Professional Development and Event Catalog
Surgent's The Most Critical Challenges in Governmental Accounting Today
Thursday, December 1st, 1:30pm - 5:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
With the leasing standard and other standards looming, now is the time to know more than just what the standards say; we need to know what they mean and how they will affect governmental entities. This course is designed to do just that! The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innova-tive format. Over 15 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the most critical challenges in governmental accounting today.
K2's Testing and Auditing Excel Workbooks
Thursday, December 1st, 1:30pm - 5:10pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Excel errors continue to plague organizations of all sizes – estimates peg the error rate at approximately 90%. As spreadsheets become ever-more common, testing and auditing Excel workbooks becomes more necessary than ever to mitigate the effects these errors could have on virtually every Excel user and those who rely on Excel-based data and analyses. Fortunately, that need not be the case because many options exist to prevent, identify, and correct spreadsheet errors before they adversely affect reports and decision-making processes and in this session you will learn procedures for testing and auditing Excel workbooks. In this session you will learn how to apply best practices to reduce the error rate in workbooks that you and others on your team create and edit. Equally important, you will learn how to take advantage of add-ins for Excel that can programmatically scan and audit your spreadsheets to identify potentially disastrous errors while there is still time to correct them. You do not want to miss this opportunity to learn how tools such as PerfectXL, ClusterSeven, and ActiveData can help you and your team to identify and correct potentially disastrous spreadsheet errors.
Surgent's Weekly Expert Hour
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Online
1.00 Credits
As financial and tax professionals well know, information overload is a constant struggle we face because things change quickly, and the sheer number of changes being made on a daily basis is enormous. Of great importance to small and medium tax and advisory firms is differentiating between changes that are relevant to our practice and our clients and changes that are new but totally irrelevant. Distinguishing between the two is difficult and time-consuming. Mike Tucker and a team of experts are pleased to announce a new weekly series designed to eliminate the clutter and get you what you need to stay up to date and perform for your clients. We are all aware that the IRS, along with other state and federal regulators, is issuing guidance with increased frequency due to the coronavirus pandemic tax changes. New rules need to be analyzed, dissected, and explained more quickly than in days gone by so that our clients are kept informed of opportunities that may not last long. This weekly series will provide relevant and important tax and financial changes in a quick, concise format. Each week, Mike and his co-presenters will dispense news on current events impacting taxes, finance, and industry. The subject matter will differ each week and intermittently include topics such as Social Security and Medicare. The panelists will discuss personal and corporate tax matters as well as other late-breaking news related to practitioners' personal finances and those of their clients. Every financial professional will benefit from this series. Sign up for one week at a time or get access to all 40 1-hour presentations over 12 months with an Unlimited Plus Package. Easily fulfill your CPE requirements and stay fully in-the know by spending just an hour each week with Surgent experts. Sign up today - your clients and your bottom line will thank you. Please Note: We have provided the full roster of weekly presentations going back to 2020 in self-study format so that our customers can see the progression of both strategic thinking and law. The self-study offerings each contain the original air date in the title so our customers are aware of this continuing sequence.
Payroll Help For New or Small Business Entities
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 3:50pm
Online
2.20 Credits
Small business owners need the expertise of educated professionals to assist in the navigation of the myriad details surrounding the payroll entity of their business. In this course, practitioners can learn how to provide guidance to clientele who may find understanding the financial details of owning a new or small business challenging. To think new and small business owners comprehend all the nuances of owning their own business, would be presumptuous. Eager business owners may need assistance with understanding the very basics to get their business launched and continuing successfully. This course provides an area of expertise that can enable practitioners to broaden their client-base. **Please Note: If you need credit reported to the IRS for this IRS approved program (2 hours only), please download the IRS CE request form on the Course Materials Tab and submit to leighanne.conroy@acpen.com.
