Author: kelsey-learncpe
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25 Excel Functions Every Accountant Should Know (With Real CPE Use Cases)
Excel is still the backbone of accounting. Even with modern ERP systems and AI tools, most accountants rely on Excel daily—for reconciliations, financial analysis, reporting, and data cleanup. But here’s the gap:Most professionals only use a small fraction of Excel’s capabilities. In this guide, you’ll learn 25 essential Excel functions every accountant should know, with…
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How Many CPE Credits Do CPAs Need? State-by-State Breakdown (2026 Guide)
If you’re a CPA, you already know Continuing Professional Education (CPE) is required to maintain your license—but figuring out exactly how many credits you need (and when) can be confusing. Different states have different rules. Some require annual reporting. Others use 2- or 3-year cycles. Many require ethics credits on top of your total hours.…
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Power BI vs Excel: What Accountants Should Actually Be Using (And When)
If you spend any time in accounting or finance circles right now, you’ve probably heard this debate: “Is Power BI replacing Excel?” Short answer: no.Longer answer: if you’re still thinking in terms of either/or, you’re already behind. The real professionals pulling ahead in 2026 aren’t choosing between Excel and Power BI—they’re using both, strategically. Because…
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The CFO Mindset: Transition Your Finance Career
How Accountants Can Transition from Reporting to Strategy For many accountants, the career path feels predictable: reconcile, report, repeat. You close the books. You generate financial statements. You explain variances. And then… the cycle starts again. But here’s the reality:The accountants who advance the fastest—and become truly valuable to organizations—don’t just report numbers. They interpret…
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How to Turn CPE Into a Promotion Strategy (Not Just a Requirement)
For most CPAs, CPE is a checkbox. You complete the hours.You meet the requirement.You move on. And that’s exactly why it’s being wasted. Because while most professionals treat CPE as compliance, a small group is using it as something much more powerful: A strategy to accelerate their career. Same requirement. Same hours.Completely different outcome. If…
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The Hidden Career Risk No One Talks About in Accounting
When people talk about the future of accounting, the conversation usually goes in one direction: “AI is coming for accounting jobs.” It’s a compelling headline. It gets attention. And sure—technology is changing the profession. But it’s also a bit misleading. Because the biggest risk to your career right now isn’t AI replacing you. It’s something…
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Why Most Corporate Finance Teams Are Bad at Forecasting (And How to Fix It)
Forecasting is supposed to be one of the most valuable things a finance team does. It drives decisions.Guides strategy.Shapes how companies invest, hire, and grow. And yet—most forecasts are… not very good. They’re outdated almost as soon as they’re created. They rely on messy data. And in many cases, they’re influenced more by internal politics…
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From Excel to AI: The New Skill Stack Every CPA Needs in 2026
For years, the accounting career path was pretty predictable. Master Excel.Understand compliance.Stay up to date on regulations. That was enough to build a solid, stable career. But that’s changing—fast. Today, the CPAs who are advancing the quickest aren’t just good with spreadsheets. They’re building a modern skill stack that combines technical ability, data insight, and…
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The 80/20 Rule: A CPE Strategy You Need
Let’s be honest—most CPAs don’t hate learning. They hate how CPE is usually done. It’s rushed. It’s last-minute. It’s often low-quality. And worst of all, it rarely translates into anything useful in your actual job. So every year, the same cycle repeats:You scramble in Q4, sit through a few forgettable webinars, check the compliance box……
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Generative AI for Accountants & Finance Professionals: Why This Skill Is No Longer Optional
If you work in accounting or finance, you’ve probably asked yourself one of these questions: Here’s the straight answer: Generative AI isn’t replacing high-level finance professionals. But professionals who ignore it may fall behind those who don’t. The shift is already happening. The question is whether you’ll be ahead of it — or reacting to…