Professional Development and Event Catalog

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.

Do you ever get blank looks when you present your company's financial statements? Does your board nod knowingly, during your presentation, but never seem to have any meaningful questions? It could be that they have no idea what you are talking about and are just pretending to understand! Learn how to connect with your CEO, board, fellow managers, and ordinary employees so they understand your message. Learn to motivate them to action. Come hear a veteran CFO tell you how. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Embezzlement happens often to many small businesses. Unfortunately, the lack of internal controls allow the embezzlement to remain undetected for years. But when it is discovered, the small business owner will most likely contact their CPA for advice. What should you do when your client contacts you about their employee embezzling money from their business? What options should you present to your client? How can your client protect themselves, while investigating the embezzlement? What steps need to be taken about preserving any documents, emails, texts, or phone calls? This course teaches how to engage the client, properly identify the evidence needed to prove the crime, how to write the report for civil and criminal trial, and best practices in preserving electronic and paper evidence. 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 begins with a look at the GASB standards effective this year, including GASB 100, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections and GASB 101, Compensated Absences. We'll include practical application of the topics in the form of case studies. We'll then switch gears to review the GASB standards coming down the pike, including major projects of the GASB. When considering the audit side of the house, Yellow Book and Single Audit engagements are considered must-select engagements for Peer Review. This course will cover the Yellow Book independence requirements which are required any time an auditor performs a Yellow Book or Single Audit even when the engagement is for a for-profit entity. The session will also cover the changes to the Uniform Guidance. We'll close with a look at the key changes in the 2024 Compliance Supplement and the common deficiencies identified by the federal agencies and peer reviewers. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This program will provide a detailed analysis of the real estate professional passive activity rules, including forms reporting examples, and integrates those rules with when real estate is considered a "business" under the Section 199A flow-through entity deduction. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Every organization claims to be ethical, but words and deeds do not always jibe. How do you assess the real Ethics of an organization?  What are the key factors and behaviors to be aware of? Many organizations lack prescriptive policies, but is that an excuse to deviate from the spirit of doing the right thing? How can professionals abuse ‘what is right’ and circumvent policies for their personal benefit. What are some egregious examples of violating policies? How allowing exceptions invites abuse. This seminar outlines steps to gauge the ethics of an organization.

Ethical situations occur more often than many realize. We must stay vigilant. Sometimes a seemingly simple situation may seem innocuous at first, but it can lead to large complications in the near future. In today’s competitive environment, one error posted on social media can damage a reputation forever. Social media posts can cause havoc. 

If ethics were easy, then why do so many professionals have a Code of Conduct? Some Ethical decisions are easy, others are not. We will discuss several thorny ethical issues and the ramifications.  What are the considerations and evaluation criteria to use? The need to carefully deliberate alternatives – is paramount. Be aware. 

You and I have a responsibility to our organizations and to the public to be ethical. We cannot forget this responsibility and this responsibility is constant. One lapse can cause profound issues that last. Ethics and trust are intertwined, no one follows a ‘leader’ who is not trusted. We will not focus on the negative and show the problems caused – rather, we focus on what and how to set the example for others to follow. This seminar outlines the seven components of trust, and how we should use these components daily.

What happens when businesspeople think they can lie and cheat at work, as long as it makes a profit? Some believe that business is like war, and there are no rules!  Do you really want to behave differently in business than in your personal life? Can, or should, ethics be ‘switched on’ or off?

Financial statement disclosures are important to provide the information necessary for financial statement users to make economic decisions. Disclosures further explain and clarify information provided in the basic financial statements, but also provide critical information about subsequent events, litigation risk, and other concerns. This course focuses on the most common financial statement disclosures for small- or medium-sized nonpublic entities. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

If you use Outlook to process your email, you are likely spending a substantial part of your day processing incoming email messages. This course is designed to show you a multitude of tips and tricks to reduce time spent processing emails. We will cover every feature available in Outlook to streamline and automate your email processing. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Tax compliance issues for fiduciary entities are sometimes confusing to practitioners due to the fact that many lack experience in this area. This course provides the practitioner with a practical understanding of the issues involved in preparing the U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts (Form 1041), including a Line-by-Line presentation of the form.  The practitioner will have a better understanding of entities and the basics of Subchapter J of the Internal Revenue Code.  Understanding these areas will allow the practitioner to start their understanding of tax compliance in preparing the U.S. Income Tax Return for Estates and Trusts (Form 1041). **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 leighanne.conroy@acpen.com.

Are you frustrated with sending emails back and forth to try and agree on a simple meeting time? If you use Microsoft 365 Outlook, you will want to attend this short course to learn everything you need to know to setup your Microsoft 365 Bookings App to streamline appointment setting. This easy-to-use app lets you provide your meeting guests with a link to a private web page that allows them to view your availability and use self-service to book the meeting in your Outlook calendar and their calendar app. The Booking app is totally integrated with the Outlook calendar, so your availability to schedule a meeting is always completely up to date for your guests to book an appointment based on your availability. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Stay current on recent changes to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct and keep abreast of emerging trends in ethics standards and regulatory initiatives and their potential impact on your practice. Explore frequent practitioner ethics compliance challenges, including competence, due professional care, audit quality, and independence. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Accounting standards affecting not-for-profit (NPF) organizations have become increasingly complex, and, as a result, a great deal of confusing exists as to how to properly account for certain transactions unique to these organizations. This course will clarify proper accounting and reporting for these troubling areas. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

In this course, we will explore the psychological and behavioral factors that contribute to irrational and biased money decision-making. We will examine the role of cognitive biases and emotions in financial decision-making, and discuss strategies for overcoming these biases to make more rational financial choices. 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 complete framework for transforming the culture in your organization. Key topics covered include: - What is organizational culture - A self assessment - Why culture matters - How to change your culture This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Did you know that simply by utilizing the built-in headings found under Styles in Microsoft Word you can create an automatic table of contents that can be updated in a matter of seconds if the body of the document changes? Did you know that Word can be used to open, edit, and re-save PDF documents? How about the fact that by using the Insert Caption tool in conjunction with the Cross-Reference feature, users can rid themselves of the need to manually renumber figures, tables or illustrations and will not even need to update references to these in the document text? This material shows tools and features that are easy to understand and use, will save time, and add consistency to documents. Participants in this session will come away knowing the power of Microsoft Word; this knowledge will benefit them greatly! This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Are you self-taught on Excel? Have you ever wondered if you really know how to use Excel? Do you want to build a great foundation for using Excel? Are you new to using Excel? If you answered YES to any of these questions, this is for you. This course is designed to start with the basics of using Excel from the interface to the structure to data entry to formula basics. Whether you're a beginner or an intermediate user, you will gain valuable foundational knowledge for using Excel. This session is presented using Excel 2019/Office 365. Regardless of the version you are using, 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.