This course fills an important need for both financial managers and accountants in the practice of public accounting by offering the tools to help ensure the future success of a business. Practical guidance for the effective use of benchmarking and analytical procedure is also provided. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:

• How to use analytical procedures as a management tool to identify areas hindering the profitability of the entity
• How to use analytical procedures to identify misstatements in financial information
• Techniques for developing a "workable" business plan
• Recasting GAAP financial statements into powerful management tools
• Developing and using benchmarks to identify profitability problems
• Identifying profitability key factors
• The relationship of internal controls and the health of an entity
• Common weaknesses in the internal controls of SMEs using the guidelines in the COSO Report on Internal Controls and common internal controls to address those weaknesses
• How to create "goal" statements that achieve results

Who will benefit:

This course is designed for practitioners who have the responsibility of analyzing the financial condition and organizational health of closely held companies.

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

If you are familiar with the Office 365 Teams app, you know it is an extremely powerful tool to transform the way you communicate, collaborate and share knowledge. What you may not know is how to configure Teams to optimize your ROI and how effectively your team members use it. This course takes you on a tour of the important setup and configuration settings you need to be familiar with to ensure the best Teams experience for your organization. Whether you are already using Teams, in the process of deploying it, or are contemplating whether or not to bring it into your organization, this course will prove to be invaluable. The information shared in this course is sure to help you avoid costly mistakes in your Teams app deployment. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:

• Defining your teams and channel structure - best practices
• Step-by-step guide on how to create and manage teams and channels
• How to organize your Teams navigation panel
• Configuring your notification settings
• Connecting Teams to external apps
• Understanding how Teams integrates with SharePoint, OneNote and Planner apps
• Tracking your Teams app usage analytics
• Archiving and deleting Teams and related content
  

Who will benefit:

Anyone who is contemplating, deploying or already using Microsoft Teams

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

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.

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:

• Introduction to Power Query in Power BI:
  Understanding the interface and basic functionalities.
• Data Cleaning Techniques:
  Removing duplicates, handling null values, and data type conversions.
• Data Transformation:
  Advanced methods for manipulating data, including pivoting, merging, and appending queries.
• Data Loading:
  Efficiently loading data into the Power BI data model.
• Document the Process Steps:
  Setting up details for each step in the process so you can document what is happening and why.

Who will benefit:

This course is ideal for accounting professionals, financial analysts, and anyone who regularly works with data and seeks to improve their skills in data management and analysis using Power Query.

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

The Microsoft 365 ecosystem of apps offers tremendous value for any business organization. The key to maximizing the ROI of your monthly subscription fees is to understand how all the apps work together. John Higgins, a strategic advisor to the profession on Microsoft 365 deployment, will share a number of "best practices" for deploying Microsoft 365. This course will help you discover the hidden gems in the Microsoft ecosystem to increase productivity across your organization and help you avoid making costly mistakes in your deployment. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:

• Overview of the "core" Microsoft 365 apps and how they integrate with each other
• Review of the key deployment decisions to be made
• Identifying the important settings to establish in the key apps
• Establishing organizational policies for using Microsoft 365
• Developing a plan to educate your team members on how to integrate the apps into their business processes
• Understanding the role of the Admin app and system administration
• Planning for Microsoft Copilot for 365 AI capabilities

Who will benefit:

Anyone who will be involved in the deployment of Microsoft 365, regardless of the size or type of organization.

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

The construction industry stands out in its need to adhere to a diverse range of accounting standards. This course explores the essential knowledge required for success in construction accounting, as well as the key issues influencing this field. Discover the implications of recent developments for yourself, your business, or your clients. In addition, we will examine the relationship between contractors and sureties. Given the construction industry's significant and ever-expanding share of the economy, staying up to date with the latest accounting updates in this sector is critical. Note:
This course does not address FASB ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, or FASB ASC 842, Leases. The AICPA offers a companion course which focuses on revenue and lease accounting for construction contractors. See Contract Accounting and Lease Accounting and Their Impact on Construction Contractors (CCREVL).

Learning Objectives:

· Recall key considerations regarding the construction industry and the players who take part.

· Identify key concepts related to up-to-date GAAP accounting methods applicable to construction contractors.

· Recall the key portions of construction contractor financial statements.

· Understand what a surety is and how they assist in the overall construction process.

Who will benefit:

· New staff to experienced staff with construction clients.

THIS IS AN AICPA HOSTED WEBCAST. YOU WILL LAUNCH THE COURSE FROM YOUR OSCPA LEARNING PORTAL. AICPA WILL ISSUE AND MAINTAIN YOUR CREDITS. PLEASE MAKE SURE TO DOWNLOAD YOUR CPE CERTIFICATE FROM AICPA WEBCAST PORTAL AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WEBCAST.

NOTE – This ethics course has not been approved by the Accountancy Board of Ohio therefore does not count towards your mandatory 3 Hours of Professional Standards & Responsibilities credit per renewal period. This course does count towards your 120 CPE Hours.

