Technology Archives - Strategic Finance

Govern Your Bots!

Robotic process automation can integrate with AI, machine learning, and data science, but RPA must be governed properly.

Excel: Sending Feedback to the Excel Team

There are two channels for reaching the Excel team; there are ways to improve your chances of making a change to the program.

Tools of the Trade: January 2020

A look at the recently released Surface Pro 7, Motorola One Hyper, Dyson Cryptomic Air Purifier, and Microsoft Seeing AI app.

Saving the World Wide Web

The web’s inventor, Tim Berners-Lee, offers a global call to action to save the web from manipulation and privacy violations.

Creating Cybersecurity Awareness

Management accountants must ensure that the IT team is protecting the organization’s data to avoid costly breaches.

Access: Making a Calendar

Use the free downloadable CalendarMaker tool to create printable calendars in Access that help you plan and record your time.

Books: Strategic Career Planning

Use core business principles to create a strategy to evaluate, navigate, and reinvent your career path.

Get Smart about Cybersecurity Attacks

Management accountants must ensure that their company’s IT team is on top of cybersecurity prevention and response planning.

Access: Fractions and Greek Characters

When a need arises that can’t be handled by Access’s built-in functions, you can build user-defined functions.

Creating Ethical Chatbots

As commercial chatbots get smarter and more diverse, the need for responsible design will become more critical.

Excel: Ask Excel a Question about Your Data

An upcoming Excel feature code-named “Natural Language Query” relies on AI to answer questions about data in your workbook.

Tools of the Trade: December 2019

A look at the recently released Panasonic Toughbook 55, Google Pixel 4, Amazon Echo Buds, and the Mophie Juice Pack Access.

Books: Put Cybersecurity first

Think Security First! offers practical advice for professionals concerned with cybersecurity in an age of rising cybercrime.

IASB Issues New Education Standards

The IAESB revised International Education Standards to boost aspiring and professional accountants’ competencies and skills.

Accounting for Cryptoassets

Cryptocurrencies are a new form of assets that raises unusual internal control and financial reporting challenges.

Access: Using a Subreport Multiple Times

When linking subreports to display other fields to enhance a main report, each subreport can be used more than once.

Conversational Digital Assistants

Digital assistants are smarter than ever due to AI and improvements in natural language processing.

Tools of the Trade: November 2019

A look at the recently released Microsoft Surface Pro 7, Surface Laptop 3, LG G8X ThinQ smartphone, Langogo Pocket AI Translator.

Excel: Collaboration in an Excel Workbook

The new workbook-sharing experience for Office 365 will solve common problems when multiple Excel users collaborate.

What Is a Data Science Model?

To discover what data science can do for finance professionals, start by learning or reviewing modeling basics.

Digital Transformation Improves Efficiency

Organizations can cut costs by embracing digital transformation and automation, thus boosting their efficiency levels.

Cyber Risk: Time to Elevate the Agenda

CFOs must spearhead cyber risk management to combat potential security breaches and fraud in an era of rising cybercrime.

These Are The Bots You’re Looking For

RPA has potential benefits for the finance department, including less tedium and wasted time, as well as fewer errors.

The Lazarus Gadget

The demise of the smartwatch has been predicted since the sales of Apple’s version of the device began to slip.

Excel: Lookup Formulas Get a Makeover with XLOOKUP

Office 365 subscribers rejoice: You’ll soon see the new functions XLOOKUP and XMATCH in Excel.

Shadow IT and Governance

Unauthorized applications that exist on a company’s IT network, known as “Shadow IT,” can present governance problems.

Access: Data Structure

The best data structure is flexible and reflects how the objects on which the data is based exist in real life.

Tools of the Trade: October 2019

A look at the iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone 11, Apple Watch Series 5, Garmin Venu GPS Watch.

Old Technology as a Strategic Advantage

A Fijian retail company opted against upgrading its information system. Sometimes the status quo is best for business.

Tools of the Trade: September 2019

A look at the Hasselblad X1D II 50C camera, HiRise wireless charger, StayGo USB-C Hub, and Seagate expansion drive.

