information falls into the job responsibility of the controller or not is yet to be seen. However, it is clear the Controller must maintain some level of knowledge and expertise around the types and timing of such disclosures.

With the latest updates in Microsoft 365 and Office 2024, Excel is more powerful than ever. Packed with cutting-edge features, more innovative functions, and seamless collaboration tools, the newest version is designed to take your productivity to the next level. Whether you're crunching numbers, building dashboards, or collaborating across teams, these enhancements unlock faster workflows, deeper insights, and more thoughtful decision-making. Don't miss your chance to stay ahead of the curve-discover Excel's most exciting new features and learn how to put them to work for you. Your spreadsheet game is about to change-let's make it extraordinary!

The ability to create and ask good questions as well as the ability to know when someone is being deceptive are important skills for managers, auditors, and investigators. This session will improve your interview techniques and your lie detection abilities. Multiple videos from various movies, TV shows, and public figures showcasing the behaviors of liars are included.

Have you ever thought about stealing? If the answer is NO, then you need to find another profession because you will never be a successful fraud examiner/investigator or a financial auditor. To find fraud, you must first determine, given the opportunity through weak internal controls, how a person would steal. You have to say to yourself, given the opportunity that exists, how many ways could I take advantage of it? In other words, you must be able to think how you could steal and not be caught. So yes, to find fraud, you must first think about stealing. For a fraudster to be successful, they must make you think fraud is a legitimate transaction. They must make you think it is something that it is not. There are so many places where fraud can be hidden. It is up to you to evaluate where the risks of fraud are in an organization, then design effective investigative procedures to determine if someone took advantage of the opportunity. If they did not, how else may they have taken advantage of the opportunity? One must remember that one weakness in internal control may create several ways to take advantage of it and you must examine every such one. During this session, the many ways fraud can be hidden in asset misappropriations will be discussed. Remember, the number of ways is only limited by one’s imagination.   

Federal procurement requirements under the Uniform Guidance were significantly revised effective October 1, 2024, introducing new expectations for procurement methods, internal controls, contractor oversight, and domestic sourcing preferences. This session will provide grant recipients and subrecipients with practical guidance on implementing compliant procurement procedures under 2 CFR SS200.317-200.327 and aligning procurement policies with updated federal standards, and thresholds from the FAR. Attendees will learn how to strengthen procurement documentation, apply revised competition requirements, and prepare for federal agency or Single Audit procurement system reviews. This session provides the regulatory application to develop your own SOP.

This course provides tax and accounting professionals with a focused overview of Trump Accounts and their practical application in client planning. Participants will examine eligibility requirements, contribution rules, tax treatment, and reporting considerations. Through practical examples, the course emphasizes evaluating suitability, identifying planning opportunities, and avoiding common compliance pitfalls when incorporating Trump Accounts into client strategies. *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  

ChatGPT has grown its user base to over 800 million active users per week. As a leader in the generative market, it is a tool that every CPA should have a basic understanding of how to use it and apply it in business. This course will provide a comprehensive review and demonstration of how to put ChatGPT to work for you and your clients. It is designed as a "hands-on" course that facilitates your following along with the presenter while applying the features of ChatGPT on your computer. Practice files will be provided so that you don't have to expose your confidential data.

What is your company worth" Is business value the single most important metric" This session discusses various business valuation methods for any stage company: start-up, spin-off, or acquisition. Many valuation methods exist. Which method is right" Which is the "best" for a given business or a given situation" CPAs and Corporate Financial Managers cannot afford to miss this course.

AI is already being used in so many ways to aid business organizations in a wide array of ways. However, artificial intelligence is also being used by those seeking to steal or commit fraud to circumvent controls and mislead both people and systems working to keep fraud at bay. The use of AI for ill-intent is pervasive and difficult to detect which makes fighting defalcation attempts an even greater struggle. In this session we will look at some of the methods that are AI-centric which are being used to deceive and defraud. We will then dive deeper and explore ways to identify instances when AI is being used. Finally, we will look at control measures that can aid those working to fight AI driven fraud. If it is evident that artificial intelligence could be used as a weapon to harm you or your organization, you should strongly consider enrolling in this session. 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 tax and accounting professionals with a comprehensive framework for transitioning from a compliance-driven busy season model to a sustainable, year-round advisory practice. Participants will explore strategies for expanding services into tax, financial, and estate planning. The course addresses both transitioning existing clients and attracting new, higher-value clients while improving efficiency, client value, and revenue stability. 

