TechFest Winter (Virtual)

Staying up to date with advances in today’s technology has never been more vital, and K2’s Tech Update equips you with the knowledge to stay ahead of the rapid pace of innovation. This comprehensive session is designed for accountants who want to understand the evolving technological landscape and its implications for the accounting profession. Which technology trends are worth monitoring? What are the proper hardware and software products for your strategic and tactical plans? How do Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, Software-as-a-Service, and productivity suites like Microsoft 365 influence practice, especially since this year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of Excel? Separate vendor hype from reality and discover how to achieve a 2X or more return on investment from your technology expenditures. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, including ideas they may not have previously considered.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Trends in AI and machine learning
•    Applications of quantum computing in accounting and finance
•    The growing role of blockchain and digital currencies in accounting
•    Innovations in software and hardware

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 Preperation: None
Field of Study: Various
CPE: 16.00

In a rapidly evolving public practice accounting landscape, K2’s CPA Firm Update continues to be your essential guide to staying ahead. This session provides actionable insights into transformative technologies and management strategies reshaping the profession. With a focus on data analytics, cybersecurity, practice management, and client service excellence, this year’s update delves into how firms can thrive amidst change. Key technologies covered include AI-powered auditing, blockchain applications for financial processes, advancements in cloud computing, robotic process automation (RPA), and workflow optimization tools. Gain clarity on significant trends and how they affect your firm’s strategy, enabling you to make well-informed decisions for sustainable growth.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Understand supplier and market changes impacting the profession
•    Compare and assess software solutions for various service lines and specialties
•    Explore emerging technologies that enhance efficiency and deliver competitive advantages
•    Select the most suitable technology stack for your firm’s long-term success

Just because Microsoft Teams is no longer a new tool doesn’t mean it hasn’t evolved…it certainly has! Since its introduction in 2016, Teams has become the de facto business productivity platform for organizations worldwide. Yet, many users barely scratch the surface of all that Teams offers. Participate in this session to learn how to get more from Teams and enhance your ROI on the platform.

In this session, you will learn about the core options available in Teams and how to leverage them. You will also learn about new enhancements in Teams, including threaded conversations, enhanced meeting features, and integration with Microsoft’s Copilot platform. If you use Teams and want a deeper understanding of the platform, don’t miss your opportunity to participate in this session.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List examples of core functionality in Teams
•    Identify new opportunities to improve Teams-based communications
•    Specify how to integrate other services into Teams
•    Name options for collaborating with internal and external Teams users
•    List some of Teams most significant competitors

This two-hour CPE course is designed for accounting professionals and technology enthusiasts seeking to enhance productivity through Microsoft 365’s versatile applications. Participants will explore ten key apps — including Shared Mailboxes, Planner, Lists, To Do, Stream, Viva Learning, Forms, Bookings, Approvals, and Places — and learn to integrate them effectively into their workflows. The course emphasizes practical applications within accounting contexts, aiming to streamline operations and foster collaboration.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
* Identify and describe the basic functionalities of at least three of the ten productivity apps discussed in this session
* Explain how Shared Mailboxes and Groups enhance team communication and help manage departmental emails more effectively 
* Identify at least two of the three applications that can be used to manage tasks and/or projects available in business and enterprise versions of Microsoft 365

Managing and auditing employee spending on personal and corporate credit cards is a challenge everywhere.  Legacy manual expense reporting preparation and approval processes are tedious and repetitive and are an excellent place to start your company’s use of business process automation solutions.  This session will cover a variety of expense workflow tools which use technologies and features like bank feeds, mobile receipt capture, OCR data extraction/filling, automated policy enforcement, and artificial intelligence-based validation to automate and eliminate the tedium.  Attend this session and learn how to use automation and cure the expense reporting blues for you and your employees.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Select at least two types of employee expenses that are identified as very risky by the course
•    Identify at least two common expense reimbursement fraud schemes.
•    Choose responses that explain how bank feeds are different from data extraction/OCR applications 
•    Identify at least two comprehensive expense reporting solutions discussed in detail during the course which offer both OCR data extraction and mobile receipt capture
•    Explain how artificial intelligence can be used to identify unusual items in expense reports

Collaboration remains one of today’s hottest topics. Technology has fueled today’s collaboration options, and work-from-anywhere environments virtually demand collaboration platforms. In this session, you will learn today’s best tools and practices to facilitate more effective collaboration in your organization.

