CPE Catalog & Events

The definition of Internal Auditing promulgated by The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) speaks to the critical areas of value adding coverage and services Internal Auditors can and must bring to their organizations. These include the key areas of: governance, risk management, and (internal) control (GRC). Internal auditors play vital assurance and consulting roles for organizations and their stakeholders. The significant reliance placed on internal auditors by organizational management teams, boards of directors/audit committees, external auditors, regulators, and other key stakeholders, cannot be overstated. An integral component in supporting these roles are the knowledge foundations that auditors bring to the fore in applying their technical and analytical skills when assessing core areas of organizational governance; risk management (including fraud related risk management); compliance; and (internal) control (GRC). This course lays the critical foundation for strengthening the knowledge base of auditors at all levels in these critical areas of organizational GRC processes and performance.

The "name of the game" in virtually any business (or profession), and most certainly for Internal Auditors, is adding the greatest possible value to and for all stakeholders of that business/profession. Internal Auditors serve a wide variety of stakeholders who place major reliance on their work. Maximizing IA value in terms of assurance levels expected by and relied on by its stakeholders is critical and can only be achieved through optimal assurance coverage execution and highly effective stakeholder communications and reporting. By exploring the many roles and services through which an internal audit group can add value throughout any organization, this course provides a roadmap for Internal Auditors in their quests to maximize value for all stakeholders, both internal and external, of their organizations.

The value adding capacity of an overall IA activity's program begins with the foundational risk assessment and planning process. This activity is undertaken annually at an enterprise level, and functionally at an individual engagement level. The alignment and integration of these critically linked processes is essential for ensuring the effective and efficient deployment of IA resources and optimum assurance coverage. This course provides an essential primer on IA risk assessment and planning processes, supported by key related Professional Standards guidance and practical application strategies. In addition, this session also serves in building a vital bridge which connects high quality IA activity level attributes with ongoing maximum impact performance level implementation.

While risk assessment and planning lay the foundation for IA engagement programs, it is the effective execution of the program that ultimately determines the success of the IA activity in serving and adding value to its stakeholders. The results of IA engagements are derived from the critical fieldwork processes initiated and completed by audit teams and the underlying documentation developed, gathered, and maintained in support thereof. Internal Auditors must possess sound technical, analytical, organizational, and communication skills to effectively discharge their duties as key relied-upon assurance professionals for organizations. This course provides an in-depth conceptual and practical application bridge linking crucial fieldwork fundamentals with workpaper preparation and documentation essentials in promotion and development of these vital skill areas for IAs.

Proper planning and execution of an audit program at the overall activity and individual engagement level requires highly effective management and administration to promote, support, and ensure maximum value adding assurance for organizational stakeholders. This course helps Internal Auditors at all levels better understand the practical and required engagement managerial responsibilities involved with the IA function at both the department and engagement level. The course will also review the required detailed, ongoing administrative aspects of successfully managing each. From planning to resource allocation and management, supervision, review, communications and reporting, monitoring and follow up, this session provides the keys to highest level quality and impact IA administration and management.

A commitment to excellence requires dedication toward self-improvement in whatever endeavor we choose, including being Internal Audit (IA) professionals. Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said: "The quality of a person's life is in direct proportion to their commitment to excellence, regardless of their field of endeavor." And Aristotle, speaking some 2,500 years earlier, has been paraphrased as follows: "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit." The consistent and ever-growing integration of quality and excellence in performance for IA activities is what this program is all about. From developing a sound understanding and application of IA standards regarding Quality Assurance and Improvement Programs (QAIPs) to moving far beyond compliance to highest-level quality and impact IA functioning, this capstone course provides a vital roadmap to assist IA activity practitioners in their ongoing quests to tap more fully into and unleash their unlimited potential in better serving and adding value to all organizational stakeholders!

The auditor's responsibilities related to risk assessment are changing at the end of 2023! This power-packed webinar will empower you with the working knowledge of SAS No. 145, Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement, to successfully apply the standard. This course will also discuss two highly-related standards (i.e., SAS Nos. 143 and 148) which auditors will be implementing at the same time.

Companies that fall victim to fraud schemes need to reassess internal controls in order to prevent future fraudulent activity. In this course, we will review the 18 most prevalent internal controls present as well as designed and operating effectively according to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners' Occupational Fraud 2022: A Report to the Nations. Then we will tie these controls to the 17 internal control principles offered by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), the framework used by virtually all entities and auditors to assess the design and operational effectiveness of internal controls. Lastly, we will consider the impact of the 2020 pandemic on the internal control environment in the post-COVID pandemic era.

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Companies that fall victim to fraud schemes need to reassess internal controls in order to prevent future fraudulent activity. In this course, we will review the 18 most prevalent internal controls that should be present (as well as designed and operating effectively) in order to prevent future frauds. These controls are taken from Association of Certified Fraud Examiners' Report to the Nations: 2020 Global Study on Occupational Fraud and Abuse. Then we will tie these controls to the 17 internal control principles offered by the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission (COSO), the framework used by virtually all entities and auditors to assess the design and operational effectiveness of internal controls. Lastly, we will consider the impact of the 2020 pandemic on internal controls in the coming era.

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Forensic accounting encompasses fraud investigation and prevention, as well as a wide variety of functions in litigation. Forensic accountants provide services ranging from serving as an expert witness, to litigation consultant and bankruptcy trustee. As our economy grows more complex, the need for forensic accountants grows as well. One critical role of the forensic accountant is exposing and examining financial fraud. Technology expands the way companies conduct business; however, technology also provides greater opportunities for those willing to commit fraud. Forensic accountants rely on their skills in accounting, coupled with their investigative skills, to explain to clients, courts, and jurors how fraudulent schemes occur and the effect caused by fraud. Forensic accountants also provide expert opinions in calculating damages in litigation and administering bankruptcy estates, as well as a host of other services.

