Accounting & Finance Function 1 (Alteryx SparkED)

This class introduces students to advanced analytics techniques using Alteryx, focusing on two key cases: Purchase Order Splitting and Sales and Use Tax Allocation. Through these cases, students will develop skills in identifying and addressing complex transactional issues within data workflows. The Purchase Order Splitting case emphasizes the detection and prevention of transaction manipulation through split purchases, an issue critical in maintaining procurement compliance and financial integrity. In Sales and Use Tax Allocation, students will apply Alteryx to accurately allocate tax liabilities across various jurisdictions, reinforcing skills in tax compliance and regulatory reporting. These exercises are designed to solidify students' ability to leverage data analytics in managing audit and compliance challenges.

Why is this important?

In today’s data-centric environment, auditors and compliance professionals are expected to manage increasingly complex datasets and regulatory requirements. This class focuses on Purchase Order Splitting and Sales and Use Tax Allocation to provide students with critical skills in identifying irregularities and ensuring compliance in procurement and tax processes. By exploring these cases, students gain hands-on experience in transaction analysis and tax allocation, using Alteryx to streamline data workflows and enhance regulatory accuracy. This work reinforces the importance of data-driven decision-making in maintaining financial and operational integrity.

Materials:

Case: Alteryx SparkED Case 1: Suspect Vendors Case
Case: Alteryx SparkED Case 2: Purchase Order Splitting
Case: Alteryx SparkED Case 3: Sales and Use Tax Allocation
Case: Alteryx SparkED Case 4: General Ledger Clean Up
Case: Alteryx SparkED Case 5: International Group Taxes
Case: Alteryx SparkED Case 6: Organizing Financial Report Data
Slides: will be available for download by the beginning of class in either powerpoint or pdf formats.
Data: A data update may be required for this class. To ensure your files are the most up-to-date, navigate to ACCTG522_Labs folder and run the command git pull.
Analytics Tools: Alteryx including the multi-row formula tool.
Analytics Tools: Git and GitHub for file delivery.

Review and Extension:

This class revisits foundational compliance concepts introduced in the OFAC Suspect Vendors case, extending those skills to procurement and tax processes. By analyzing purchase order splitting and tax allocation in Alteryx, students reinforce their ability to detect irregularities and maintain compliance across complex data workflows. This exercise consolidates students' understanding of using analytics for regulatory tasks, setting the stage for more advanced data handling in future classes.

Preparation:

1. There is no formal required preparation for this class
2. The Alteryx SparkEd Cases are largely written as reference cases with brief overviews. Feel free to review these cases in advance.
3. The goal for this class is to work on Cases 2 and 3, cases 4-6 are provided for those students who are able to complete 2 and 3.

Class Plan:

Teams: during this class, please sit in your discussion teams.

1. We will start with a brief review of Case 1 from the prior class.
2. This will be followed by an overview of Cases 2 and 3 at a high-level, with a focus on the multi-row tool.
3. The remaining class time will be used to work in small teams to work on Cases 2 and 3.
4. Students who finish Case 2 and 3 can examine Case 4.