Accelerate & Optimize Financial Close & Spreadsheet Controls

Note: The Live Virtual course is presented in collaboration with CPABC. The content is applicable to all participants. If you have questions regarding this course, please contact pdregistration@cpaalberta.ca. 

Overview:

A common challenge in business is the perception that the financial close process is lengthy, inefficient and cumbersome. Finding additional time saving at month-, quarter- and year-end is critical during these challenging times of increasing complexity in financial reporting, and accelerated reporting and regulatory obligations. In this seminar you will gain a practical understanding of best practices in the financial close processes and learn how to accelerate the financial close process and enhance controls. You will focus on Spreadsheet Controls, which make the whole process of using spreadsheets more effective and efficient and show how to redesign and enhance spreadsheets to reduce the likelihood of error and facilitate the use of spreadsheets as analytical tools.

Prerequisite: A good understanding of financial close processes and use of spreadsheets

Course Content:

In this course, you will gain knowledge about the following topics: 

• How to accelerate the close process and allow more time for
• Management review and analysis
• How to strike a right balance between speed and accuracy without
• Compromising controls
• Financial close best practices and robust controls
• How to create a roadmap to accelerate the close process and enhance
• Related controls
• Spreadsheet risks and controls
• Spreadsheet control policy
• How to redesign spreadsheets to reduce likelihood of error and
• Facilitate the use of spreadsheets as powerful analytical tool

Who Will Benefit: 

CFOs, controllers and accounting managers who wish to strike the right balance between speed and accuracy for the financial close process, without compromising the internal control environment, and improve controls over the use of financial spreadsheets.