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This course is an introduction to preparation, compilation, & review engagements. During this course, we will compare and contrast these different engagements by reviewing the procedures that should be performed, different reports, as well as the level of assurance specific to each type of engagement. 

Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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Maintaining independence and adhering to strict ethical standards are essential for professionals in governmental auditing. The Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Yellow Book sets the benchmark for ethics and independence in this field, forming the foundation of professional compliance. This course provides a focused review of key principles and independence requirements, equipping participants with the tools to identify and mitigate common risks of noncompliance. Through practical guidance and real-world examples, attendees will learn to uphold the highest ethical standards and ensure independence in governmental auditing.

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Field(s) of Study: Regulatory Ethics
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As a VBOA-approved ethics course, this training begins with the 2025 VBOA Ethics Updates. From there, we will delve into the ethical principles outlined in the Yellow Book, including serving the public interest, maintaining integrity, objectivity, and professional behavior. Practical applications of these ethical principles will be discussed, including strategies for adhering to independence standards, maintaining objectivity, and avoiding conflicts of interest. Gain valuable insights to support unbiased, professional audits while reinforcing your commitment to ethical practices in governmental auditing.

This course is for CPAs Licenced in the Commonwealth of Virginia.  If you do not need Virginia-specific ethics, please take our standard "Yellow Book Ethics" course.

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Field(s) of Study: Regulatory Ethics
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This session provides a structured approach to government budgeting through the four W’s: Who, What, When, and Which. Participants will explore WHO should be involved, including internal and external stakeholders, and discuss effective communication strategies. The session then outlines WHAT the budget process entails, covering key phases, components, legal requirements, and common pitfalls. Attendees will learn WHEN to engage the public through strategic planning, workshops, and outreach methods. Finally, the session identifies WHICH departments lead various aspects of budgeting, from financial planning to capital projects. Attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of how to navigate government budgeting effectively and ensure financial planning aligns with community priorities.

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Field(s) of Study: Finance
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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, telework in state and local government was not often embraced as a form of employment. As the pandemic continues, governments are beginning to experience the benefits of remote work and are reevaluating hiring practices to offer more telework and hybrid work options, not simply as a result of an emergency. This course will review various telework options and best practices for success.

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Field(s) of Study: Business Management & Organization
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This course equips participants with the tools and strategies needed to create sustainable, long-term budgets that align with policy goals and ensure fiscal responsibility. Participants will explore key budgeting frameworks, learn techniques for forecasting revenue and expenditures, and analyze scenarios to mitigate financial risks. The course incorporates practical exercises and case studies to provide hands-on experience with scenario planning, enhancing budget transparency and resilience. By the end of the session, attendees will have the knowledge and confidence to design and implement budgets that support long-term governmental priorities and strengthen financial stability.

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Field(s) of Study: Finance
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The introduction to governmental budgeting course is an overview of the typical timeline and process a government uses when creating their annual budget. Topics covered include, the basics of governmental budgeting, establishing priorities for the budget, the common steps and timeline of the budget process, what, when and how we should be monitoring the budget throughout the year, and how long-term budgets fit in with the annual budget process.

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Field(s) of Study: Finance
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The Yellow Book outlines essential ethical principles for governmental auditors, including serving the public interest, maintaining integrity, objectivity, and professional behavior. This course provides a focused review of these key concepts and their practical application in governmental auditing. Participants will also explore the independence standards, gaining insights on maintaining objectivity and avoiding conflicts of interest to ensure unbiased and professional audits. 

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Field(s) of Study: Regulatory Ethics
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Procurement is a critical component of successful government operations and while there are challenges in public procurement there are a number of guidelines that offer a pathway for success.  This course will offer guidance on how governments can meet complicated procurement needs and develop practices that protect public funds.

