CPE & Event Calendar

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-8761. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This course may assist those who want or need to remain up to date on recently issued and effective guidance impacting the accounting and auditing of small privately held businesses. 

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-8900. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org. This presentation focuses on one key role we all share – being a reviewer. Every financial professional must review. We review; processes, systems, test results, performance, taxes, financials, timelines, and progress. The spotlight is to enhance our skills as a reviewer. Are we great at listening, and asking the right questions? We will also discuss a high-level overview of taxation and the newer skills needed to be an effective financial leader. At every level, we are responsible for reviewing and improving ourselves, a responsibility that never ends. We cannot fall behind in an ever-changing, dynamic environment. Technology is always moving forward, just as we should.Aren’t We All Auditors? All the Time 2 Auditing credits Audits involve testing, review, examination, and verification. However, on another level - you and I audit; procedures, reports at work, who fulfilled commitments, systems, other people’s driving skills, deliveries, etc. We all audit everything all the time, and that is wonderful. Auditing skills are valuable and necessary for our professional success and personal happiness. Every professional will audit what they encounter, including us. We will illustrate how continuous auditing skills are valuable, all the time. Whether you are an auditor, or not, our role as a business leader IS to audit continuously! Better leaders have these skills.Audits Begin with The Right Questions: Listen! 2 Auditing credits Technology has boundless memory and can store all the answers, unlike humans. Regardless, technology and AI cannot discern the right questions to ask. Asking the right questions separates successful professionals from mediocre professionals. This session will take a big-picture approach and redefine auditing in a broader perspective which will deepen your skills, perspective, and know-how. The truth is that all professionals are auditors. We will illustrate three types of audits and dive into the most fundamental aspects of our daily work-lives that need constant attention, not seasonal treatments. We will show how to become a better listener and to ask better questions!What We Can Do to Minimize Taxes: Without Danger 2 Tax credits When stepping into a leadership role you may not have been exposed to all the various tax issues. We will take a thirty-thousand-foot view into corporate income taxes and some other taxes. The focus is to potentially lower taxes. We will explore what and how to communicate with your external accounting firm. What is the value of proper fixed asset schedules and their crucial role? Depreciation, qualified business income, and the employee retention credit will be reviewed. Keep a schedule, be prepared, because at the end of day – you will be held accountable and responsible for missed dates, missed opportunities, and also may be given credit for taxes saved. Be prepared and aware of tax savings alternatives.Successful System Implementations: Planning! 2 Information Technology credits System changes are common, so why does seemingly every new system update or installation have multiple, new problems? We will review the causes and effects, including a short-term outlook. We will focus on the best practices of successful organizations, specifically the one key task for success – proper planning. What are the steps to take? Which functions need to be involved? How to reduce risk? These actions can be applied to small system changes, system upgrades, or large ERP systems. Do not make the same mistake over and over – learn from others who have paid the hefty price.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9275. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org. Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) and Machine Learning (“ML”) are being deployed in organizations large and small at a rapidly increasing rate. Your organization is likely testing, deploying and perhaps refining AI-powered applications across a variety of departments and business functions. Why should this matter to accounting, internal audit, finance and cyber professionals? Should our teams be testing and deploying also? During this interactive session we will demonstrate and describe the differences between chat- based AI search tools and more robust AI-powered applications such as one that we helped build to help prioritize and dispatch IT help desk tickets. The session will include example policies for responsible and ethical AI, and resources to help curious professionals learn more about these subjects. These technologies are powerful and quite capable, they are not without risk. After all, with great power comes great responsibility. These technologies can also be misused (accidentally or intentionally) to destroy value instead of creating it. We also discuss which is the greater risk; a) not using these new technologies or b) misusing these new technologies? Leading organizations have been using AI and ML. Successful leaders must be aware of the pros and cons and how to properly utilize these tools. 

