Big Data has caught our imagination with cases such as real-time fraud detection, credit score assessment based on mobile phone records, flu outbreak prediction based on social media postings, and many more. While fascinating, the investments and technological expertise needed for such applications has been far beyond the reach of most CPA firms. However, this is about to change with a new generation of tools: Self-Service Business Intelligence, or SSBI. Two important characteristics of such tools are: (1) They are easy to use. There is no need for a PhD in computer science; (2) They provide extended data processing and business intelligence capabilities, such as the quality assessment of data sources, the integration of structured and unstructured data, and advanced visualization tools for data exploration. SSBI enables businesses of every size to use big data and to improve their bottom line, and it should be in the toolbox of every CPA.
Course ID: BIGDATA
Introduction to Big Data
Learning Objectives
- Describe the meaning of Big Data and its value to CPAs and business of all sizes
- Demonstrate the potential of Big Data and SSBI
- Develop a Big Data “strategy” to create value
Major Topics
- What Big Data is and why CPAs need to have it in their toolbox
- Power BI, Microsoft’s SSBI tool
- The power and the value of Big Data and SSBI through demonstrations
- Different ways SSBI tools can transform your accounting practice
- How to get started: strategies, guidelines, and best practices
Who Should Attend
All CPAs and their staff
Fields of Study
Information TechnologyPrerequisites
None