CPE Catalog & Events

Obtaining an Understanding of Internal Control

Various definitions and aspects of internal control, including separation of duties and safeguarding of assets Key aspects of internal control from various organizations, such as COSO, SEC, and PCAOB Factors to consider, for example, industry, regulation, and nature of the entity Risk assessment procedures, namely inquiry, analytical procedures, and observation and inspection, as well as brainstorming

Auditing Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The major topics covered in this class include:Indicators of impairmentSteps to recoverability testing for long-lived assets held and usedGrouping assets held and usedAllocating impairment loss and disclosuresTesting indefinite-lived intangibles for impairment, including goodwillValuation techniques for determining a reporting unit's fair value

Excel for Accounting Professionals Session 4: Conditional Summing and Lookups

The Omniverse and Metaverse for Accountants

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Brief History of Experience-Sharing TechnologiesOmniverse and Metaverse BasicsThe Enterprise MetaverseLeading Case Studies and Platforms to DateNon-Fungible TokensDigital TwinsImmersive LearningRemote PresenceReality Editors and Product ExperienceVisual InspectionSynthetic MediaImmersive ExperiencesHolodeck TechnologyUniversal Basic RealityMetaverse Starter Strategy for Accountants

What You Can Learn From the Statement of Cash Flows

The major topics covered in this course include:Preparation of the statement of cash flowsImportance of identifying sources and uses of cash in financial reportingFinancial statement analysisCash-related financial statement disclosures

Responsibility to the Public by the CPA

The major topics covered in this class include:AICPA Code of Conduct: Responsibility to the Public and Due CareCase study: Health SouthReturning client recordsConfidential informationWhistleblowing provisions

Excel - Feature Review in 100 minutes

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Review of Excel's features and functionsWalk-through of Excel's ribbons What the Excel features and functions can do for you

Risk Management Techniques and Tools

Enterprise risk management protects and enhances stakeholder value ERM can be used by businesses of all sizes SWAT analysis and PESTLE analysis to analyze risks Tools and techniques in risk awareness and management Value stream perspective for enterprise risk management ISO 31000-2018 principles COSO ERM framework

Shorten Month-End: Closing Best Practices

Trends in financial statement closings including the Quick Close, Soft Close and Virtual CloseReview and discuss information systems' headaches that slow you downWork through examples of close cycle "time killers" and how to resolve themGet inventory and cost of sales under controlIdentify the improvement projects that will yield the biggest benefitReview what leading edge finance managers are doing to close more quickly

Talk This Way - Communication Skills for the CPA

The major topics covered in this course include:Pervasive best practices for effective communicationSpecific strategies for written materialsUnique considerations for verbal presentationsThe importance of recursive revisionTips for successPitfalls to avoid

Steps to Stop External Fraud

The major topics covered in this course include:Types of external fraudConsiderations as organizations work to reduce fraud riskExternal fraud and known parties/External fraud unknown perpetrators

The Ethic of Recruitment and Selection

The major topics covered in this course include:Discussion of ethical and effective recruiting strategiesSelection processes that foster diversity and inclusionHow to increase talent pools to ensure hiring success

How culture affects risks

Communicating core values Corporate culture built upon core values Risk awareness Behavioral-based interviewing

Start a Forensic Accounting Practice with Confidence

The major topics covered in this course include:What equipment is needed to start a forensic accounting practiceThe common services needed by clientsUsing your current skillset, identify the type of services you can provideHow to market your services to a particular segment of possible clientsBest practices in starting a forensic accounting practice

Grading Your Auditors - Are You Getting the Most Value?

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Limitations in roles and responsibilities an auditor can accept without impairing independenceAssessing the strength of your auditor's ability to think critically, strategically, and creatively in appropriate circumstancesEvaluating your auditor's time and project management stillsGrading your auditor's communication and interpersonal skills, in exceeding your expectations on an audit

Surgent's The Accountant as the Expert Witness

Becoming qualified as an expert witness Best practices for testifying at trial Understanding the different roles accountants can play in litigation Working with attorneys to prepare and present a case at trial The role of experts in commercial versus personal injury litigation Confidentiality orders Compensation for expert witnesses Preparing for and attending depositions Daubert challenges to experts Expert reports The role of experts in antitrust, securities litigation, and professional liability cases Credibility as a witness

Ethics - Regulatory and Standards Update

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Recent ethics standards changes that impact your practice.Key regulatory changes and initiatives affecting CPAs and the future of the profession.Emerging issues and standard-setting activity that could affect your practice.Practical applications of the standards and common practice issues and challenges. Examples include independence issues, serving clients in the cannabis industry, and reporting potential noncompliance with laws and regulations to third parties.How failure to follow the standards can result in unwanted regulatory actions and publicity.

Surgent's Food, Beverage, and Entertainment Expensing

The 50% deduction for meals that are ordinary and necessary in carrying on a trade or business Elimination of the temporary rules that applied for 2021 and 2022 which allowed for 100% deductibility for ordinary and necessary business-related meals When meals are still 100% deductible IRS rules relating to the nondeducibility of activities considered entertainment or amusement What constitutes entertainment/amusement for tax purposes? When employers may deduct food and beverages provided to employees 50% deductibility for occasional employee meals and for overtime meals 50% deductibility for business meals during business meetings Business meals incurred during business travel Invoice meals separately from entertainment

Outlook - Manage Your Inbox With Maximum Efficiency

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Orientation to the Outlook interface and navigationCustomizing your inbox display to meet your preferencesUsing folders to organize your messagesUsing QuickSteps and Rules to automate the processing of inbound emailsTools for deleting and archiving your emailsManaging your junk mail settingsUnderstanding all email option settings

Fraud & Embezzlement: Case Studies from the Trenches

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:How organizations can find themselves defrauded due to lax oversight and weak internal controls.How the existence of the "trusted advisor" creates situations where CPAs can drop their professional skepticism.Illustrations of the issues companies should look for in preventing fraud and embezzlement.