CPE Catalog & Events

This another course in our series on the controllership function. The controller's role encompasses many traditional responsibilities. The breadth and depth of the controller skill set has expanded and will continue to expand as the business world evolves. The controller position will typically lead teams of financial and accounting experts. Recognizing that leadership and team management skills are must-haves; they need to be able to command their team's respect, inspire them to act, and ensure that such actions are aligned with your organization's overall vision. These skills, along with tactical knowledge will ensure the controller's success.

This course dives into the powerful, but potentially under-utilized, capabilities of Microsoft Excel.  Designed for sophisticated users willing to approach spreadsheets from a unique perspective, this program encourages users to challenge the status quo by considering opportunities to take acceptable spreadsheets to a new level.

This section of the 4-part series will cover fundamentals of Form 706 with numerous examples of how to properly report deductions on the estate tax return, including the marital and charitable deductions. Form 706 Series: Form 706 Preparation Part 1: Overview Including Portability Form 706 Preparation Part 2: Reporting Assets Form 706 Preparation Part 3: Reporting Deductions Form 706 Preparation Part 4: GST Schedule R, Form 8971, Payments & Credits

In the ever-evolving world of data analytics and business intelligence, Microsoft Excel continues to be an indispensable tool for professionals across industries. With the introduction of Copilot, Microsoft has integrated the power of artificial intelligence directly into Excel, revolutionizing how users work with data. This 2-hour interactive course, Unlock the Power of AI with Copilot in Excel, provides a comprehensive overview of how Copilot transforms traditional Excel workflows into dynamic, AI-driven processes, enabling users to accomplish tasks faster, more accurately, and with less manual effort. During this course, you'll discover how Copilot leverages AI to enhance productivity and streamline operations. Whether you're a seasoned Excel user or just beginning your journey, this course will guide you through practical applications and best practices to make the most of Copilot's capabilities. Through hands-on demonstrations and real-world examples, you'll see how Copilot can save time, improve decision-making, and elevate your analytical skills to new heights. This course not only focuses on the technical aspects of Copilot but also highlights its potential to transform your day-to-day work, from automating repetitive tasks to uncovering trends and insights you might otherwise overlook. By the end of the session, you'll be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to integrate Copilot into your workflows and unlock its full potential in Microsoft Excel. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This session revisits useful, but potentially underutilized, managerial accounting techniques. You will appreciate a fresh look at concepts you may not have considered since your college days. We will illustrate practical ways you can immediately implement managerial accounting analysis in your professional endeavors. 

Strategic Planning for SMEs

This course will review common deficiencies identified by the AICPA and state boards of accountancy. It features discussion on a variety of topics, including analytical procedures, sampling, group audits and risk assessment. We will review the areas of concern and how you can overcome them by employing best practices. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

This comprehensive case-driven training is designed to quickly get the accountant up to speed in basis calculations and distribution planning for the owners of pass-thru entities (i.e., S corporations, partnerships, and limited liability companies (LLCs)). The cornerstone of this course is the line-by-line analysis of the Schedule K-1s and how it affects the basis calculations. This session is taught using a Hands-On methodology. Real-world examples and cases demonstrate the complex income tax code and regulations to enhance the participant's learning experience. Each attendee will receive the most comprehensive reference manual with numerous practice aids, real-world examples, and case studies.

Though many clients see Social Security as a government benefit, it is a covered worker's investment asset to be managed like any other asset. Examine issues like how Social Security benefits are calculated, identifying benefit-claiming strategies, and what spouses can do now to maximize benefits at retirement. You'll learn how Social Security works and explore common planning situations?including workers with and without spouses, sandwich-generation families with dependent parents and minor children, and surviving and/or divorced spouses?and techniques to maximize your clients' benefits.

This 8-credit boot camp is perfect for accountants in public practice or industry who work with nonprofit and governmental entities. The course starts by exploring key financial reporting differences for these organizations, providing a solid foundation for understanding what makes their accounting and auditing unique. Participants will then dive into the essentials of Yellow Book and Uniform Guidance audits, gaining practical insights to confidently navigate these specialized areas. Whether you're new to the nonprofit and governmental arena or seeking a refresher, this course equips you with the knowledge and tools to succeed.  

From understanding fraud requirements to improving risk assessment procedures and from testing to meeting auditing standards, discover ways to audit more effectively and efficiently. Engage in discussions that cover reducing risk and effective planning, research and documentation. Review various case studies, real-life examples and sample documentation will reinforce ideas. This course meets the specific California Board of Accountancy requirements that CPAs are required to meet for re-issuance of their license.

