CPE Catalog & Events

Microsoft 365 for CPAs: Unlocking Hidden Productivity Tools

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Round robin review of lesser known M365 appsReduce / eliminate internal email communications with Teams and SharePointCollaborate on spreadsheet and documents with your colleagues in real timeGet control of your appointment schedule with the Bookings appTap the full potential of OneNote as your primary repository for notes, correspondence and moreReplace email attachments with secure file sharing linksDocument business processes with the Stream appLeverage the power of AI in M365 with Copilot

Surgent's Generative AI and Cybersecurity: Opportunities and Threats

Generative AI applications in cybersecurity (e.g., threat detection, automation) AI-enabled cyber threats, including phishing, deepfakes, and malware Real-world incidents involving AI-related cybersecurity challenges Proactive strategies for leveraging generative AI in cybersecurity Regulatory and ethical implications of generative AI in financial cybersecurity

Surgent's Guide to the AICPA Quality Management Standards

Quality management standards SAS 146, SSARS No. 26, and SSAE 23 Risk assessment, which forms the basis of the SQM Monitoring and evaluating the SQM

Surgent's Navigating OBBBA's Charitable and Education Tax Provisions

New charitable contribution rules, including the deduction available for non-itemizers New limitations affecting itemized charitable deductions Donor-advised funds, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs), and charitable bunching Expansion of Section 529 education savings plans. Increased annual Section 529 K-12 withdrawal limits Newly eligible elementary and secondary education expenses Expanded uses for workforce training and recognized postsecondary credential programs Planning opportunities for families, business owners, and professionals pursuing continuing education Permanent enhancements to ABLE accounts and their coordination with education planning

Surgent's Taxation of Tips and Overtime Under OBBBA

$12,500 deduction per individual for qualified overtime pay Payment of overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Calculating the “premium portion” of the extra half-time pay Social Security and Medicare withholding Employer furnishing the record of qualified overtime compensation to employees Definition of a qualified tip IRS list of traditionally-tipped occupations $25,000 deduction for reported tips The transition rule allowing employers to indicate the approximate amount designated as tips or overtime State tax issues relating to tips and overtime Changes in the W-2 reflecting new employer reporting responsibilities

Forensic Accounting: When The Office Is A Crime Scene

The major topics covered in this class include:A step-by-step process from the initial client phone call to you writing a report of your findings for any civil or criminal actions that may be pursuedHow to advise your client in approaching an allegation of embezzlementWhat pitfalls may arise in finding the truthThe best practices to ensure that the evidence is preserved properly for potential civil or criminal actions

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

How to Turn AI and Automation into Strategic Decisions

AI Prompt Engineering Masterclass for Accountants

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Introduction to Prompt Engineering: Basics of structuring effective prompts for meaningful AI responses.Understanding AI's "Lazy" Defaults: Why LLMs provide basic answers and how to push them to deliver richer insights.Multi-Layered Prompting: Techniques to encourage AI to provide responses across beginner to expert levels.Candid and Contrarian Responses: Using prompts that elicit honest and balanced insights, even on controversial topics.Ripple Effect and Cobra Effect: Probing the broader impacts and unintended consequences of financial decisions.Avoid Stupidity Checklist: A practical prompt for reducing mistakes in AI-assisted accounting tasks.Role-Based Perspective Prompts: Crafting prompts that guide AI to respond from specific professional viewpoints.Automation Ideas: Leveraging AI to optimize repetitive accounting tasks.Emotion-Driven Prompting: Exploring how emotion-focused prompts can enhance AI performance and engagement.Practical Applications in Accounting: How to apply prompt engineering in real-world financial analysis and decision-making.

Surgent's Governing Agentic AI: Cybersecurity, Data, and Risk

Cyber risks: prompt injection, drift, model manipulation, data leakage Red-teaming and simulation exercises (CSA, IBM frameworks) Controls mapping: COSO, SOX, and NIST AI RMF Regulatory context: GDPR, CCPA, EU AI Act, SEC guidance Platform security discussion and comparisons

AHI: AI For Accountants - Practical Applications

AI In Accounting and Auditing.