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1130296. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.New features in Excel provide tremendous opportunities to improve Excel-based operational and financial reports. For example, Data Models, Power Query, Data Analysis Expressions, Power Pivot, and many others can help you create more powerful summaries and schedules in less time than ever. Bundle these tools with some of Excel's "legacy" features, and you have significant new opportunities to improve your Excel-based reporting environments. In this fast-paced seminar, you will learn about the importance of using Power Query to link data into Excel data models and how you can manage these data models to facilitate better and more efficient reporting. Additionally, you will learn how to incorporate Key Performance Indicators, Slicers, and Timelines into your reports to enhance the analytics and understandability of the data. Further, you will learn best practices to format your spreadsheets quickly and efficiently to give them a polished and professional appearance. This course should be at the top of your professional development list if you use Excel for any reporting process.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-8960. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This course is designed for firm partners and managers to explore ways to incorporate data analytics and related technologies in their audit practices. Participants explore how small and mid-size firms are using these tools to improve engagement efficiency and quality while providing opportunities for value-added services to clients. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program); breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement; and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations easy delivery of video presentations fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course materials.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9414. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This 2-hour mini course is from our Level V course, which highlights leadership skills and situations that are common for managers and senior managers in CPA firms. Participants will be encouraged to examine and challenge their beliefs and approaches to managing and leading people. Leading Others - Coaching & Developing Staff - prioritizing the coaching and development of staff in a post-pandemic work environment, including delegation for development, effective feedback, and managing virtual employees. Building Leadership Communication Skills - strategies to influence and lead others through effective communication in both individual and group settings. Helping the Firm Grow - the three levels of helping the firm grow and how to involve the entire team in expanding services to existing clients and generating referrals to new clients. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program) breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations easy delivery of video presentations fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course material.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbursement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1138594. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.In the world of "Big Data," virtually all business professionals have become data analysts, at least to some extent. However, that is particularly true in auditing, where internal and external auditors increasingly turn to data analytics to identify situations requiring follow-up and investigation. Those who understand how to use various tools to assist in these efforts benefit by conducting more thorough analyses and achieving superior results in less time. In this session, you will learn about various tools and techniques you can use for more thorough data analyses. The discussion includes Excel as a data analysis tool, multiple Excel add-ins, and Microsoft's Power BI application. If you're seeking to improve your skills in the field of data analytics, this session is the one for you!

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1124178. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.The QuickBooks ecosystem of accounting tools remains the most widely-used set of accounting applications small businesses use. Yet, many of these organizations struggle because of inadequate internal controls. In this seminar, you will learn options for improving internal controls in small businesses running QuickBooks Pro, Premier, Enterprise, or Online. Participate in this program to understand how you can create a robust system of internal controls in a small business environment, including businesses using QuickBooks accounting solutions. In this session, you will also learn about the four common types of internal controls and how to assess the relative condition of the internal control structure of a small business. With this background in place, the focus then shifts to discovering the opportunities to enhance internal controls in QuickBooks-based environments using features found in the application. In addition, you will learn about additional internal control procedures for situations where you cannot establish adequate controls in QuickBooks. While many believe that QuickBooks-based organizations will forever face weak internal control structures, participating in this session will teach you how QuickBooks-based businesses can benefit from strong internal controls.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1138120. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Many Microsoft 365/Office 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. Plan to attend this session to learn about the "rest of 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 leverage your investment in Microsoft 365/Office 365 fully.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-6542. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.This 2-hour mini course introduces how data analytics can be used to improve engagement quality and efficiency. Participants explore the use of data analytics to assess risk, support financial statement assertions, assess internal controls and uncover fraud. Apply the ADA IDEASc approach to using data analytics on engagements to ensure compliance with audit and review standards and to provide value-added services to clients. All of AHI's courses rely heavily on participant interaction and these virtual programs have co-opted many of Zoom's features to preserve the same strengths of the in-person training: visual interaction between the instructor and all participants (plan to be "on screen" throughout the program); breakout rooms to ensure small group engagement; and instructor interaction screen share for small group presentations easy delivery of video presentations fillable PDF for online note-taking in the course materials.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1138122. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.You have used Excel for years and perhaps Lotus 123 before that. And through all that time, you have repeatedly said, "One day, I'll learn how to write macros." Finally, that time has arrived because this four-hour program will introduce you to the wide world of Excel macros and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). This course teaches the fundamentals of creating and working with macros in Excel and is designed specifically for those with little experience working with macros. More specifically, taking this course will teach you how to use Excel's Macro Recorder to write simple yet effective macros. You will also learn how to secure and share macros with other Excel users and create user-defined functions to solve specific accountant-centric problems in Excel. Further, you will learn how to create macros that run when a user opens a workbook and VBA basics. Don't miss this unique opportunity to learn how to begin working with macros - one of Excel's most powerful tools.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147705. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.As gig workers, remote employees, and hybrid working environments have become more commonplace, the tax rules pertaining to independent contractors and employees have become more complex.  If someone can work whenever they want, are they still an employee?  How are expense reimbursements reported?  And most importantly, what happens if a contractor should really be classified as an employee?  In this course, we will discuss these issues, as well as some common tax reporting issues.  Finally, we will discuss recent tax legislation in this area, including changes to the electronic filing requirements.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147707. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Due to hybrid and remote work environments, many companies are rethinking their employee reimbursement policies.  Therefore, it is imperative for practitioners to know which expenses are reimbursable, the impact of these expenses on the W-2, and proper substantiation requirements.  Using easy to follow examples and discussion, this course will explore these topics as well as which fringe benefits need to be added back into the W-2 – and which do not.  We will also identify some best practices as well, so that you will be well prepared for the next client question that comes your way.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147708. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.In an increasingly online world where geography is less important, some companies are looking outside of the United States for talent.  However, foreign contractors have many unique tax attributes - and their filing requirements can differ depending on if they are classified as a resident or nonresident alien.  In this course, we will discuss basic tax requirements related to foreign contractors.  Using discussion and examples, we will identify situations to watch out for and when certain forms may be required.  We will also discuss what to do in the case of worker misclassification.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147709. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.One thing that is nearly impossible to get away from as a tax practitioner is IRS notices.  Even if you are not a tax attorney, it is important to know what to do when the client comes to you with a letter.  What information do you need to collect?  What types of notices are there?  And more importantly, are there any remedies?  In this class, we will explore some of the basic types of IRS notices.  We will talk about the audit process and when the client might be eligible for relief.  We will also discuss which penalties are eligible for first-time abatement – and which are not.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147711. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.It is a sickening feeling for a practitioner when they realize that a tax due date has been missed.  Immediately, certain questions come to mind:  Am I going to owe a penalty?  Should I file late?  And most importantly, is there anything I can do remedy this situation?  Through easy-to-follow examples and discussion, this course will explore the tax calendar and key due dates.  We will examine what to do if a client misses a deadline and what potential relief may be available.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147712. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.In more recent times, the tax profession has become more engagement letter driven.  While engagement letters seem to get longer each tax season, it is sometimes difficult to know when they are required and when they are not.  Can I answer a quick question from a client without an engagement letter?  What happens if a client does not want to sign?  Can a preparer ever be liable for penalties related to an engagement?  In this course, we will examine these questions and many others related to engagement letters and preparer liability.  We will talk about what is required of tax professionals and how an engagement letter protects us.  Finally, we will look at some best practices related to client engagement letters.

