CPE Catalog & Events

Budgets are the vehicle for allocating resources, measuring activities, and identifying needed changes and improvements. An organization's strategy is the primary driver of costs. To be effective, the budget must be linked to strategy and long-term plans. Numerous organizations have achieved a series of short-term targets (budgets) but failed longer term, demonstrating the lack of this necessary linkage. Forecasting, a critical part of any successful budgeting process, can be flawed by technical errors, organizational structure, or emotional forces. The establishment of a system to collect, process, and analyze big data can provide significant insights into the budgeting and forecasting process. An efficient system of incorporating big data and analytics into normal activities will improve management's decision-making. This brief program offers specific actions to improve your forecasting and budgeting activities. In addition, more advanced techniques are identified for the participant's further review, which can be applied throughout an organization. Good budgets effectively allocate resources, provide information for decision-making and serve as an early warning system for unforeseen events. A poor budgeting process fosters a false sense of security, provides inappropriate or inaccurate data, and reinforces the status quo. Budgets are about the organization's story, not just the raw numbers!

The role of financial professionals has and continues to change in organizations. The stereotype of collecting and reporting data has been replaced by a broader vision, which focuses on improving an organization's results today and preparing it for the future. This brief program offers specific actions that can be implemented by financial personnel to expand their role through improving their organization. The actions and techniques provided build upon and improve activities that exist in many organizations (measuring, budgeting, hiring, risk management, etc.), as well as providing insights into capital allocation, cash management, valuation techniques, variables that influence capacity levels, M&A activity and actions to increase efficiency and innovation. Updated to include the impact of tax regulations, additional examples of M&A, alliances and strategic spin-offs/splits, methods to improve efficiency from existing activities, and current organizational changes employed to manage and accelerate growth.

Mergers, acquisitions, and partnering have long been strategic vehicles to grow or change an existing organization. Corporate America has extensive experience in merging with or acquiring firms. However, its track record of being able to unify an acquired firm with the acquirer and provide a single organization with increased growth potential has been somewhat shaky. This session provides a roadmap including specific actions for financial professionals focused on improving the results of an acquisition, sale, formation of an alliance, and/or outsourced activities. This program continues to be updated based upon trends and recent events. In addition to traditional topics, it includes discussions on the impact of taxes, corporate structures to manage M&A and internal venture capital, strategic spin-offs/splits, issues concerning goodwill, and managing outsourced activities. The program expands the topics covered in the Controllership Skills Update Series. As with the other programs, this brief session is aimed at renewing and expanding participants' existing skills, by providing specific actions to improve an organization's results. Real-world examples are used throughout the session.

The most recent recession and its fallout, weather (look at 2017), process and product failures, and unethical behavior have again highlighted failures by numerous organizations in identifying and managing risk. The size and reputation of organizations proved not to be the key to success. Again, we saw that failures can result in areas/industries thought to be "under control" through their policies, practices and/or regulations. A core activity of financial management is to effectively protect the assets of their organizations, without significantly reducing new ideas and growth. This brief program provides insights and approaches to identify risk and manage the above noted trade-off. The course is designed for financial managers looking to quickly build upon their existing knowledge and experience, as well as to help to start the less experienced individual. It offers ideas that can be used immediately, as well as longer term approaches. Updated to include new information particularly in the areas of disaster planning, business continuity, and ethics, as well as a sample group exercise to test your current risk management systems.

Corporate bankruptcies are complex proceedings involving multiple parties. Businesses file for bankruptcy to seek protection from creditors and to reorganize or liquidate debts. There are several reasons companies file for bankruptcy; however, the most common include excessive debt, a drop in demand, increased costs, lawsuits, and poor accounting practices. As trusted advisors, accounting and financial professionals should have a basic understanding of the bankruptcy process. This course provides an overview of corporate bankruptcy proceedings. Participants in this webinar will gain an understanding of how corporate bankruptcy proceedings begin and end, as well as learn about key issues that affect debtor and creditor rights during bankruptcy. This webinar provides information from the perspective of both debtor and creditor. Although bankruptcy concerns the debts of the debtor, the Bankruptcy Code provides substantial protections to creditors. Creditor rights, however, vary widely depending on the status afforded the creditor under the Bankruptcy Code. Do yourself, your clients, and your profit margin a favor, and sign up for this invaluable webinar.

Silence isn't always golden. Problems don't solve themselves and as the engagement leader, it is your responsibility to proactively address and resolve issues, even if it means having challenging conversations. As uncomfortable as some of these conversations may be, keeping your silence won't resolve the issue and may in fact add to it. No matter which side of the table you find yourself in a "hard to have" talk, you can learn to manage the conversation. In this session, you'll learn how to recognize when a conversation becomes critical, how to plan effectively for the conversation and which communications strategies can help you create a win/win outcome. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 5.)

Many consider taxation of construction contractors to be the most complex area of the Internal Revenue Code. Probably no other industry has so many elections and considerations that need to be considered and made in order to reduce or defer amounts owed. In this course, we will highlight these areas and discuss potential opportunities for practitioners and their clients. We will also discuss the impact of more recent legislation on construction taxation, including changes to net operating losses and the AMT rules. This is a critical presentation "tailor-made" for CPAs who either work for or represent construction contractors.