Upholding Independence While Holding Your Client's Hand
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 3:52pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Many entities look to their CPA as a trusted advisor when tackling complex accounting topics. This is more relevant now than ever. The FASB's big three accounting pronouncements involving revenue recognition, leasing and credit losses have placed a magnifying glass on this reality. Practitioners need to exercise caution to ensure they maintain independence as they assist their review and audit clients with such matters, as well as with compilation engagements. This course addresses these issues and explores best practices and guidance provided by the AICPA's Code of Professional Conduct.
Surgent's Six Common Barriers to Investment Success
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Many of us expect to use logic when it comes to how we allocate our investments. The adage of "buy low, sell high" is a saying that makes logical sense. So, why do we always seem to do the opposite? Every day we are faced with decisions, and we are often influenced by two seemingly opposing voices that come from two different parts of our brain. The frontal cortex processes lots of information to help us make logical and informed choices. But there's also a small part of the brain, known as the reflexive brain, that is responsible for emotions and survival instincts. Often, this reflexive brain can have a detrimental effect on the way we handle our investments. This course will discuss some behavioral biases that affect our financial decisions. As humans, we need to be aware of how our reflexive behavior impacts our investment decision-making ability. By uncovering and understanding these biases, we may have a better chance of meeting our long-term financial goals.
Up Your Influence: How To Get What You want
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 4:11pm
Online
2.50 Credits
The ability to influence people is the one fundamental skill that every professional needs. All managers know how hard it can be to make views heard despite having persuasive points to make. The program gives participants all the techniques necessary to increase their influence and put the power of persuasion to work for them.
What's Your Brand Reputation? Determine and Drive How Others See You
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 4:11pm
Online
2.50 Credits
What do people say about you when you leave the room? Is it what you want them to say? How you show up in the room, get listened to, build trust, and are known amongst your colleagues are all critical components of your future success. In this workshop Michelle Tillis Lederman, CEO and Founder of Executive Essentials, will discuss how to determine you brand attributes, demonstrate the nuances of body language on your professional presence, and discuss how to strengthen trust and the lasting impressions you make on your network, expanding upon lessons from her books The Connectors’ Advantage and The 11 Laws of Likability.
Creating A Coaching Culture in Your Company
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 4:52pm
Online
3.00 Credits
This course explores the coaching principles, concepts, frameworks, techniques and competencies that will lead to a management style that emphasizes coaching as a style in lieu of a more autocratic or even more participative approach. The course illustrates how a coaching style leads to a highly desired company culture. This process takes the attendee through a coaching process that can be applied to various situations. Results from coaching are covered as are measuring the success of coaching. The attendee will walk away with the skills necessary to begin leading their company towards a coaching culture that will leave employees motivated and driven to higher levels of innovation from the empowerment of the new coaching culture.
Working Smarter, Not Harder: the New Science of Getting on Top of it All - Part 2
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 5:42pm
Online
4.00 Credits
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.
Deep Dive Common Auditing Deficiencies
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
This course will review common deficiencies identified by the AICPA and state boards of accountancy. It includes discussion on a variety of topics including auditing estimates, internal controls deficiencies, documentation deficiencies, and risk assessment. We will review the areas of concern, the profession’s response to these deficiencies including SASes 143 and 145, and how you can overcome them by employing best practice
K2'S Everything Google! Their Most Effective Tools, Apps & Services
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Google is one of the largest, most widely used and vital technology companies on the planet. Their name has become synonymous with search, knowledge, and cutting-edge technology. Google developed and maintains a wide range of products that have changed how we learn, find things in our community, and communicate with the world. Further, Google offers a business-ready cloud productivity suite used by a growing number of businesses worldwide. Google brings together a wide range of communication and business tools under one roof to serve as the backbone of an organization’s technology infrastructure. Most users are familiar with Google’s search service or Gmail but are unaware of the other services they provide. Additionally, most users barely scratch the surface of the functionality of Google’s tools and services. This course looks at the most valuable features, apps, and services of Google that the busy working professional could better utilize. Course participants will learn to find better web results using search operators and tools. Further, they will understand Workspace and use it as an organization’s back office. They will learn to create dynamic, creative, and useful business documents using Google tools. They will learn to back up and sync their electronic documents to the Cloud using Google Drive. Finally, they will learn to grow their business and expand their marketing using Google’s marketing and website tools. This session finishes with a top-five list of Google's best-hidden secrets and functionalities. Beginners to advanced users of Google products will leave this course with a much deeper understanding of the services, time-saving tips to use the products more effectively, and practical advice on how to best leverage their incredible technology.