The 10 Must Know Excel Features

The major topics that will be covered in this class include:Excel Tables: Master the use of Excel tables for efficient data management, including sorting, filtering, and structured references, to manage  data more effectively.Custom Sorting: Get to grips with custom sorting options to organize data in a way that best suits your needs, enhancing data readability and analysis.XLOOKUP: Discover the power of XLOOKUP for advanced data retrieval, a game-changer for complex analysis, allowing you to extract specific data from extensive datasets with ease.SUBTOTAL: Gain proficiency in using the SUBTOTAL function, a versatile tool for calculating data in visible cells, ideal for analyses that require dynamic calculations.SUMIF(S): Explore the functionality of SUMIF and SUMIFS functions for conditional summing, crucial for precise budgeting, expense tracking, and financial reporting.Array Formulas: Dive into array formulas to perform multiple calculations on one or more items in an array, enhancing the efficiency of complex accounting computations.Data Validations: Learn to implement data validations to ensure data integrity and prevent errors in financial data entry, a critical skill for maintaining accurate accounting records.Slicers: Learn to use slicers for interactive data segmentation in tables and PivotTables, enabling accountants to quickly filter and analyze specific subsets of financial data.Conditional Formatting: Understand how to apply conditional formatting to highlight critical financial data points, trends, and variances, making data analysis and interpretation more intuitive.PivotTables: An introduction to PivotTables, one of the most powerful Excel features, for summarizing, analyzing, and presenting large sets of financial data in a digestible format.

AHI: Advanced Management and Leadership Essentials (Mini Course)

Leading others Coaching and developing staff Building leadership communications skills

Navigating IRS Authorizations: Form 2848 & Form 8821

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:Overview of IRS Power of Attorney (POA) rules.Form 2848: Authority to Represent Clients before the IRS.Form 8821: Accessing Tax Information Without Representation.Identifying errors and compliance risks in POA filings.Rules for revoking or updating POA authorizations.Managing authorizations through the CAF system.Electronic submissions and the IRS online authorization process.Ethical responsibilities when holding a POA.

Ethics, AI, and Music: What Every CPA Must Know

The major topics that will be covered in this course include: Four key aspects of artificial intelligence that are relevant to CPAs: machine learning, generative AI, large language models, and GPT.The role that five powerful principles—the principles of ethical intelligence—play in using AI the right way. Short, focused writing exercises (30 seconds each) designed to deepen understanding of the topic. Real-world case studies about the use of AI in music as well as accountingAnswers to several crucial questions about how to use artificial intelligence with ethical intelligence.  

Corporate Finance Technology Selection: Practical Frameworks

The major topics that will be covered in this course include:The changing finance technology landscape: continuous processing, modular ecosystems, automated controls, and real-time visibility (and the risks these shifts introduce)Technology trends and “AI” definitions: automation vs. machine learning vs. generative AI vs. agentic AI—what each means for governance and auditabilityFive common challenges in finance tech projects and how to address them:Cutting through vendor claims and AI hypeIntegration complexity and hidden costsChange management and proving ROIData quality readiness for AI and automationRisk, security, and governanceVendor Evaluation Scorecard: 20 criteria across five categories, including control “deal-breakers” (audit trails, segregation of duties, logging, SOC reporting, error handling)Five-Year Total Cost Framework: software, implementation, data migration/cleanup, integration build & maintenance, internal costs, training, and ongoing operations (plus common underestimates)Industry-specific considerations (manufacturing, distribution/wholesale, SaaS/tech, professional services)Four-phase implementation roadmap with checkpoints and red flags: Assessment & Planning; Selection & Negotiation; Implementation & Testing; Optimization & Ongoing GovernanceWorking with external advisers (CPA/auditor involvement, implementation partner expectations, and common deficiencies to avoid)

The Art of Engaging in Difficult Conversations

The major subjects that will be covered in this course include:Awareness of your mindset entering the conversationTactics to build a pool of meaningClarity around story tellingBiggest mistakes to avoid

Surgent's Representing a Client in an IRS Audit

Impact of the Trump Administration on IRS funding Reduction in IRS staffing Potential reduction in IRS’s ability to process and audit tax returns Status of IRS Direct File program Auditing large corporations and partnerships Audits of high income and high net worth individuals Information document requests What happens when a client agrees or disagrees with the IRS’s audit findings The Dirty Dozen for 2025: roadmap to IRS audit issues

Ethics: Critical Thinking, Case Studies and Fraud

· AICPA Code of Professional Conduct · CPA responsibilities and AU-C 315 · The new AICPA Ethics Codification · Disciplinary cases and actions · CPA Vision · Seminal events · The impact of ethical and unethical conduct on our profession

Surgent's Preparing and Writing Findings in Yellow Book and Single Audits

The types of audit findings reported in Yellow Book and single audit engagements The finding elements required by the GAO and OMB standards Where audit findings get communicated in the reporting process