Accounting & Finance Function 2 (Alteryx SparkED)

In this class, students continue their exploration of data-driven solutions in audit and compliance by tackling three complex cases: General Ledger Clean Up, International Group Taxes, and Organizing Financial Report Data. These cases illustrate common issues faced by finance professionals, such as maintaining data integrity in the general ledger, managing cross-border tax liabilities, and organizing financial data for accurate reporting. The General Ledger Clean Up case provides hands-on experience in data cleansing and standardization, essential for reliable financial records. International Group Taxes focuses on applying Alteryx to calculate and allocate taxes in a multinational context, honing students' skills in global tax compliance. Finally, Organizing Financial Report Data enables students to structure financial data for streamlined reporting and analysis, a vital skill in supporting transparency and decision-making.

Why is this important?

Building on the concepts from the previous class, this session dives deeper into the essentials of data management and regulatory compliance. Through the General Ledger Clean Up, International Group Taxes, and Organizing Financial Report Data cases, students will refine their skills in data standardization, global tax compliance, and structured financial reporting. As companies grow and expand internationally, maintaining clean financial records and understanding cross-border tax liabilities become increasingly crucial. This class highlights the role of analytics in supporting compliance and fostering transparency, equipping students to handle the data complexities that globalized business brings.

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

Review and Extension:

Continuing from the previous session, this class broadens students' perspectives on managing financial data integrity and international compliance. Through cases on general ledger management, international taxes, and financial reporting, students enhance their skills in data organization and global tax compliance. These exercises extend their proficiency in leveraging Alteryx to support transparent and compliant financial practices, preparing them for higher levels of responsibility in audit and assurance roles.

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 4 and/or 5, case 6 is provided for those students who are able to complete case 5.

Class Plan:

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

1. I will present a brief overview of Cases 3-6, the remaining Alteryx Spark Ed cases.
2. The remaining class time will be used to work in small teams or as individuals to work through the remaining cases.
3. The goal is to complete as many of these cases before next Monday when we undertake the Alteryx Individual Challenge.
4. At the end of thi class, students have the option to upload their completed and partially completed workflows to Canvas.