Payroll is among the most common tasks an employer undertakes in the course of running their business. At it's most basic level, payroll consists of an agreement between an employer and employee related to compensation for services. However, once you look under the hood, there is so much more to payroll, including various kinds of compensation, payroll taxes and required reporting on government forms. Ethics in payroll is present in every step in the payroll process, from handling employee confidential information and dealing with pay, compensation and fringe benefits, to acting as an intermediary on behalf of federal, state, and local governments in the collection and remittance of payroll taxes. All levels of payroll staff- from payroll processor to payroll manager to CEO - encounter ethical considerations in their conduct when dealing with payroll matters. This course will discuss ethics as it pertains to payroll. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive framework for ethical decision making in the payroll function, as well as some real-life examples of what happens when stakeholders in the payroll process make the decision to decouple ethics from payroll. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The major topics covered in this class include:

• Ethical framework in the payroll process
• The role of ethics by stakeholders involved in the payroll process
• Real-life examples of what happens when stakeholders in the payroll process make the decision to decouple ethics from payroll

Who will benefit:

Appropriate for professionals at all organization levels, including seasoned professionals. This includes CPAs in public practice, as well as tax professionals working in industry, including those in Controller and CFO roles with limited exposure to payroll.

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

If you or your clients are facing that stage of life where careers are passing into the background, and a new "to be determined" life is emerging, then you are entering what is called "retirement". Some people are excited, some are scared, and most are both. There are many issues and questions people face at this time - what to do with time, financial, relationships, health, identity and more. This program summarizes the key research studies, provides stories from those who have made this work, and offers thoughtful, practical exercises from my award winning book NEXT STAGE. It will help you (or your clients) address key issues and develop a Master Plan for the transition. If not now, when? This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The major topics covered in this class include:

• Welcome to Your Next Stage -- Developing a new perspective on what this next stage is really all about
• It's About Time -- Discovering a new sense of purpose
• Money Matters -- Assessing your financial conditions
• Relationships Matter Too -- Addressing needed or potential changes in your relationships
• Healthy Habits -- Examining new or renewed ways to stay healthy
• Who I Am -- Creating a new identity, and answering "So what do you do?"
• My Master Plan -- Figuring out what to do next

Who will benefit:

A professional considering, planning or engaged in retirement for oneself or for one's clients

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

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 event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

• Employee benefit plans
• Audit procedures and documentation

Who will benefit:

Practitioners working with employee benefit plans

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

CPA's are responsible for understanding (1) the presence of fraudulent activity, (2) that financial reports are complete and accurate, and (3) applying the going concern principle to a business. Appropriate cybersecurity controls, processes and oversight directly impact these three areas. Fraud Bad actors can exploit systems with weak security controls to perform fraud. The increasing prevalence of hacked systems reflect this. Bad actors are stealing data, intellectual property, financial assets, and other information. Digital fraud is becoming more prevalent and can be substantially more damaging than historical types of fraud. Not only can digital fraud result in financial loss, but it can subject companies to expensive lawsuits, damage reputations and can even put a company out of business. Complete & Accurate Financial Reports Having cybersecurity controls on systems and networks is critical to ensure information reported in financial statements is complete and accurate. Data residing in financial reports is processed, stored and transmitted using IT Systems. It is important for CPA's to understand the required cybersecurity controls to prevent or detect inaccurate data in financial reports. Going Concern With an increasing volume of system hacks (e.g. Target, Experian, Sony, and most recently the US Government), it is no longer "if" you're going to get hacked, it is "When." If organizations do not have appropriate cybersecurity controls in place to protect against an attack, then a malicious hack can put them out of business. An organization's cybersecurity posture should be a factor in evaluating the Principle of Going Concern. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:

• Recent cybersecurity attacks, their implications, and how weak cybersecurity controls enabled their success
• Specific cybersecurity controls that help prevent fraud and support data integrity of financial reports
• How an effective cybersecurity program is needed to reduce losses, prevent fraud, avoid reputational damage, and protect critical data assets

Who will benefit:

Anyone who wants to understand how to prevent cybersecurity fraud, maintain data integrity of financial reports, and ensure data is protected and secure.

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.

Are you aware there are 470+ formula functions in Excel? Do you realize that they add new functions in every major version of Excel? Did you know that Microsoft adds new functions throughout the year in the Office 365 version of Excel? Are you stuck using old or simple functions like SUM or ROUND? Do you want to expand your knowledge of the extensive function library in Excel? If these questions peak your interest in becoming an Excel function expert, this course is right up your alley. This past-paced course digs into some of the most powerful functions in Excel. Although we cannot cover 470 functions, we will look at over 20 functions that will allow you to create advanced calculations in your spreadsheets. Some examples are:
VLOOKUP, IF, IFS, FORECAST, RAND, SWITCH, TEXTJOIN, UNIQUE, SUBTOTAL, IS, TEXT and more! We will also provide example files that will include all the functions used during the class. It's time to take your Excel spreadsheets to the next level. This session is presented using Excel 2019/Office 365. Most concepts covered in this course apply to all versions of Excel. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:

• Review of formula creation best practices
• Demonstration of various Excel functions to enhance calculations
• Using Excel functions to perform advanced calculations
  

Who will benefit:

Anyone who wants to improve their Excel skills

This webcast is hosted on CPA Crossing platform. Attendees will receive instructions on how to attend the webcast via e-mail.