Excel: CONVERTing Units of Measurement

Excel’s CONVERT has more than 100 conversion rates built in, so you don’t have to memorize conversion facts.

Access: Undoing Updates

Verify data before it’s updated and devise a process to undo changes so you can run update queries again if necessary.

A Smart Pandora’s Box

As smartphone addiction increases, one answer might be a minimalist phone disconnected from the internet.

AI in Data Governance

In our data-driven era, AI can improve data governance and establish a competitive advantage for any organization.

Add Data Analytics to Intro Accounting

Help students develop familiarity with data analytics by using Excel, Power BI, and Tableau in introductory courses.

Developing the Right Skill Sets

Singapore Management University added three data analytics programs to its accounting curriculum in response to a skills gap.

Jony Ive Exits Apple

Apple’s legendary chief design officer, Jony Ive, has announced he will be leaving the company after 20-plus years.

Tools of the Trade: August 2019

A look at the OnePlus 7 Pro phone, Apple’s iPhone XR, reMarkable Digital Notepad, and the Brother HL-L2350DW laser printer.

Access: Using VBA’s Split Function

Use the Split function in Visual Basic for Applications to break up strings of data so you can run queries.

Excel: Brute-Force Solving

You can use Excel’s brute-force solving feature to examine all the alternatives of a scenario with many possible permutations.

Further Demystification of Agile Project Management

Agile project management has a number of benefits, but there also are challenges, especially if you aren’t used to using it.

Machine Bias inside the Black Box

The accounting profession must understand AI and its potential positive—and negative—impacts, including potential bias.

Tools of the Trade: July 2019

A look at ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo, Apple Mac Pro and Pro Display XDR, Dell Inspiron 27 7000, and the latest Apple iPod Touch.

Access: Normalize Imported Data

When shuffling imported data into appropriate tables, the data needs to be normalized, or focused on one category.

Excel: Undoing an Undo

Excel offers an Undo stack that will let you undo the previous 100 operations. How do you go back to a certain point in time?

The Inventors’ Corner of the IoT

The IoT welcomes inventors of all sorts, even those lacking backers who rely on crowdfunding from Indiegogo and Kickstarter.

Survey: Data Strategy Challenges

Various organizations worldwide were surveyed about their biggest challenges to implementing a data management strategy.

Excel: Clustered Column Chart with Percent of Month

Using chart labels from a separate range of cells, users can label clustered column charts differently.

The Future of Technology and Analytics

Management accountants must stay abreast of the latest technological developments and build competencies accordingly.

Tools of the Trade: June 2019

This month, we look back in time to the Brunsviga Nova Calculator, Osborne 1 computer, Microsoft Multiplan, and HP 12c Platinum Calculator.

The VisiCalc Dawn

How Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston created the first successful electronic spreadsheet program, VisiCalc.

Access: Organizing Imported Data from Excel

This second in a series looks at moving imported data to a different destination table based on what the data describes.

Excel: Wildcards in VLOOKUP and SUMIFS

In Excel, users can apply VLOOKUP with wildcards to match a number embedded in a longer cell. Faster VLOOKUPs are in the works.

Access: Append and Update Data from Excel

An importing process of append and update queries can combine worksheets into a single table in Access.

Tools of the Trade: May 2019

This month, we look at the iPad Mini 5, iPad Air, iPad Pro, Samsung Galaxy S10, Google Pixel 3, RAVPower Filehub Plus.

Agile Project Management in Analytics

Those working on analytics projects tend to prefer agile project management to traditional project management.

Survival of the Memes

A review of the consequences of the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market passed by the European Parliament.

Being a Smart Leader in a Digital Age

Tomorrow CEO Mike Walsh advises leaders on how to thrive in the current era of disruptive technological change.

AI: New Risks and Rewards

With AI, computers can now process massive databases quickly and offer deeper analyses. But it can also lead to risks.

Are You Getting the Most from Your IT Tools?

It’s important to ensure that any new IT implementation delivers gains in both efficiency and effectiveness.

