Flickr image "Chesire Cat" by fofurasfelinas
One of the areas that I encountered in my career as an auditor is this animal know as CAATS. It’s not the meow-meow animal we all know and love but CAATs is an acronym to refer to Computer-assisted audit techiques or audit tools. Continue reading
Flickr image "Union Station and the Kansas City Skyline" by navycrackerjack74
It’s interesting to note that I have received a couple of emails from readers asking for advice about careers in accounting and the fields of study they should be doing if they want to pursue a career as an accountant.
I thought I’ll write more about it in my series on Diary of a CPA to flesh out the day to day adventures of being an accountant or internal auditor. Continue reading
Flickr image "Clone trooper" by Uhhhlaine
What is your stereotypical view of a Certified Public Accountant?
Someone who is meticulous in figures? Likes to dot every ‘i’ and cross every ‘t’? Someone who is obsessed in ensuring that debits = credits?
Or is the accountant someone who has every won a table-topics trophy at the division level, who has spoken at more than half-a-dozen conferences and seminars and who writes a couple of blogs in his spare time? Continue reading
Flickr image "Beijing Everhonest Certified Public Accountants" by Ms Jackson
Tools of the Trade
Every professional worth his salt will have to be equipped with the tools of his trade. As a non-practicing Certified Public Accountant (CPA), what are the tools of my trade?
Over my 15 years of doing external, internal and IT audit, I’ve realised that the following tools are very useful for any aspiring CPA who wants to do well in his craft in auditing, taxation or accounting. Continue reading
Flickr image "aquarium for accountants" by aldask
I was having a seven course lunch at the Marina Mandarin Hotel on 18 April 2009 courtesy of my $160 (including cost of Members’ Handbook CD-ROM containing FRS etc) annual subscription fee and noted that it was the largest gathering of Certified Public Accountants (CPA) in Singapore.
The 520 people there comprised of aspiring CPAs who are provisional members, non-practising CPAs who form the bulk of the profession and practicising CPAs who earn their living from audit related services and who can sign off audited financial statements by virtue of their experience and recognised expertise. Continue reading