Many consider taxation of construction contractors to be the most complex area of the Internal Revenue Code. Probably no other industry has so many elections and considerations that need to be considered and made in order to reduce or defer amounts owed. In this course, we will highlight these areas and discuss potential opportunities for practitioners and their clients. We will also discuss the impact of more recent legislation on construction taxation, including changes to net operating losses and the AMT rules. This is a critical presentation "tailor-made" for CPAs who either work for or represent construction contractors.

In the past, entrepreneurs who sought investment capital for their start-ups were subject to the preferences and expectations of a small set of wealthy investors. These venture capitalists and angel investors often played the role of highly selective gatekeepers, denying countless potential business leaders the opportunity to bring their well-thought ideas to market. Much has changed. Today, crowdfunding disrupts many of the traditional models for start-up investing. Crowdfunding provides capital for new businesses by asking the general public for donations. The system works by entrepreneurs creating websites enabling internet users to view information, photos and promotional videos explaining why they seek funding. Instead of receiving equity in the company, investors are often rewarded for pledging their financial support for the start-up business. Investment revenue from crowdfunding has grown globally from $3.9 billion in 2017 to projected growth of $11.9 billion by 2023. Despite its incredible growth, crowdfunding remains underutilized by businesses. This course is intended to provide accounting and other professionals with a basic understanding of the crowdfunding process to better inform their clients and colleagues about this rapidly growing platform.

In today's rapidly changing world, finance professionals are required to wear many hats and are often the keys to the organization's success. On one hand, they need to be abreast of the latest proven financial skills for making the best decisions, and on the other hand they need the best skills to motivate, manage, and lead people. Being pigeon-holed into one area or another is neither good for career building nor for the good of the organization. This reality has proven to be even more true with the advent of COVID-19. This course is designed to give the CFO and controller the skills needed to lead their organizations into the rapidly changing decade, and also redesigned to concentrate on what we have learned from the pandemic. Another unique aspect of this course is its constant evolution. We know change is occurring at an exponential rate, and that has proven to be the case in all areas of finance, management, and leadership over the past year. The course deals with these new issues and will continue to be updated as necessary throughout the year.

Designed for accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a detailed review of the multitude of FASB and AICPA standards issued over the past few years. The course also provides many hands-on examples and illustrations to help apply the guidance in practice and discusses other important A&A practice matters to be aware of, including an update on peer review and audit quality.

Designed for accounting and attestation practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a detailed review of SAS No. 145 and brings you up to date on FASB and AICPA standards issued over the past few years. The course also provides many hands-on examples and illustrations to help apply the guidance in practice and discusses other important A&A practice matters to be aware of, including an update on peer review and audit quality.

This one-hour data analytics course will introduce formula arrays and DAX formulas to users in Power BI and Excel. Users will learn the skills to create and evaluate array formulas and DAX formulas. An understanding of implicit or explicit intersections and measures within the formulas will be developed. Users will apply the understanding to data and work alongside the instructor to create calculated columns in Power Pivot using DAX formulas and array formulas. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.

This one-hour course will serve as an introduction to artificial intelligence and how artificial intelligence is utilized in Excel. Users will be introduced to correlation and trend functions in Excel. The basics of linear regression and its application in Excel will be discussed. Specific attention will be given to artificial intelligence functions in Excel, including, but not limited to, forecasting, trend analysis, regression analysis, and predictive modeling. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.

This one-hour course will focus on the use of Excel with Power BI and Power Query to organize and analyze data. Users will primarily work with calculated columns generated from existing data. They will walk through hands-on exercises to create calculated columns, add dimensions to existing data tables, and create hierarchies within the data tables. Special attention will be paid to Star Schema analytical modelling. To explore practical applications, users will apply the skills to journal entry testing. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.

This one-hour course serves as the introductory module to data analytics. Users of the course will learn the basic terminology used in performing data analytic-based tasks or working with data analytics. An understanding of the sources of data and importance in combining multiples sources will be developed. Users will be introduced to and will practice the basics of Microsoft's Power Query. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.

This one-hour course will focus primarily on Power Query, Power Pivot, and VLOOKUP skills. Users will learn how to join tables using various techniques and add-ons in Excel. Users will understand how to utilize the tools while maintaining data integrity. The majority of the course will focus on hands-on data exercises. Users will apply skills to create relationships and analyze the data using Power Query. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.

In this one-hour course, users will learn to apply Power Query to extract, transform, and load data for analysis. Users will learn how to manipulate data once it is loaded into the platform and will practice the manipulation during the course. Using the same data as the instructor, users will perform an exercise to clean and transform a basic general ledger with an emphasis on preparing the data for analysis. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.

In this one-hour course, users will apply Excel and Power BI tools and skills directly to tables in Excel. Users will work alongside the instructor to create named tables, create structured references, enter formulas, and prepare the tables for input into Power Query. Users will be introduced to the preparation of the first level of statistics - descriptive statistics. Emphasis will be placed on mean, median, and standard errors. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.

This one-hour course will introduce users to table functions in Excel and Power BI. Users will demonstrate an ability to apply and utilize named ranges and naming conventions to data. Specific focus will be given to common formulas and functions within Excel. Common pitfalls in formula implementation will be discussed. Users will utilize exercises alongside an instructor to practice formula and function skills. This course is one in a ten-part certification series, Core Data Analytics: Excel and Power BI Skills for Accounting and Finance Professionals, by Surgent IQ.