Access: Importing Excel Spreadsheets

Importing data from Excel requires a proper data structure so the data will be organized for effective use in Access.

Security Breaches: Are You Ready?

Effective organizations must have a detailed plan for responding to, not just reacting to, breaches in cybersecurity.

The Origami Smartphone Arrives

With the introductions of the Galaxy Fold and Mate X, the foldable smartphone begins its move toward the mainstream.

Excel: Rolling 12 Months in a Pivot Table

Create a pivot table that will show a rolling 12 months of sales and have it update automatically.

Tools of the Trade: April 2019

This month, we look at the Samsung Galaxy Fold, LG V50 ThinQ 5G, F(x)TecPro1, and Microsoft Hololens-2 AR headset.

Can RPA Improve Agility?

Finance departments can improve their agility through the adoption of robotic process automation tools and techniques.

Tools of the Trade: March 2019

This month, we look at the Sony RX100 VI, LibreOffice 6, Omnipage Ultimate, Wemo Mini Smart Plug.

A New AI Social Contract

An analysis of the social, economic, and political upheaval that will accompany the four waves of AI.

Access: Random Numbers

The Rnd function can be used to return a single random number, but the result generated changes constantly.

Excel: Pivot Table by Weekday and Month

With Get & Transform features introduced in Excel 2016, it’s possible to easily produce a pivot table by the day of the week.

Access: Age Overdue Accounts with Partition

Partition, a little-known function in Access, can group numbers into ranges, such as with aging overdue balances.

Excel: Filter Faster

Save valuable time with this quick, easy trick for filtering data.

Tools of the Trade: February 2019

This month: LG Signature OLED TV R, Asus Zenbook S13, Withings Move ECG watch, AerBetic Wearable Glucose Sensor.

Modernizing Government Financial Reporting

The OPEN Government Data Act requires federal agencies to disclose information online using machine-readable data formats.

Where is Tech Headed in 2019?

Here’s a better look into the tech trends for 2019 through the first two international expos—CES19 and Mobile World Congress.

From the Mainframe to the Blockchain

Blockchain is changing the way businesses conduct transactions and exchange data. The time is now to adapt and get on board.

Access: Pop-Up Forms

Make your database more user friendly by adding pop-up forms to capture additional data or information.

Tools of the Trade: January 2019

This month: Garmin’s Fenix 5 Plus smart watch, a udoq charging system, mixcder headphones, and an Epson FastFoto scanner.

Excel: Stocks Data Type

Like the Geography data type, the new Stocks data type gets current data from the internet for display in your workbook.

Understanding Smart Machines

How Smart Machines Think by Sean Gerrish offers a detailed explanation of how many of our intelligent machines work.

Transforming Analytics through Data Governance

Get the most out of analytics by establishing a data-driven culture with a effective, efficient approach to data governance.

Access: Cross-Reference Contacts and Lists

Assign individual contacts to specific groups for greater flexibility in your contact management system.

Excel: New Geography Data Type

Excel’s new Linked Data Types will enable users to get additional data from the internet related to cell contents.

Tools of the Trade: December 2018

This month we take a look at the new Apple iPad Pro, MacBook Air, Dell Ultrawide Monitor, Mac Mini.

Toward Web 3.0

Web 3.0 will be different in many ways, some of which—like the cloud, AI, and IoT—have already appeared online.

Preparing to Compete in the Digital Age

A forthcoming IMA study found that implementation of leading-edge analytics is a work-in-progress for most organizations.

Smaller Accounting Firms Embrace Tech

According to the 2018 Global SMP Survey, SMPs are increasingly allocating resources to investment in technology.

Access: Managing Contacts

Creating a database of personal and business contacts begins with storing unique names for each contact.

Excel: Dynamic Array Functions

A new set of powerful array functions in Excel can be used to solve problems and simplify complicated formulas.

Tools of the Trade: November 2018

This month: Google’s smartphones Pixel 3 and Pixel 3X, the Razer Phone 2, Google Home Hub, and Kobo’s Forma eReader.

