Office Scripts is a new feature that allows you to automate tasks in Excel and other Office applications. Unlike VBA, a legacy language that runs only on Windows, Office Scripts can run on any platform and device that supports Office on the web. Further, Office Scripts has a modern and intuitive interface that lets you easily create, edit, and share your scripts. Office Scripts are stored in the Cloud, and they work with Office Online apps and integrate with Power Automate for process automation. Save time and improve productivity using Office Scripts in Excel and other Office applications.                   

Major Topics:

• Introduction to Office Scripts

• Recording your first script

• Integration with Power Automate

Learning Objectives:

• List three benefits of using Office Scripts over legacy VBA macros

• Distinguish the storage locations for Office scripts vs. VBA macros

• Identify four reasons why Office Scripts may not be available for use

• List two ways of sharing an Office Script with other users.

Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications
CPE: 2.00

Automation and standardization are two of the keys to productivity, but most people who are not programmers are unsure where to start. Microsoft’s Power Platform is a comprehensive platform for creating automated workflows, integrations, and data-driven reports. Components include Power BI, Power Apps, Power Automate, Power Pages, and Power Virtual Agents. Attend this session to learn about this platform and how everyone can use its low-code, no-code environment to solve process challenges.

Major Topics:

• Overview of the Power Platform and its components

• Review examples of business processes that may benefit the most from using automation

• Discussion and demonstration of its low-code/no-code app development environment

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the major steps in automating business processes

• Identify two rudimentary process automation applications in Microsoft 365 and explain how the use cases for these applications differ from those for Power Platform.

• List the applications which make up the Power Platform 

• From a list, identify significant differences in expected use cases and user bases for Microsoft Forms in Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Power Automate/Power Apps in the Power Platform

• Identify the Power Platform components used to solve common problems when creating process automation solutions

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 2.00

Power Query and Power BI are genuinely incredible tools to revolutionize your workflow. They offer the promise of "write once, refresh many" reporting, where your reports can instantly update by clicking a button. While incredible tools, these features require additional training and experience to master. This course series will review the different methods of connecting to your data and have multiple hands-on activities to help you master these incredible tools. After completing this session, you will know how to turn your organization's data into repeatable, refreshable PivotTables, Power BI dashboards, and more!

Major Topics:

• Utilizing Power Query to access data from the web, spreadsheets, folders, and databases

• Using Power Query to perform various transformations to clean up data before importing it to Power BI or Excel

• Producing various reporting documents from data delivered from Power Query

Learning Objectives:

• Outline Power Query's noteworthy features and functions and how you can use them for reporting projects

• Demonstrate how to connect Power Query to web resources, spreadsheets, and databases to extract, transform, and load data into your reports

• List the various methods to transform your data using Power Query before importing it into a report. 

• Demonstrate connecting Power Query and Power BI to a sample data server

Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications
CPE: 2.00

Microsoft Office Excel is one of the most widely used applications by accounting and financial professionals. Yet, many remain unaware of new and improved features in Excel and, therefore, fail to reach the level of productivity and accuracy they desire. Further, with new features appearing in Excel provided through Microsoft 365 subscriptions and the forthcoming release of Excel 2024, it is more important now than ever to get up-to-speed on the world’s most popular spreadsheet!

Make plans now to elevate your Excel skills by participating in this session. You will learn about the newer features available to improve efficiency and accuracy in it. You will also learn about the importance of numerous legacy features in Excel and how you can – and should – continue to use these tools to improve productivity.

Major Topics:

• What to look for in Excel 2024

• How to take advantage of new functions and features in Excel

• Integrating Excel data with other applications

• Improving Excel security

Learning Objectives:

• List examples of new functions and features in Excel

• Differentiate between Excel 2024 and subscription-based versions of Excel

• Identify steps necessary to automate tasks in Excel

• Specify the actions required to integrate data from other sources into Excel

Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications
CPE: 2.00

In the ever-evolving landscape of business technology, it is about having the right tools and optimizing for efficiency and cost-effectiveness. K2's Optimizing Your Tech Stack for Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness is designed for professionals seeking to balance functionality with financial prudence. This session delves into strategies for streamlining your technology stack without sacrificing performance. We will guide you through assessing your current tech tools, identifying redundancies, and exploring less expensive yet effective alternatives. You will learn techniques to evaluate the total cost of ownership of tech tools and make informed decisions to avoid overspending. This course is necessary for professionals seeking the most value from their technology investments.