Field(s) of Study: Finance
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Effective governance is the cornerstone of any nonprofit organization. This course delves into the foundational elements of nonprofit governance, emphasizing fiduciary duties, board responsibilities, and best practices for board operations. Participants will explore key compliance requirements, risk management strategies, policy development, and regulatory obligations. By the end of the session, you’ll be equipped with practical tools and insights to confidently navigate the complexities of nonprofit governance.

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Field(s) of Study: Specialized Knowledge
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Obligating Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) by December 31, 2024 is essential to ensure a recipient does not have to return funds to the Treasury. There are a number of requirements to properly obligate SLFRF funds and opportunities to make changes to projects after the obligation deadline. In this course, we will define what an obligation is under SLFRF, review guidance from the Treasury, learn how to meet the SLFRF obligation deadline in multiple areas, and identify when changes can be made to estimates, contracts, and subawards after the obligation deadline.


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Field(s) of Study: Finance
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When auditing management's accounting estimates, increased professional skepticism is necessary as there is always the potential for bias in areas of increased subjectivity & complexity. This course will demonstrate procedures to test the process used by management to develop estimates, as well as walk through common examples of accounting estimates that are included in the financial statements. It includes the updated requirements in SAS 143.

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Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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One of the three major forms of occupational fraud, along with corruption and asset misappropriation, is financial statement fraud.  From improper asset valuation to fictitious revenues, this course will review financial statement fraud red flags and examine real-life examples. 

Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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Property, Plant, & Equipment is often one of the largest balances on the financial statements. This course will cover the foundation of auditing PP&E, including the related audit assertions, risks, & threats to the PP&E balance. During this course, we will also highlight the various substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform, and also walk through some real-world examples.

Field(s) of Study: Auditing
  • More Info

    Learning Objectives

    • Recall the audit assertions applicable to the PP&E balances
    • Recognize risks & threats related to the PP&E balances
    • Identify substantive auditing procedures that are used to obtain comfort over PP&E

    Level

    Basic

    Prerequisites

    None

    Advanced Preparation

    None

  • Events
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Cash is essential to every business, and is often one of the first accounts audit staff are exposed to. This course will cover the basics of auditing cash, including the related audit assertions, risks, & threats to the cash balance. During this course, we will also highlight the various substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform, and also walk through some real-world examples. 

Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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Client interactions and professionalism are at the core of what we do as accountants. However, communication with clients is not always as straightforward as it may seem. Sometimes there will be difficult conversations and disagreements that can be tough to navigate. During this course, we will discuss best practices when communicating with the client, and also walk through complicated scenarios to practice what we learn.

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Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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It is imperative that audit staff understand the fundamentals of prepaid expenses. This course will cover the basics of auditing prepaid expenses, including the related audit assertions, risks, & threats to the prepaid expense balance.  During this course, we will also highlight the various substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform, and also walk through some real-world examples.

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Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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Ethics and professional skepticism are a cornerstone of public accounting. This course will review the Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants that practitioners must adhere to. This course will outline the pressures, opportunities, and rationalizations that lead to instances of fraud. In addition, this class will walk through some interactive examples to illustrate various scenarios of noncompliance during engagements.


Field(s) of Study: Regulatory Ethics
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Bitcoin and crypto have been in the news recently for a variety of reasons. This course will cover the basics of accounting and auditing for cryptocurrency including recent standard setting by the FASB as well as a look at the AICPA's Accounting for and Auditing of Digital Assets practice aid.


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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It is imperative that audit staff understand the fundamentals of expenses & payables. This course will cover the basics of auditing expenses, accrued liabilities, and other payables, including the related audit assertions, risks, & threats to the expenses & payables balances.

During this course, we will also highlight the various substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform, and also walk through some real-world examples.


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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This course will serve as an introduction to conducting effective walkthroughs to gain an understanding of the client's transaction processes as well as identifying internal controls within each process. This course will review the procedures, questions to ask, and documentation requirements of walkthroughs. It will also include real-world examples of the red flags that may arise while executing a walkthrough.


