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Efficiency, Ethics & Technology-Driven Best Practices

★★★★★ 4.7 · 86 attendee ratings across these sessions

Efficiency, Ethics & Technology‑Driven Best Practices is a four‑day live online conference designed for accounting and finance professionals who want to work faster, protect data, and strengthen controls—without sacrificing ethical standards. This program brings together practical automation...

DatesNov 2–5, 2026 (Pacific Time)
CPE CreditsUp to 28
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Presented in partnership with Oklahoma Society of CPAs, New Mexico CPA Foundation, Montana Society of CPAs, Georgia Society of CPAs, Washington Society of CPAs, Kentucky Society of CPAs, Virginia Society of CPAs, Minnesota Society of CPAs, Alabama Society of CPAs, Alaska Society of CPAs, Connecticut Society of CPAs, Illinois CPA Society, Indiana CPA Society, Massachusetts Society of CPAs, Nebraska Society of CPAs, Oregon Society of CPAs, K2 Enterprises.

About this event

Efficiency, Ethics & Technology‑Driven Best Practices is a four‑day live online conference designed for accounting and finance professionals who want to work faster, protect data, and strengthen controls—without sacrificing ethical standards. This program brings together practical automation tactics, modern collaboration tools, and real‑world risk lessons so you can improve productivity while safeguarding your organization. Across eight expert‑led sessions, you’ll explore topics such as personal efficiency automation, QuickBooks workflow improvements, essential PDF tools, Teams collaboration features, data backup planning, blockchain accounting fundamentals, and internal controls implementation. You’ll also learn from fraud and technology case studies that highlight what can go wrong—and how to prevent it. Led by Brian Tankersley, Lawrence A. “Mac” McClelland, and Stephen Yoss, this conference delivers actionable guidance you can apply immediately—while earning up to 28 CPE credits.

Agenda

Select a day, then a class, for full details.

Day 1 Monday, November 2, 2026 3 sessions
K2's Top PDF Features You Should Know K2's Top PDF Features You Should Know 7:00 – 9:00 AM · Stephen Yoss · 2 credits

Are you tired of struggling with PDFs? Unlock the full potential of Adobe Acrobat and other PDF tools to make working with PDF files a breeze. Join our course and discover how to use powerful features such as PDF forms, redaction, converting PDFs to Word and Excel files, and electronic signatures. You'll also learn how to create and apply tick marks, build indices, catalogs, and portfolios, and secure your PDF documents to the fullest. As the popularity and usefulness of PDFs continue to grow, many users still haven't learned how to manipulate these documents effectively. Don't let this be you! Join us for this timely session and learn the top features necessary to optimize your work with PDF documents. Say goodbye to frustration and hello to efficiency!

You'll learn to:
  • Identify procedures to reorganize and manipulate PDF documents – including applying bookmarks – to meet specific needs
  • Compare examples of how to create and distribute PDF forms and automate the process of collecting and summarizing form response data
  • Identify ways to markup and edit PDF documents, including applying tick marks
  • Distinguish between options for securing PDF documents and facilitating electronic approvals and signatures
  • Compare options for converting PDF documents to Word and Excel files
Stephen Yoss Taught by Stephen Yoss · ★ 4.7
Computer Software and Applications2 CPE creditsLiveHero
Essential Data Backup Strategies Essential Data Backup Strategies 9:30 – 11:30 AM · Stephen Yoss · 2 credits

In today’s digital landscape, data loss can be catastrophic – whether it’s your personal photos, critical business documents, or enterprise-level databases. Organizations and individuals face numerous threats including ransomware, hardware failures, natural disasters, and human error. The implementation of a robust backup strategy isn’t just an IT consideration – it’s a fundamental business requirement. Understanding the various backup methodologies, from local storage to cloud solutions, and knowing how to implement them effectively can mean the difference between quick recovery and devastating loss. Don’t wait until disaster strikes to realize the importance of a comprehensive backup strategy. This course provides you with practical, actionable knowledge about modern backup solutions, from personal cloud storage to enterprise-level systems. You’ll learn how to evaluate and...