You could pay $0 for this course!This qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% reimbusement, and firms/companies with over 100 staff will receive 50% reimbursement. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website three weeks in advance to be eligible. The course code for this program is 1147713. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.There can be no doubt that accounting and tax software capabilities have improved drastically over time.  Gone are the days of paper reconciliations and 10-key tapes attached to reports.  However, as automation has increased, practitioners may wonder whether the software is performing all the critical checks that it should.  When software reconciles an account, can we rest assured that it is correct?  Are there key screens that we should be looking at as a part of our month-end processes?  How can we be sure that automated transactions are coming over correctly?  In this course, we will dig into what the software is doing and how we can be sure the software is correct.  We will also discuss how to investigate variances and apply analytical techniques to month-end reporting.

You could pay $0 for this course!This course qualifies for reimbursement through the State Workforce Training Express Fund. Firms/companies with fewer than 100 staff will receive 100% of the cost of training reimbursed. You must register for this course and apply for reimbursement through the Workforce Training Express Fund website a minimum of three weeks before the start date of the course to be eligible. The course code for this program is C-9363. To learn more click here or contact Julia Ekelund at jekelund@mscpaonline.org.Is teamwork the ultimate competitive advantage? Every manager’s primary purpose is to lead a team. This seminar will help you get every member of your team on the same page, improve performance and realize the potential of the talent you have.

Develop your soft skills in training courses that benefit both the person attending and their organization. This course, part four of the five-course series, is applicable for various accounting departments (i.e. audit, tax, consulting, and accounting services) but because these are universal leadership concepts, they are equally applicable to other professional business leaders. AHI soft skills training will help improve efficiency, make managers and senior managers more effective with others, and increase the organization's bottom line. Also, as these courses often include other industries besides accounting, there is an opportunity to work and network with leadership professionals from other industries. Per NASBA's rules effective January 1, 2024, participants are required to be on camera and participate in the full and small group discussions to earn CPE credits for this Group Live - Virtual course. As such, please make sure you are set up properly with reliable internet (hard wired is best), a working camera, and a working microphone.