WCNTFS23: TechFest Summer (Virtual)

Technology has quickly become one of the most important aspects of improving bottom lines. Participants will learn about existing and future technologies that will not only improve personal and professional productivity, but help them utilize the latest trends in hardware and software to make informed decisions that benefit clients. 

Highlights: *Automation *Microsoft Office *Microsoft Excel *Microsoft 365 *Adobe PDF *Information Technology *Technology for Collaboration *Cloud-Based Tools *Cybersecurity
Who Should Attend: CPAs and other professionals working with or wanting to gain an understanding of technology systems and trends.
Required Knowledge: None
Advanced Preparation: None
Field of Study: Various
CPE: 16.00

Event Information
Event Date:
August 14, 2023
Objectives
  • Participants will be able to participate in hands-on demonstrations that enhance their technology skills while discovering and discussing recent technology trends.
Event Information
Date Presented:
August 15, 2023 8:00 AM Eastern
Length:
8 hours
Click on a topic name to see details and purchase options.
Monday August 14, 2023
GS1: K2's Tech Update

What are my best technology choices, and how do I keep up? Even informed accounting professionals will find  multiple ideas they can apply daily. This visionary session provides insights, options, and recommendations to help you decide which technologies will affect your business and which will give you a competitive edge. Included in Tech Update are emerging and evolving technologies important to accounting professionals. We will cover the benefits and risks of adopting recent technologies, ranging from software applications to hardware devices. You will also learn how to develop a balanced technology strategy that includes current, emerging, and future technology choices for your firm or business.

 

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 2 hours

Speaker Information
Randy Johnston  [ view bio ]
1A: CPA Firm Update

It’s an exciting time to manage a public practice accounting firm! In addition to technical knowledge in tax, auditing, and accounting, we need to understand data analytics and security options in an advisory context.


Beyond that, we must manage the practice and people while profitably delivering excellent client service in a competitive environment for the owners. Further, portals, CAS stacks, PBC lists, electronic signatures, Cloud, and robotic process automation are technologies we need to understand beyond our tax, audit, practice management, document management, and workflow systems. This CPA Firm Update session independently covers significant trends and technologies for CPA firms, which will help you understand your current and future choices. With such rapid change, what will your firm do?

 

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Randolph Johnston  [ view bio ]
1C: Using OneNote More And Email Less

OneNote is a fantastic application included in your Microsoft 365 subscription. Yet, it is underutilized and misunderstood most of the time. If you genuinely want to change how you work, embrace OneNote. Stop using Outlook as a filing cabinet for essential emails and move them to OneNote instead. If you share a OneNote 
notebook with others, you can stop emailing altogether within your group and use OneNote as your collaboration and reference platform.


Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Mac McClelland   [ view bio ]
2A: Collaboration – Portals, Payments, & Signatures

Demands for an excellent user experience are at an all-time high. But how do you solve for easy collaboration, compliance, and workflow? What features do you need to be effective? How do you integrate payments, eSignatures, and other technologies to make interaction convenient? This session will explain the necessary 
features, provide an overview of the best technologies for collaboration, and help you think through how to solve your business problems. You’ll learn about the options available from client portals, workflow management, payments, eSignatures, and more. Attend this session and arm yourself with the tools you need to succeed!


Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Randolph Johnston  [ view bio ]
2B: Shredding Your Servers & Going Virtual

Most small and mid-sized businesses are at least considering cloud-based suites for business management, performance management, and productivity. Unfortunately, many owners and accounting professionals need to learn the difference between using cloud-native tools, employing a managed service provider, and utilizing a desktop hosting provider. This session helps participants understand the differences in the levels of service provided by these offerings and will also highlight some of the regulatory barriers which could create problems for your organization. Attend this session and learn what you need to know before saying “see ya” to your servers.


Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Tommy Stephens  [ view bio ]
2C: Taking Another Look At PDFs

We’re all familiar with PDF documents. However, it’s safe to say that most professionals use only a tiny fraction of their features. This circumstance is unfortunate, considering all you can do with PDF documents. Therefore, isn’t it time to take another look at PDF documents and all you can do with them?


Participate in this session to learn more about PDFs and how and why they should be a cornerstone technology in most organizations. Collaboration options, long-term storage and archival, and fillable forms are just a few features you will learn about in this session. This session is for you if you’re ready to elevate your PDF productivity!


Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Lawrence McClelland   [ view bio ]
GS2: The Best Kept Secrets Of Microsoft 365

Many organizations have implemented Microsoft 365/Office 365 at a basic level, but few have truly explored the breadth and depth of tools included with their subscriptions. Some less commonly known apps help you manage shared email boxes, create and use web forms, schedule appointments, trade shifts, create real-time closed captions, and translate presentations. Attend this session and learn more about the hidden features in Microsoft 365 that you can use to level up your productivity.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Lawrence McClelland   [ view bio ]
Monday December 11, 2023
1B: Now Is The Time To Automate!

The term “automate” has been an industry buzzword for at least a decade. Yet, few organizations have embarked on successful automation journeys, leading to greater efficiencies, reduced errors, and happier team members.
In this session, you will learn how to crank up your automation projects and see first-hand how easy and effective automation can be. More specifically, this session shows you exactly how you can work with tools from Zoho, Zapier, and Microsoft to enable powerful routines that will allow you and your team to get more done in less time.


Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Tommy Stephens  [ view bio ]
Tuesday August 15, 2023
GS3: Ripped From The Headlines – Outrageous Tales Of Cybercrimes

Remote work environments have created many new opportunities for cybercriminals and other fraudsters to exploit, and accounting professionals are some of the most commonly targeted individuals. This session is a series of case studies that examine actual criminal filings and news accounts and use them to highlight some of the actions you can take to limit your exposure to similar schemes.

Attend this session and learn more about how high-profile control failures occurred so you can be more effective at preventing crimes in your organization.

 

Field of Study: Auditing
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Randolph Johnston  [ view bio ]
3A: Accounting Solutions & Add-Ons For Small Businesses

Working with a small business, you know that keeping the company’s finances in order is critical to success. While numerous software programs and tools are available to help you do this, they vary substantially in many significant aspects. In addition to conventional options like QuickBooks and Sage 50, you can choose from Cloud-based tools such as Zoho Books, QuickBooks Online, Spire Systems, Xero, Accounting Suite, Accounting Power, and many more. 

In this session, we’ll look at the best accounting tools for small businesses and discuss the benefits of each one. This session covers accounting solutions that should work for startups and companies with up to $10 million in annual revenue. We also cover various add-on solutions that can enhance the overall functionality of your accounting platform. Join us to learn your options for achieving your small business management financial goals.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Randolph Johnston  [ view bio ]
3B: The Digital Home

Coming Soon

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Tommy Stephens  [ view bio ]
3C: Top Ten Outlook Tips

Using Outlook for email management is routine for most business professionals these days. But unfortunately, using this tool for so long may cause some to perpetuate bad practices and habits when working in Outlook and exploring new options Outlook offers. In this session, you will discover ten valuable tips to take you to the next level of your email and work management.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Lawrence McClelland   [ view bio ]
4A: Accounting Solutions: Mid-Market

Many businesses are being held back by legacy solutions. The old way of doing things doesn’t work anymore. Instead, Software as a Service (SaaS) has transformed many mid-market companies. In this new world of cloud-based, workflow-enabled, data-centric, and connected solutions, you can solve existing and future business problems in new ways without being bogged down by paper-centric environments.

This session covers integrated and ERP solutions that should work for businesses in the $10 Million to $1 Billion range. If your existing system has been in place for seven or more years, it is time to consider upgrading or replacing it. Leverage your instructor’s knowledge of the market to minimize your risk.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 1.00

Speaker Information
Randolph Johnston  [ view bio ]
4B: Simplifying & Economizing Your Tech Stack

All business professionals need access to the necessary technology to help them perform their jobs efficiently and effectively. Yet, no one should overpay for their tech stack. Unfortunately, though, many are overpaying and have yet to realize it. In this session, you will learn valuable tips to help you simplify and economize your technology stack. Participate in this session to avoid the risk of overpaying for your tech tools.

 

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 1.00

Speaker Information
Tommy Stephens  [ view bio ]
4C: Six Essential Teams Features

The mad scramble to remote work and utilize apps like Teams has been trying for most organizations over the past couple of years. With a rush to install and no time to plan, most team members did their best, prioritizing remote meetings as the primary concern. Therefore, as a result, Teams is vastly misunderstood and underutilized in most organizations. Join us in this session to go beyond the remote meetings aspect of Teams and to learn how to optimize efficiency, communication, and workflow with Teams.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 1.00

Speaker Information
Lawrence McClelland   [ view bio ]
5A: Kicking It Up A Notch With KPIs

The adage, “what gets measured, gets managed,” has never been more true than it is today. Organizations of all kinds and sizes are creating systems and processes to categorize, track, and report on many of their operations by creating reports featuring key performance indicators (KPIs). This session will teach you about many different kinds of KPIs. Further, you will learn how to find data and use tools like Microsoft Excel and Power BI to measure performance. You will also identify the benefits and drawbacks of using KPIs in management philosophies like holacracy to make it easier for employees to know in real time where they stand.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 1.00

Speaker Information
Randolph Johnston  [ view bio ]
5B: Understanding Your Ransomware Risk

Protecting yourself from ransomware requires more than just anti-virus software. Additional technology protections are necessary. Further, business continuity, legal and regulatory, and cybersecurity insurance considerations should all be a part of your risk abatement strategy. Attend this session to determine if your current level of ransomware protection reduces your risk to an acceptable and identify ways to ensure that you are protected.

 

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 1.00

Speaker Information
Tommy Stephens  [ view bio ]
5C: OneDrive’s Best Practices

Although Windows incorporates the OneDrive app, you may not have configured it correctly for your specific needs. Using the OneDrive app and the related Cloud storage service to their fullest potential means you can access your files when and where you need them. Further, sharing your files and collaborating with others is easy when using OneDrive correctly. In this session, you will learn best practices for taking full advantage of OneDrive.

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 1.00

Speaker Information
Lawrence McClelland   [ view bio ]
GS4: Ten “Must Know” Features In Excel

Most business professionals have used Excel for years, often without the benefit of any formal training. Thus, they don’t know about key features in the application and, therefore, don’t use them. Of course, this leads to inefficiencies and errors. Isn’t it time to stop this madness? This session is for you if you’re ready to become more efficient and effective with Excel! You will learn ten critical features that can help you get more work done in less time and improve your accuracy. We encourage you to make plans to join us for this session to learn the best ways of working with Excel!

 

Field of Study: Computer Software & Applications
CPE: 2.00

Speaker Information
Tommy Stephens  [ view bio ]
Individual topic purchase: Selected
North Carolina Association of Certified Public Accountants
Various: 16.00