Stephen Yoss Taught by Stephen Yoss · ★ 4.7
Information Technology2 CPE creditsLiveHero
Demystifying Accounting for Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and NFTs Demystifying Accounting for Blockchain, Cryptocurrency, and NFTs 12:00 – 4:00 PM · Stephen Yoss · 4 credits

For accounting and tax professionals, understanding the inner workings of blockchain and cryptocurrency is no longer just an advantage—it's a necessity. This course provides an in-depth look into the mechanics of digital currencies and revolutionary blockchain technology, equipping attendees with the knowledge to navigate benefits and risks effectively. Special emphasis is placed on the tax implications for both individuals and estates, ensuring that attendees can confidently advise on these issues, which are becoming increasingly relevant in financial planning and asset management. This offering is more than just a learning experience; it's an investment in one's professional growth. By understanding the tax complexities and estate planning challenges posed by digital assets, participants will be able to offer valuable insights and strategic solutions. They will emerge from this...

You'll learn to:
  • Identify key characteristics and functions of major cryptocurrencies currently in use.
  • Explain the influence of blockchain technology on today’s business environment and accounting practices.
  • Assess the organizational impact of blockchain and cryptocurrency, focusing on tax and accounting issues.
  • Apply strategies to calculate and track the historical cost and fair market value of cryptocurrency investments.
  • Implement tax planning techniques for cryptocurrency transactions to optimize personal tax liabilities.
Stephen Yoss Taught by Stephen Yoss · ★ 4.7
Information TechnologyTaxes4 CPE creditsLiveHero
Day 2 Tuesday, November 3, 2026 2 sessions
Automation For Increasing Personal Efficiency and Effectiveness Automation For Increasing Personal Efficiency and Effectiveness 7:00 – 10:00 AM · Stephen Yoss · 3 credits

Automation can be incredibly helpful for saving time, improving accuracy, promoting effectiveness, and getting more value out of your workday. One of the best things a person can do is to invest time into automating their workday because it will help them to complete more work in the same period of time, reduce daily stress and provide better mental clarity. Automation can be permanent time savings for a person, once something is automated you always get that time back on a project. This course will discuss the various tools, methods, apps, websites, and more that a person can use to help promote personal automation in both your personal and professional life. It will incorporate technologies such as integration platform as a service (iPaaS) tools, Amazon Alexa and Google Home, the Elgato Streamdeck, and more. Participants will learn methods that can help them save anywhere from a...

You'll learn to:
  • Define automation and demonstrate different use cases.
  • Identify processes in your personal and professional life where automation can be utilized to save you time.
  • Distinguish between the different automation tools. Their various strengths and weaknesses, identify which products and services that are the best for your personal workflow.
  • Establish and account with an integration-as-a-platform-service (iPaaS) provider and create automation workflows for daily tasks such as email, calendaring, and document management.
  • Leverage the power of the Elgato Streamdeck for simple use of application hot keys and launching automation process with the touch of a button.
Stephen Yoss Taught by Stephen Yoss · ★ 4.7
Specialized Knowledge3 CPE creditsLiveHero
Efficient Automation Solutions Using QuickBooks Online Advanced Efficient Automation Solutions Using QuickBooks Online Advanced 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM · Stephen Yoss · 3 credits

Transform business operations and reduce manual workload through powerful automation tools and strategies. This comprehensive course reveals how organizations can leverage QuickBooks Online Advanced’s automation features for both workflow and advanced reporting, alongside integration platforms like Zapier and Microsoft Power Automate. Participants will discover practical solutions for automating bills, payments, invoices, scheduled reports, and vendor management while learning to implement custom workflows that streamline daily operations and enhance productivity. Business leaders and accounting professionals will gain hands-on experience with automation tools that revolutionize reporting processes and stakeholder communication. The course combines QuickBooks Online Advanced’s native capabilities with broader integration strategies, demonstrating how to utilize Integration...

You'll learn to:
  • Implement QuickBooks Online Advanced workflow automation tools for streamlined business processes
  • Demonstrate effective use of automated reporting features and scheduling capabilities
  • Apply integration platforms to create efficient connections between accounting and business systems
  • Construct automated workflows for bills, payments, and vendor management processes
  • Discuss how to design custom automation solutions using iPaaS tools like Zapier and Power Automate
Stephen Yoss Taught by Stephen Yoss · ★ 4.7
Specialized Knowledge3 CPE creditsLiveHero
Day 3 Wednesday, November 4, 2026 1 session
K2's Case Studies In Fraud And Technology Controls K2's Case Studies In Fraud And Technology Controls 9:30 AM – 5:30 PM · Brian Tankersley · 8 credits

Fraud continues to plague businesses at epidemic levels, and technology control failures are a significant reason fraud occurs. Using a case study approach, in this session, you will learn about the pervasiveness of fraud, the control failures contributing to fraud, and what you can do to mitigate fraud risk. A specific focus of this course is applying information technology general controls and information technology application controls. In this course, you will examine numerous reported fraud cases and identify the general and application control failures that contributed to each fraud. By learning through these real-world case studies, you will be positioned better to reduce fraud risk.