Key Tax Issues Facing Business and Industry
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 6:00pm
Online
4.00 Credits
This program focuses on key federal tax issues impacting businesses from the internal accountant’s point of view, with a focus on recent legislative rulings and developments. Planning alternatives and potential risks associated with those strategies will be discussed. **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.
ACPEN Signature: 2022 Special Purpose Frameworks: The Artist Formerly Known as "OCBOA"
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 10:00pm
Online
8.00 Credits
This course is designed to assist accountants who prepare special purpose framework financial statements and/or perform SSARS or audit engagements on those special purpose framework financial statements. Our panelists will provide an in-depth explanation of the different types of special purpose frameworks, how to decide when to use a special purpose framework, the primary issues in preparing special purpose framework financial statements, and they will discuss engagement and reporting considerations.
Introduction to Yellow Book: 8-Credit Boot Camp
Thursday, December 1st, 2:00pm - 10:00pm
Online
8.00 Credits
This course is designed for accountants in public practice and industry that focus on nonprofit and governmental entities. We will cover the basics needed to understand what makes nonprofit and governmental accounting & auditing unique. We’ll start with the key financial reporting differences for governmental and nonprofit entities. Then we’ll switch focus and review the fundamentals of Yellow Book and Uniform Guidance audits. This foundational course is perfect for those getting started in the nonprofit and governmental arena and those looking for a refresher.
Long-Term Care Insurance: Make the Switch
Thursday, December 1st, 2:30pm - 3:30pm
Online
1.00 Credits
How to pay for the cost of long-term care remains a primary concern for most clients over the age of 50. Explore clients' motivations, misconceptions and objections to purchasing long-term care insurance, and a look at the latest long-term care solutions, including hybrids. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
Solidify Your Success: Powerful Personal Branding
Thursday, December 1st, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Online
2.00 Credits
Whether it is deliberate or not, you have a brand. Your brand includes how your coworkers perceive you. It is developed from how you look, talk, and act. Your brand affects everything from how people respond to you, if people want to work with you, or whether you get the plum assignments and get that desired promotion. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.
K2's Improving Productivity With Office 365/Microsoft 365 Cloud Applications
Thursday, December 1st, 3:00pm - 6:43pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Many Office 365/Microsoft 365 subscriptions include robust cloud services for improving productivity. Foundational services, such as SharePoint Online, OneDrive for Business, and Exchange Online, join with other powerful tools such as Teams, Planner, Power Automate, Forms, and Power Apps to provide a productivity platform second to none. Unfortunately, most users will never benefit from working with these tools simply because they remain unaware of these features. Make plans now to attend this session so that you can learn about the “rest” of Office 365 and how these cloud-based applications can enhance personal and team productivity while simultaneously facilitating remote working arrangements. Don’t miss this opportunity to get all the knowledge and guidance necessary to take full advantage of your investment in Office 365.
Mergers & Acquisitions: Tricks, Traps, & Terrors
Thursday, December 1st, 3:00pm - 6:50pm
Online
4.00 Credits
Welcome to a course that makes the process of M&A easy to understand and easy to implement within your organization or your clients' organization. The course will provide an intensive overview of the M&A process. Focus will be on practical techniques to guide you through the M&A jungle and avoid the traps that have befallen many organizations.
Remote Working for Accountants
Thursday, December 1st, 3:30pm - 5:30pm
Online
2.00 Credits
The course provides a concise overview of the skills and best practices required to develop a successful remote accounting practice. Discover leading remote working technologies, how to avoid and address some common challenges of working off-site, and how to effectively manage a team of professionals who work outside a traditional office environment. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.