In this session, you will learn about today’s mainstream collaboration platforms – Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, and Zoho – and how these options are similar and differ. You will also learn about other collaboration options, including Slack, Zoom, and Webex, and you can incorporate these tools into your collaboration environments. Further, you will learn about some of the best practices and procedures that must be in place to optimize your collaborative environments and experiences.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List at least three drivers for today’s collaboration needs
•    Differentiate between key technology providers in the field of collaboration
•    Specify examples of policies and procedures that can enhance collaborative efforts
•    Name key benefits and risks associated with collaboration

This session is for accounting professionals aiming to enhance their automation expertise with the low-code/no-code tools in Microsoft Power Apps and Power Automate. Participants will explore techniques to create simple workflows and develop custom applications, including “describe it to design it.” The session focuses on automating processes, such as approvals, workflow automation, and data manipulation, while accessing and utilizing data from Microsoft Fabric and external databases. Attendees will learn about different types of workflows and the platform’s tools for Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Further, they will leave with a better understanding of the Power Platform so they can drive digital transformation in their organizations.

Wow! So many new Excel features and so little time! Microsoft continues to add tremendous functionality to Excel – the business professional’s tool of choice. Yet most Excel users have not discovered these new tools and remain mired in yesterday’s practices for working in Excel. In this session, you will learn how to use many of Excel’s latest features to work more efficiently and effectively with your spreadsheets.

Participate in this session to learn about recently released features such as PIVOTBY, GROUPBY, Office Scripts, integration with Copilot, new ways to share and collaborate in Excel, and data entry and formula improvements. If you work with Excel – and who doesn’t – this session is necessary to help you improve your efficiency and effectiveness when using Excel.

Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List examples of key new features in Excel and how and why business professionals can take advantage of these tools
•    Identify use cases for Excel’s PIVOTBY and GROUPBY functions
•    Specify how Office Scripts differ from traditional Excel macros
•    Cite examples of using Copilot in conjunction with Excel
•    List examples of new opportunities to collaborate with others using Excel

Data security and privacy issues continue to plague businesses of all sizes. No matter where you look, the numbers are bad – really bad! But that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to reduce these risks. In this session, you will learn about the key security and privacy risks facing businesses today and the steps you can take to mitigate these risks.

This session starts with a review of how cybercriminals attack businesses of all sizes and the related costs of these attacks. From there, you will progress into discussions of practical tools, policies, and other solutions you can use to mitigate cybersecurity risks to prudently acceptable levels. This is a “must-see” session for all concerned about data security and how to mitigate threats to sensitive and confidential data.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Identify at least five examples of common data security and privacy issues affecting businesses today
•    Create estimates of the costs associated with data security and privacy breaches
•    List examples of internal control best practices you can use to mitigate your security and privacy risks

Client Accounting Services (CAS) have become a cornerstone of modern CPA firms, offering opportunities for enhanced client relationships, recurring revenue streams, and streamlined operations. This course provides accounting professionals with practical guidance on implementing and optimizing CAS within their firms. Participants will explore the foundational elements of CAS, including service offerings, pricing models, and client communication strategies. The course delves into the technology tools essential for CAS, including accounting software, workflow automation, and reporting platforms. It offers insights into best practices for managing client expectations and delivering consistent, high-value services. In addition, participants will examine case studies of successful CAS implementations, review current trends impacting CAS, and identify critical steps to build a scalable CAS practice that aligns with their firm’s goals. The course also addresses the importance of data security, governance, and compliance in providing CAS to ensure ethical and professional service delivery.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Define the scope and benefits of Client Accounting Services for CPA firms
•    Identify essential technology tools and strategies for CAS implementation
•    Evaluate various pricing models and their application to CAS offerings
•    Outline critical considerations for maintaining data security and regulatory compliance in CAS
•    Develop a roadmap for building or enhancing a scalable CAS practice

This course provides an in-depth exploration of Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems as a critical tool for business automation. Designed for accounting professionals, it emphasizes CRM’s role in streamlining workflows, organizing communications, enhancing client relationships, and improving efficiency. Participants will learn about key CRM features, integration with accounting software, and best practices for successful implementation. We will highlight practical applications with actionable insights to help attendees optimize their processes. This two-hour session ensures you walk away with a basic understanding of CRM’s transformative potential for business and financial management.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Define Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and explain its significance in business automation
•    Identify key CRM features that optimize accounting and financial workflows
•    Name at least two best practices for implementing and customizing CRM systems for use in common accounting workflows

Although Power BI has been available for ten years, most business professionals don’t fully appreciate all it can do and its easy use. Further, many are intimidated by the platform and continue to use less efficient and effective reporting practices. If this describes you, invest some time in this session to learn how to work with Power BI almost immediately.

In this session, you will learn how to use Power BI to create compelling dashboard reports. You will also learn how to optimize these reports to enhance their effectiveness. If you want to improve financial and operational reporting processes, this session is for you!