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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AU-C Section 230 requires that auditors maintain sufficient audit documentation throughout the engagement. Audit documentation is essential, as it serves as the evidence that auditors performed appropriate procedures to support their opinion on the financial statements. This course will cover the basis and best practices of audit workpapers and proper audit documentation, as well as the common deficiencies in audit documentation. 


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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The Enhancing Audit Quality Initiative has identified inadequate or nonexistent audit documentation as one of the most significant issues facing the profession today. Over half of the engagements reviewed by the AICPA failed to meet the requirements of AU-C 230, highlighting a critical need for improvement.

This course addresses common misconceptions about audit documentation and provides actionable strategies to overcome these deficiencies. Attendees will learn best practices to ensure compliance with professional standards, enhance audit quality, and mitigate risks associated with poor documentation. Whether you are an experienced professional or new to auditing, this course will help you strengthen your documentation practices and uphold the highest standards of the profession.

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Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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AU-C Section 315 requires the auditor to gain an understanding of the entity and its environment and the entity's internal controls in order to design appropriate audit procedures. This course will review the key requirements of COSO which is one of the most widely used internal control frameworks. We'll also review the limitations of internal controls. Additionally, this course will introduce the risk assessment process and the various audit procedures to evaluate controls and to determine whether to test the operating effectiveness of controls.


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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This course is designed to equip CPAs in New York, working in a governmental environment, with a comprehensive understanding of the laws, regulations, and ethical standards that govern their profession. We begin with an in-depth review of New York State Education Law, Article 149, along with the Rules of the Board of Regents and Regulations of the Commissioner of Education, ensuring CPAs are up-to-date on state-specific requirements. The course then transitions to an exploration of ethics concepts in the 2018 Yellow Book, covering critical areas such as public interest, integrity, objectivity, and professional behavior.

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Field(s) of Study: Regulatory Ethics
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Inventory observations are often a right of passage for audit staff. This course will cover the basics of auditing inventory, including the related audit assertions, risks, & threats to inventory. During this course, we will also highlight the various substantive auditing procedures that staff should perform, and also walk through how to conduct a physical inventory observation. Learning Objectives: • Recall the audit assertions applicable to inventory.


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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This course provides a comprehensive overview of SOC 1 reports in the context of employee benefit plan audits. The course covers the evaluation and documentation of SOC 1 reports, understanding control objectives, complementary user entity controls (CUECs), and best practices for efficient SOC 1 review processes. Special attention is given to practical tools and templates that can streamline the review process while maintaining audit quality.


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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SAS 145, Understanding the Entity and Its Environment and Assessing the Risks of Material Misstatement, was issued in October 2021. The audit standard amends AU-C 315 including many changes to address common audit deficiencies. This course will provide an overview of SAS 145 and its changes to AU-C 315.

Key Topics 

Risk Assessment

AU-C 315


Field(s) of Study: Auditing
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Although Oregon no longer mandates an Oregon-specific ethics course for annual CPA license renewal, understanding the rules CPAs must follow remains essential. This course provides a comprehensive review of the Oregon Administrative Rules (OAR) and Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) that directly affect Oregon CPAs. Additionally, we’ll explore recent updates to the AICPA Code of Professional Conduct, ensuring you stay informed about the latest developments in ethics and independence standards. Equip yourself with the knowledge to navigate these critical rules and maintain the highest professional standards. 

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Field(s) of Study: Regulatory Ethics
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Governmental accounting is distinct from other forms of accounting, requiring a unique approach to financial reporting. This course introduces the fundamentals of governmental accounting, including fund accounting principles and the modified accrual basis of accounting. Participants will explore the structure and purpose of fund financial statements alongside government-wide financial statements, gaining a comprehensive understanding of their layouts and key elements. The course also delves into critical topics such as the concept of component units, the role and structure of Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A), and the preparation and importance of the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR). Perfect for those new to governmental accounting, this course provides a solid foundation for understanding and applying these essential principles.

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Field(s) of Study: Accounting Governmental
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