Digital Disappearances

The problem with data libraries is that they depend on short-lived hardware and are vulnerable to attack.

Tools of the Trade: October 2018

This month we look at the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Plus, iPhone XR, Lenovo Yoga Book C930, and the new Apple Watch Series 4.

Digital Demands

Management accountants must partner with IT and adopt essential tools to stay involved in business processes and strategy.

The State of the Smartphone: October 2018

Since autumn is now “new smartphone season,” we review some history and the basic numbers for the revolution that continues.

Excel: Comments and Notes

Microsoft is rolling out threaded comments to Excel for Office 365 subscribers, but the old notes system will also remain.

Access: Highlight the Current Record

Use conditional formatting to highlight the current record on a form so that it stands out and is easier to focus on.

Tech Pros Not Confident in AI Deployment Security

The Digital Transformation Barometer reveals concerns around social engineering, manipulated content, and data poisoning.

CFOs Are Making Data and Analytics Top Priorities

The 2018 Finance Trends Survey Report highlights the areas of the finance function that finance executives are focusing on.

How to Master Digital Age Competencies

Completing 40 to 60 hours of study in data science can keep you on track to a successful future in management accounting.

Tools of the Trade: September 2018

This month we look at the Samsung Galaxy Note 9, Apple MacBook Pro 2018, Logitech K780 keyboard, and the Sherpa 40 Power Bank.

Developing Data Fluency

As technology changes management accounting, keeping up with the latest developments requires a step-by-step approach.

Excel: New Survey Features

A new feature coming to Excel lets you build surveys that users can access by scanning a 2-D barcode with their smartphone.

Hacking: A 2018 Growth Industry

The hackers at Def Con and the researchers at Cisco agree: Hacking is growing and becoming more dangerous.

Access: Localized International Information

Building international applications can require more generic designs and advanced settings to display values in local formats.

Survey: Small Business Cybersecurity

A survey of individuals at small businesses finds that most employees and company leaders underestimate cyber risk.

SEC Orders Reporting via Inline XBRL

The SEC has developed a phased transition plan for organizations to submit financial information using Inline XBRL.

Use Snapchat to Engage Students

Snapchat can help professors engage their students by illustrating real-world examples, reinforcing key concepts, and more.

Are COSO Frameworks Enough?

As technology takes on an increasingly larger role in operations, business-focused frameworks might not be enough.

Security in a World of Zero Trust

The SecureCircle model for corporate cybersecurity embraces Zero Trust, Transparent File Encryption, and Similarity Detection.

Tools of the Trade: August 2018

This month we look at the Microsoft’s Surface Go, Hippocketwifi, SanDisk Extreme Portable, and Corel Photo Mirage.

Excel: Power Query Makes Tasks Easier

Power Query not only makes it easier to get and transform data, but you can also teach Excel to automate the process.

Access: Windows Region Settings

The Windows region settings influence how date and time values are displayed. In Access, this can impact certain data types.

Blockchain: Disruption and Opportunity

Increased adoption and standardization efforts are moving blockchain beyond proof of concept and into operations.

Tools of the Trade: July 2018

This month we look at the Asus ZenBook Pro 15, Unihertz Atom smartphone, WordPerfect Office X9, Sony Wireless Earbuds.

Excel: Reporting Text in a Pivot Table

With the Data Model and the new DAX function CONCATENATEX, you can display text fields in pivot tables.

Getting Started with Cryptocurrencies

Don’t let the specialized language and new technology scare you away from cryptocurrencies. Even novices can get involved.

Access: Date (+ Time) Format

Use symbols and characters in the Format property to control how date and time values are displayed.

The Data Life Cycle

Understanding the typical phases of data resource management can help an organization establish its data governance protocol.

Tools of the Trade: June 2018

This month: reMarkable tablet, Logitech’s Keys-to-Go keyboards, Nest smart security camera, and the Dymo LabelWriter 4XL.

Excel: A Checklist System Using Icon Sets

Have a monthly close process or other processes with a series of tasks? Create a checklist in Excel using custom icon sets.