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Financial statement auditors are engaged to provide reasonable assurance that financial statements are not materially misstated, whether due to fraud or error. Professional standards require auditors to obtain sufficient and appropriate evidence to support that opinion. It is critical for effective and efficient auditors to have a clear understanding of all the important elements and concepts related to a financial statement audit. (Please Note: This module is part of Surgent's Audit Skills Training: Level 1.)

This is indeed another year of significant change in the world of government and nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort with this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in government and nonprofit accounting and auditing.

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This is indeed another year of significant change in the world of government and nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort with this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in government and nonprofit accounting and auditing.

More Dates

This is another year of significant change in the world of nonprofit accounting and auditing. Time is valuable, and it's hard to stay current in today's rapidly changing environment. Let us save you time and effort with this informative update course. The course materials utilize a highly illustrative and innovative format. Over 30 focused exercises are included to provide an enhanced working knowledge of the latest developments in nonprofit accounting and auditing.

With the effective date of Topic 842 now here, now is the time to get your hands around the details of the FASB's new leases standard. Designed for accounting and auditing practitioners at all levels in both public accounting and business and industry, this course provides a thorough overview of the FASB's new lease accounting standard (ASU No. 2016-02) that was released in February 2016 and all subsequent changes that have been made to ASC 842. You will learn about the long-awaited lease accounting standard for lessors and lessees, including transition accounting, as well as recent updates to the new lease accounting guidance. Plenty of practical application illustrations are used, including journal entries, to help in understanding this complex area of accounting.

The effective date for ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) is finally here. The new standard eliminates one of the largest forms of off-balance sheet accounting and requires most leases to be brought onto the balance sheet irrespective of their classification as either financing or operating. The new guidance in ASC 842 also makes other changes in lease accounting for both lessees and lessors. This course will discuss the impact of these changing standards on both lessees and lessors and discusses recently issued updates to ASC 842. Now is time to get up to date on all that is going on with regard to lease accounting.

This course will take an in-depth look at the largest municipal fraud in U.S. history. What red flags did the auditors miss? What red flags did the bank miss? This course includes a conversation with former U.S. Marshal Jason Wojdylo, who was an integral part of this case. This is the fourth of five 2-hour courses in Surgent's Fraud Certificate Program. This program includes a combination of lectures, animated videos, and live interviews with white-collar offenders and whistle-blowers. Each course is designed to be engaging and informative and will enhance your understanding of fraud.

While the effective date of Topic 606 has passed for most entities, there will always be a need for a comprehensive review of the accounting related to revenue recognition. Also, if you are taking advantage of the FASB deferral of Topic 606's effective date, you are still completing your implementation plan. Whether you are looking to improve your revenue recognition processes, benchmark your financial statement disclosures against your peer group, or assess the impact of changes to your revenue recognition processes due to COVID-19, this course will provide you with the information you need to apply Topic 606 in this current environment. This course will both provide the detailed review of the Topic 606 guidance, including identifying and discussing those areas of Topic 606 implementation which were the most challenging for many entities. We will review the Topic 606 five-step revenue recognition model, highlighting areas of nuance and significant judgment, and focus on disclosure requirements under the new standard. Then we'll focus on lessons learned from companies' ongoing implementation of the new guidance, focusing on ways to continue to enhance the recording of revenue, the relevancy of the financial statement disclosures related to revenue, and addressing common operational issues which arose with the adoption of Topic 606. Plus, the course will point out the accounting impact of changes that many companies made to their revenue recognition approaches as a result of COVID-19. As public companies have already found out, the application of Topic 606 is an evolving exercise, with great opportunity to improve your original efforts by learning from the results of others. This course will provide the forum to do so.

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While the effective date of Topic 606 has passed for most entities, there will always be a need for a comprehensive review of the accounting related to revenue recognition. Also, if you are taking advantage of the FASB deferral of Topic 606's effective date, you are still completing your implementation plan. Whether you are looking to improve your revenue recognition processes, benchmark your financial statement disclosures against your peer group, or assess the impact of changes to your revenue recognition processes due to COVID-19, this course will provide you with the information you need to apply Topic 606 in this current environment. This course will both provide the detailed review of the Topic 606 guidance, including identifying and discussing those areas of Topic 606 implementation which were the most challenging for many entities. We will review the Topic 606 five-step revenue recognition model, highlighting areas of nuance and significant judgment, and focus on disclosure requirements under the new standard. Then we'll focus on lessons learned from companies' ongoing implementation of the new guidance, focusing on ways to continue to enhance the recording of revenue, the relevancy of the financial statement disclosures related to revenue, and addressing common operational issues which arose with the adoption of Topic 606. Plus, the course will point out the accounting impact of changes that many companies made to their revenue recognition approaches as a result of COVID-19. As public companies have already found out, the application of Topic 606 is an evolving exercise, with great opportunity to improve your original efforts by learning from the results of others. This course will provide the forum to do so.

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This course provides an overview of the rules and regulations with respect to the management's discussion and analysis (MD&A) section of an entity's consolidated financial statements filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). MD&A has been, and continues to be, a primary focus area of the SEC when reviewing public company filings. In fact, it has consistently ranked in the top 10 of the most frequent comment letters issued by the SEC.