D553A_Data_Analytics_Accountants_II

Course Description and Competencies

What to Expect

In this course, you will work through five chapters: Chapters 5 - 9 of Data Analytics for Accountants. Throughout the material, you will find readings, videos, and discussion questions. You will also find chapter quizzes that help you test your understanding. Engaging with these activities reinforces new learning. It also complements the knowledge you bring to this area of study.

Prerequisites:

Data Analytics for Accountants I is a prerequisite for this course.

Course Competencies

This course covers the following competencies:

The learner creates research questions in order to guide data analysis for a given accounting topic.
The learner applies data analysis techniques for predicative modeling and analysis in a given accounting topic.
The learner recommends a data-driven set of actions for stakeholders.

Assessment

The final performance assessment includes two tasks. You must achieve a ranking of Competent on the assessment to pass the course. The assessment provides an opportunity to demonstrate your mastery of the competencies in this course. You may attempt each assessment two times before additional support is necessary. If you require further attempts, please contact your Student Experience Team.

2 Tasks

3 Competency Units

Course Outline

Module	Upon completion of this module, you will be able to:
Chapter 5: The Modern Accounting Environment	Describe how automation has created a data-rich environment where technology helps accountants improve decision making. Create a dashboard with visualizations to explore the transformed common data. Describe the appropriate tasks and approaches to automating procedures. Evaluate continuous monitoring techniques and alarms. Upload audit data to a cloud-based collaboration platform and review changes.
Chapter 6: Analytics	Determine the different types of analysis for auditing and when to use them. Explain basic descriptive analytic techniques used in auditing. Define and describe diagnostic analytics that are used in auditing. Characterize the predictive and prescriptive analytics used in auditing. Explore audit data by identifying summary statistics, trend lines, and clustering.
Chapter 7: Managerial Analytics	Create a dashboard to evaluate sales performance and calculate job cost variances. Explain typical descriptive and diagnostic analytics in management accounting. Evaluate the use of KPIs as part of a Balanced Scorecard. Assess the underlying quality of data used in dashboards as part of management accounting analytics. Refine results to arrive at useful information to provide to management and other decision makers.
Chapter 8: Financial Statement Analytics	Identify the different types of financial statement analysis that are performed. Demonstrate how to create and read visualizations of financial statement data. Examine the value of text mining and sentiment analysis of financial reporting. Illustrate how XBRL tags financial reporting data and how it facilitates financial statement analysis.
Chapter 9: Tax Analytics	Evaluate different types of problems and analytics performed in tax analytics. Describe the tax data sources available at companies, accounting firms, and the IRS. Understand the use of visualizations as a tool in tax analytics. Leverage the use of tax data for tax planning and perform what-if scenario analysis.

Technology Requirements

We want you to have the tools to succeed! Since this course includes at least one proctored test, please be sure to have a working microphone, speakers, and an external webcam. Unfortunately, an internal webcam (built into many laptops) is not acceptable. (Note: The external webcam is required only for exams that have proctors. You do not need one for practice tests and other non-proctored assessments.) If you haven't already, be sure to download the Meazure Learning Guardian browser, which you will need for the proctoring system.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. If you haven't already, download this free software. You may encounter an interactive form that contains fields that you can select or fill in. Review how to fill in a PDF form.

For other details about the technology you'll need, review the Computer System and Technology Requirements. If you have questions about your setup, contact support@academy.wgu.edu.

Key Contacts

Resource Hub
Check out the Course Lobby to take advantage of course resources, including videos and tips from our educators. There, you can ask and answer questions, provide feedback on your progress, and connect with fellow students. You will find this platform in the Student Resources section of the course. Log on and do some exploring!

Technical Support
If you encounter technical issues, be sure to contact the Help Desk. Just submit a Support Request for assistance.

Program Support
Do you have questions about your account? Student Support has answers. They can help with billing, switching courses, and other requests. You can contact them at (888) 320-0540 or support@academy.wgu.edu.

Accommodations

WGU provides compliant and accessible learning experiences. If you require accommodation, please contact us at the start of the course. You can email disability@academy.wgu.edu.

We are committed to ensuring that all students with disabilities have equal access to WGU's services and materials. We strive to use best practices for accessibility. Our goal is to conform to existing U.S. laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Our learning management system (LMS) platform is Open edX. Open edX’s commitment to accessible content is published in their Website Accessibility Policy.