You'll learn to:
  • Define information technology general controls and information technology application controls and distinguish between the two
  • List examples of critical information technology controls
  • Recognize control failures and weaknesses that can lead to fraud
  • •List recommendations for improving internal controls in an organization
Brian Tankersley Taught by Brian Tankersley · ★ 4.5
Auditing8 CPE creditsLiveHero
Day 4 Thursday, November 5, 2026 2 sessions
K2's Six Essential Teams Features K2's Six Essential Teams Features 7:00 – 9:00 AM · Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland · 2 credits

The mad scramble to remote work and utilize apps like Teams has been trying for most organizations over the past couple of years. With a rush to install and no time to plan, most team members did their best, prioritizing remote meetings as the primary concern. Therefore, as a result, Teams is vastly misunderstood and underutilized in most organizations. Join us in this session to go beyond the remote meetings aspect of Teams and to learn how to optimize efficiency, communication, and workflow with Teams.

You'll learn to:
  • List steps for creating effective Teams and Channel structures
  • Identify how to setup file management columns for more information within Teams
  • Specify examples of how to work with Microsoft Planner within Teams
  • Identify how Lists work and why they can be better than spreadsheets
  • Identify options for incorporating Power Automate into Teams
Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland Taught by Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland · ★ 4.5
Computer Software and Applications2 CPE creditsLiveHero
K2's Implementing Internal Controls In QuickBooks Online Environments 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM · Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland · 4 credits

The QuickBooks Online (QBO) ecosystem is rapidly expanding, with millions of small businesses now relying on it for their accounting and business management needs. However, many QBO implementations lack adequate internal control infrastructures, which can lead to potential risks and inefficiencies. This is often due to a lack of understanding of the internal control options available in the cloud-based version of QuickBooks and how to implement them effectively. Join our session to learn about the four common types of internal controls and how to assess the internal control structure of a small business. We'll guide you through the opportunities to enhance internal controls in QBO environments using features found within the application. Additionally, you'll discover additional internal control procedures for situations where adequate controls cannot be established in QBO. Contrary...

You'll learn to:
  • Identify the importance of internal controls in QuickBooks environments
  • Distinguish between the four common types of internal controls and provide examples of each
  • Analyze the relative strength or weakness of a QuickBooks-based organization’s internal control structure
  • Choose and implement appropriate internal controls using tools and features found in various editions of QBO
Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland Taught by Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland · ★ 4.5
Auditing4 CPE creditsLiveHero

Your instructors

Brian Tankersley

Brian Tankersley

Speaker & Author · K2 Enterprises · ★ 4.5 instructor rating

Brian Tankersley is a consultant who advises US firms and companies on accounting technology issues. Mr. Tankersley is a frequent speaker at continuing education courses for K2 Enterprises, and publishes a nationally recognized blog on accounting and technology (www.cpatechblog.com). He has also served as the technology editor for a major accounting industry publication. Mr. Tankersley has over 25 years of...

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Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland

Lawrence A. "Mac" McClelland

Speaker & Author · K2 Enterprises · ★ 4.5 instructor rating

Mac McClelland, an attorney and accounting professional, is an associate of K2 Enterprises of Hammond, Louisiana, and Network Management Group of Hutchinson, Kansas. Mac was formerly the director of the Centre for Financial Studies at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, where he lived and worked for seven years from 1990 to 1997. He was also a member of the faculty of the Advanced Business...

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Stephen Yoss

Stephen Yoss

Speaker & Author · CPE Today · ★ 4.7 instructor rating

Stephen M. Yoss, Jr., CPA, MS, is a certified public accountant, partner and CEO of Devmatics, LLC, a continuing education instructor for financial professionals, a and a licensed pyrotechnician. While his interests and skills are varied, they all share a common thread—his love for and skill in finding technology-based solutions. In 2017, Stephen and Alex White formed Devmatics, LLC, a company focused on helping...

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