The accounting profession faces unprecedented workforce challenges that demand a fundamental rethinking of traditional firm structures. This course examines why the century-old pyramid practice model is becoming obsolete and presents the inverted pentagon framework as a sustainable alternative. Based on comprehensive research showing that 52% of firms expect to shrink by 20% or more in the next five years, participants will learn how to restructure their firms to thrive with fewer entry-level staff while expanding specialized expertise. The course explores the "6 Ps of Business Model Transformation" - Precision Hiring, Proactive Retention, Practical Technology Implementation, Pricing Expertise, Practice Area Expansion/Focus, and People Acceleration. Drawing from success stories in manufacturing, healthcare, and technology industries, attendees will discover proven strategies for accelerating staff development, implementing effective knowledge transfer programs, and building sustainable talent pipelines in an era of technological disruption and demographic shifts. 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 concise overview of Claude and its growing role as an AI-powered productivity, analysis, and workflow platform for accounting professionals. Participants will learn how Claude differs from traditional search engines, spreadsheets, and chatbots, and how it can be used to accelerate drafting, research, document review, data analysis, and client communications while maintaining professional skepticism and accountability. The course explores practical prompting techniques, document and spreadsheet analysis, projects, artifacts, connectors, Microsoft 365 integrations, automation capabilities, and emerging AI workflows. Special emphasis is placed on confidentiality, privacy, ethics, verification, and professional judgment. By the end of the course, participants will understand how to integrate Claude into their daily accounting workflows to improve efficiency, strengthen decision-making, and support higher-value advisory services. The course is based on the Claude platform ecosystem, including Chat, Projects, Artifacts, Connectors, Microsoft Office integrations, Voice Mode, Design, Code, and Cowork capabilities. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

In the ever-evolving world of data analytics and business intelligence, Microsoft Excel continues to be an indispensable tool for professionals across industries. With the introduction of Copilot, Microsoft has integrated the power of artificial intelligence directly into Excel, revolutionizing how users work with data. This 2-hour interactive course, Unlock the Power of AI with Copilot in Excel, provides a comprehensive overview of how Copilot transforms traditional Excel workflows into dynamic, AI-driven processes, enabling users to accomplish tasks faster, more accurately, and with less manual effort. During this course, you'll discover how Copilot leverages AI to enhance productivity and streamline operations. Whether you're a seasoned Excel user or just beginning your journey, this course will guide you through practical applications and best practices to make the most of Copilot's capabilities. Through hands-on demonstrations and real-world examples, you'll see how Copilot can save time, improve decision-making, and elevate your analytical skills to new heights. This course not only focuses on the technical aspects of Copilot but also highlights its potential to transform your day-to-day work, from automating repetitive tasks to uncovering trends and insights you might otherwise overlook. By the end of the session, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to integrate Copilot into your workflows and unlock its full potential in Microsoft Excel. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Financial statement audits often involve audits of components of a larger entity. This course will focus on the responsibilities for both the group auditor and component auditor, including implementation of SAS No. 149 relate to group audits.

Catch errors on individual returns The sheer volume of individual tax returns requiring preparation can create a work environment that invariably leads to errors or omissions. A trained eye can spot mistakes. A case-based approach to learning return review Two case studies focus on issues that individual return preparers and reviewers will frequently encounter in their practice: Section 199A (qualified business income deduction) Home office deduction Rental properties Hobby losses Organization and start-up costs In-course application Learners get access to two 2025 individual returns to review for: Errors Areas for improvement Opportunities to educate or advise the client Developed with H.R. 1, commonly referred to as OBBBA, in mind, these returns are designed to provoke planning ideas for the modern client.