An advanced guide to prompting techniques that maximize AI efficiency and precision in everyday business research, operational due diligence and accounting tasks. Designed for accountants with no prior AI knowledge, the session explores how simple language and strategic prompting can unlock powerful, layered responses from large language models (LLMs). Participants will learn to overcome the "lazy" defaults of AI, using specific techniques to enhance detail, accuracy, and contextual understanding in their queries. By understanding prompt engineering's role, attendees will discover how to guide AI to provide practical, relevant, and analytical insights suited to complex financial scenarios, without needing extensive technical expertise. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Increasingly, automating business processes is a necessity. In this session, you will learn about real-world examples of automating business processes. Remember, the survival of your business might depend upon successful automation!

Understanding how to effectively audit prepaid expenses is a key skill for audit staff. This course provides a comprehensive overview of the fundamentals, including the applicable audit assertions and common risks and threats associated with the prepaid expense balance. Participants will learn how to perform substantive auditing procedures to ensure accuracy and reliability, with guidance on applying these techniques to real-world scenarios. Designed to enhance practical knowledge, this session equips auditors with the tools and confidence needed to navigate prepaid expense audits with proficiency.

The repercussions from a natural disaster can be devastating. Properly accounting and reporting for the impact of those disasters can be confusing. This course will focus on some of the most FAQ related to the proper treatment of accounting for disasters in GAAP basis financial statements. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Cash flow management is often the most important task of any CFO or financial leader. Regardless of whether one works in start-ups or established companies, non-profit or for-profit entities, cash flow makes our organizations run. Have you ever wondered whether you are optimizing your company's cash flow? In this course, we will explore how to improve your company's cash flow using analysis and financial theories in the context of real-world situations. This event may be a rebroadcast of a live event and the instructor will be available to answer your questions during the event.

Staff accountants have specific needs when working with Excel – needs that are often not met by their existing Excel knowledge. Chief among these are the needs to quickly summarize data, prepare accurate and aesthetically pleasing reports, and create accounting-centric calculations for elements such as depreciation, amortization, and interest. By participating in this eight-hour session, staff accountants will gain the essential skills they need to maximize their efficiency and accuracy when working with Excel. This session begins with a quick overview of Excel best practices. It then progresses rapidly into discussions that address PivotTables, sophisticated formulas, Tables, formatting, and working with dates in Excel. Throughout the session, you will learn from accounting-centric examples to reinforce key learning points. In this session, you will learn in a “laptop-friendly” environment, and participants will have access to all the demonstration files used in the session. In sum, this seminar is a “must” for all staff accountants seeking to improve their efficiency and accuracy when working with Excel.  

Many business professionals consider PivotTables the most powerful feature in Excel, yet most accounting and financial professionals do not use them in their day-to-day activities. If you are ready to learn how to take advantage of PivotTables or extend your existing knowledge of PivotTables, then plan to participate in this course. You will learn how to build PivotTables, group data inside PivotTables – including grouping options for fiscal periods – and create user-defined calculations in your PivotTables. You will also learn advanced PivotTable techniques, including building PivotTables that consolidate data from multiple data ranges and PivotTables that connect dynamically to external databases and financial accounting systems. Additionally, you will learn to take advantage of other Excel features associated with PivotTables, including Slicers, Power Query, and Power Pivot. You will be a master of Excel PivotTables at the end of the day! This course is for you if you have been leery of working with PivotTables or have struggled to realize their many benefits. With some information, guidance, and coaching from your K2 instructor, you will be ready to use PivotTables to analyze and report on extensive data sets in a fraction of the time you spend completing such tasks.

Enhance your productivity and streamline your accounting practices with ideas learned in this course. This dynamic program, designed specifically for accountants seeking a competitive edge, delves into the practical applications of ChatGPT in your daily workflow. From conducting comprehensive research and crafting compelling correspondence to swiftly addressing technical inquiries and optimizing Excel formulas, you will gain invaluable skills to expedite your tasks and improve overall efficiency. Furthermore, we will delve into the power of ChatGPT plugins, equipping you with the knowledge to process PDF documents seamlessly and efficiently navigate the vast expanse of the web. Join us on this transformative journey and unlock your potential as a proficient and empowered accountant.

Forensic accounting, forensic accountancy or financial forensics is the specialty practice area of accounting that investigates whether firms engage in financial reporting misconduct. Forensic accountants apply a range of skills and methods to determine whether there has been financial reporting misconduct. Financial forensic engagements may fall into several categories. For example: Economic damages calculations, whether suffered through tort or breach of contract. Post-acquisition disputes such as earnouts or breaches of warranties Bankruptcy, insolvency and reorganization Securities and tax fraud Money laundering Business valuation Computer forensics/e-discovery This session is designed to delve into further investigative procedures used including digital forensics. Future sessions will focus on computer forensics, network forensics and mobile forensics.