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List the basic steps necessary to generate a Power BI report
•    Distinguish between Power BI reports and dashboards
•    Identify the necessary steps to link data into Power BI
•    List the steps necessary to create a Power BI report
•    Specify the steps necessary to convert a Power BI report to a dashboard
•    Generate user-defined calculations in Power BI

QuickBooks Desktop, Online, and Enterprise Solutions remain three of the most widely used accounting applications in use today. However, each platform continues to experience major changes across several fronts. Feature sets, licensing requirements, and price changes all impact users at unprecedented levels. Further, competition continues to emerge in the small business accounting battleground, adding confusion to the options existing QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online users may have. In this session, you will learn about many of the changes impacting QuickBooks Desktop, Online, and Enterprise users, and you can manage these changes for the benefit of your company or your clients.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List examples of key new features in QuickBooks Desktop, Online, and Enterprise Solutions
•    Identify changes in the licensing agreements across the QuickBooks platform
•    Cite examples of similarities and differences in features and functions across the QuickBooks platform

Generative AI is seemingly everywhere, and business professionals are embracing the technology. And for a good reason – generative AI provides opportunities for enormous gains in efficiency and productivity. However, those gains can be even greater if you understand best practices for issuing AI prompts.

In this session, you will learn the best ways to ask questions of your AI platforms so that you get the information you seek quickly and easily. Stop wasting time with inefficient and ineffective prompts! Learn the best ways to get the information you seek!

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List the four key components of AI prompts
•    Identify examples of prompts used for tasks, context, expectations, and output
•    Name at least four types of tasks generative AI tools can do when prompted correctly

In this course, accounting professionals and technology enthusiasts will explore advanced home networking concepts to support remote work and modern digital needs. Learn to select prosumer-grade hardware, configure multi-SSID networks, and integrate functionalities like VPNs, media servers, and remote file access to boost productivity and security. Discover cutting-edge technologies, including SPF+ (10G networking), to future-proof your setup for data-intensive workflows. With practical demonstrations and relevant use cases, this session equips you with the tools to optimize your home network for efficiency, security, and scalability.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List at least one prosumer-grade networking hardware brand for enhancing home office performance and security
•    Identify how isolating your work, personal, and guest networks can enhance information security
•    Define at least three advanced networking functionalities, including VPNs, remote file access, media servers, VLANs, and SFP+
•    List at least to high-speed networking technologies that can help to future-proof home networks

Accounting professionals face a critical technological shift with the discontinuation of QuickBooks Pro and Premier sales in 2024. This course explores the transition to modern platforms, including QuickBooks Online, Xero, Zoho Books, FreshBooks, and more. Participants will gain insights into key features, integration capabilities, add-on solutions, and payroll and reporting functionalities. Learn strategies for seamless implementation and discover how to guide clients effectively through this change. Comparative tables and expert insights will equip you to make informed recommendations for your practice or small business. Attend this session and learn more about platforms available for small businesses.

Security and privacy issues must be top-of-mind concerns for business professionals using AI. Yet, for far too many of these professionals, no concern is given for the potential security and privacy risks associated with AI, setting the stage for potentially disastrous results!

In this session, you will learn about AI security and privacy risks and how to manage them. This session includes discussions of the major AI companies’ security and privacy policies, how AI platforms might use your data, and how you can stay in control. Given how quickly AI is spreading, this is one session you simply cannot afford to miss.

Learning Objectives
Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Differentiate between AI security and privacy risks 
•    List examples of key security and privacy risks associated with many of today’s AI platforms
•    Identify best practices for mitigating the security and privacy risks associated with AI

Portable Document Format (PDF) documents are everywhere! Yet few know how to work effectively with these documents. If you are interested in working more effectively and efficiently with PDFs, this session is for you.

In this session, you will learn valuable tips you can use to assist you with creating, editing, and securing PDFs. You will also learn how to convert PDFs to fillable forms and secure PDFs, among other features. Don’t miss this chance to learn ten PDF tips you need to know to increase your ROI on PDFs.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    Identifying multiple options for generating PDFs
•    Differentiating between Adobe software options
•    Listing the steps necessary to convert PDF documents to fillable forms
•    Specifying options for securing PDFs
•    Identifying options for collaborating on PDFs

Generative AI and “ransomware for hire” have helped cybercriminals thrive in the post-pandemic period – but how do they do it?  This all-new 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 such as theft, malware, ransomware, phishing, and hacking.

Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
•    List at least three major security incidents reported in the headlines in the last year, and explain at least one major internal control design or operation flaw that allowed the hack to occur
•    Select the correct definitions for common 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