The accounting profession is rapidly shifting from a compliance-centered focus to one that demands insight, foresight, and strategic advisory skills. This course explores the “why” behind this transformation and highlights the critical role data analysis plays in helping CPAs remain relevant and competitive. This course provides a high-level overview of the skills and mindset required to move beyond historical reporting and into forward-looking analysis and storytelling. Participants will gain an understanding of how Microsoft 365 applications - such as Excel, Power Query, Power BI, OneDrive, and Teams - can be leveraged to transform raw financial data into meaningful insights. With an emphasis on the advisory role of CPAs, this course empowers professionals at every stage of their career to embrace analytics as a core competency.
Learning Objectives
- Identify the reasons why CPAs must transition from compliance-focused work to data-driven advisory roles
- Recognize the core tools within Microsoft 365 that support effective data analysis and collaboration
- Distinguish between compliance reporting and data storytelling to better understand how insights influence decision-making
Major Topics
- The evolving role of CPAs in a data-driven world
- Why data analysis matters for CPAs
- Key data analysis skis and concepts for CPAs
- Leveraging Microsoft 365 tools for data analysis
- Building a data analytics mindset