Major Topics:

• Conducting a tech stack assessment, including an inventory of current tools and applications

• Identifying essential and redundant tools

• Exploring cost-effective alternatives

• Calculating your total cost of ownership

Learning Objectives:

• Accurately assess the technology tools used in your business environment

• Identify common feature overlaps in tech stacks that lead to unnecessary costs

• Discover affordable and efficient alternatives to conventional tech tools

• Analyze and calculate the total cost of ownership for various technology solutions

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 2.00

The landscape of small business accounting constantly changes, and K2's Small Business Accounting is your essential guide to navigating these changes. This course focuses on the most effective accounting solutions and supplementary tools for today’s small businesses. We explore robust, user-friendly software options, from industry staples like QuickBooks Online and Xero to emerging Cloud-based platforms and add-ons. The course helps you understand how these tools can streamline financial management for businesses with annual revenues up to $15 million. You will gain insights into the latest advancements, integration capabilities, and how to maximize efficiency and accuracy in small businesses.

Major Topics:

• Current landscape of small business accounting software

• Strengths and limitations of critical solutions

• Effective add-ons and integrations 

• Implementation strategies

Learning Objectives:

• Catalog the leading accounting solutions tailored for small businesses

• Critically evaluate the strengths and limitations of various accounting tools in the small business context

• Understand the role of add-ons in enhancing accounting software functionalities

• Develop strategies for selecting and implementing the most appropriate accounting solutions for small business clients

Field of Study: Computer Software and Applications
CPE: 2.00

Presently, over seven million businesses use QuickBooks Online. However, these businesses often struggle to get the reports they need. In some cases, they are limited because of their chosen subscription. However, necessary reports are available in other cases, yet users do not know how to access them. Join us in this session to learn about better reporting options in QuickBooks Online.

In this session, you will learn how to create and customize your reports in QuickBooks Online. You will learn about Standard, Custom, and Management reports. You will also learn about the new Spreadsheet Sync tool that allows you to create customized reports, including multi-company reports in Excel. If you use QuickBooks Online and want to improve reporting, this session is for you!

Major Topics:

• The types of reports available in QuickBooks Online, by subscription level

• Customizing reports to meet your needs

• Spreadsheet Sync in QuickBooks Online Advanced

Learning Objectives:

• Differentiate between report types in QuickBooks Online

• List the steps necessary to create custom reports

• Identify how Management Reports differ from traditional reports

• Specify how to use the new Spreadsheet Sync feature in QBO

Field of Study: Accounting
CPE: 1.00

While outsourcing and automation have been used in multinational corporations, the decline in accounting program enrollment at many universities has made finding qualified entry-level staff more challenging and forced a new conversation about these tools in small and mid-sized businesses. This session will discuss the business environment for outsourcing and review the ethical, regulatory, and practical considerations associated with revealing data and relying on the work of others in your organization.

Major Topics:

• Overview of how firms and businesses currently use automation and outsourcing 

• Discussion of the management and regulatory compliance issues with offshore and onshore outsourcing use in small and mid-size organizations

• Review of which tasks are best suited for offshoring, which solutions are best for onshore outsourcing, and which solutions can be solved with technology 

• Discussion of specific solution providers which provide solutions for tax and accounting firms as well as internal accounting departments

Learning Objectives:

• Identify at least three business processes that can be made significantly more cost-effective using automation and outsourcing

• Identify at least three tasks that are not appropriate for offshore outsourcing and automation

• Identify at least one service provider or technology solution discussed in the course which provides a solution to a common accounting-oriented task

• List examples of why outsourcing and automation have been used in enterprises and multinationals but have weak adoption in small and mid-sized businesses

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 1.00

Remote and hybrid work during the Pandemic created new opportunities for cybercriminals and other fraudsters to exploit, and accounting professionals are among the most targeted individuals. This session is a series of case studies that examine actual criminal filings and news accounts and use them to highlight 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 such as theft, malware, ransomware, phishing, and hacking. 

Major Topics:

• Common security weaknesses that occur with hardware and software at home and in the office

• Malware, ransomware, data breach, and incident response tips

• Internal control failures which result in the theft of assets or unauthorized manipulation of data.

Learning Objectives:

• List at least three major security incidents reported in the headlines in the last year, and explain at least one internal control design or operation flaw that allowed the hack to occur

• Select the correct definitions for security terms such as attack surface, vulnerability, exploit, social engineering, phishing, malware, heuristics, biometrics, and multi-factor authentication (MFA)

• List at least three best practices learned by reviewing the control failures cited in the case studies

Field of Study: Information Technology
CPE: 2.00