Access: Dates and Times

When entering date or time values, Access is very flexible at recognizing variety of different formats.

Bitcoin Rising

Trades and transactions in cryptocurrencies like bitcoin can be taxable events and need to be properly reported to the IRS.

Draining the Data Swamp

The key to effective data management lies in smart governance, technology integration, and process improvements.

The Cost of Losing Handwriting

Taking notes by hand leads to greater comprehension and retention compared to typing notes into a laptop.

Tools of the Trade: May 2018

This month we look at the Apple iPad 9.7, ZeroLemon Battery Case, iPhone Special Red edition, and Dyson Wi-Fi Air Purifier.

Excel: Consolidations in Excel

With the built-in Consolidate tool, you can combine data sets from multiple worksheets (or workbooks) into one.

The Malicious Use of AI: Part 2

Will achieving human-level machine intelligence be followed by superintelligent machines? What might the consequences be?

New Accounting Skills for the Digital Age

IMA’s updated Competency Framework will outline key skill areas management accountants will need to master in the digital age.

Building Confidence in Nonfinancial Reporting

With nonfinancial information growing in importance, ensuring its integrity is vital. Internal controls and technology can help.

Access: Use Excel with a Wrapper Function

With a wrapper function written in VBA, you can use Excel’s built-in functions, like PMT, throughout your database.

Survey: IT Audit Benchmarking

A survey identifies best practices and areas for improvement for IT audit and internal audit leaders and professionals.

Cyber CFO: The Next Top Finance Job?

In today’s ever-changing technological world, companies are turning to the CFO to manage and oversee cyber risk management.

Creating a Brighter Future with Artificial Intelligence

IBM’s Lori Victor Feller talks about digital strategies, being a first mover vs. fast follower, and disruptive technologies.

Tools of the Trade: April 2018

This month we look at the Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus, Lenovo 300e Chromebook, Asus Zenfone 5Z, and Nokia 8110 4G.

The Malicious Use of AI

Artificial intelligence has a very positive side and a seriously threatening one. Both require a culture of responsibility.

Access: Using Excel’s PMT Function in Access

With a VBA script, Access users can leverage Excel’s built-in functions such as PMT, which calculates the periodic payment for an annuity.

Excel: Using TEXTJOIN with an Array

The new TEXTJOIN formula available to Office 365 subscribers offers significant improvements over CONCATENATE.

Books: What to Do When Machines Do Everything

Materials, machines, and models are vital to staying ahead of the AI curve. Even traditional companies can adapt to compete.

Excel: Artificial Intelligence Comes to Excel

A new tool, named Insights, can analyze your Excel data for patterns and identify unusual or interesting facts.

Access: User-defined Functions

With VBA, you can create your own functions to use throughout a database—in forms, queries, reports, and even code.

Tools of the Trade: March 2018

This month we look at Bitdefender Antivirus 2018 and Bitdefender Box 2, the Spot-R Sensor, and the Apple HomePod.

Value through Robotic Process Automation

These four steps will help finance leaders take advantage of the value-creation opportunities that RPA can provide.

Adapting for Digital Survival

Technology is rapidly changing the business environment. Companies need to stay ahead of the curve or risk obsolescence.

Establishing IT Governance

Changes in technology should be undertaken through the lens of IT governance and benefit the whole organization.

Access: Change a List Box Using VBA

With VBA, you can modify an SQL statement to change the content of a list box based on other parameters on the form.

Tools of the Trade: February 2018

We look at HP Spectre x360 convertible laptop, Lenovo Smart Display, Optoma Home Projector, Soofa Bulletin Board.

Excel: Cell Selection and Deselection

Microsoft is rolling out a new feature that lets users deselect unwanted cells after selecting multiple cells or ranges.

Assessing IT Risk

Management accountants can use their experience with performance measures to help companies monitor and evaluate IT risks.

Access: Using SQL in the Row Source Property

SQL and VBA provide a lot of neat functionality in Access. Take your first step in learning about SQL with this example.

The Far Limits of Artificial Intelligence—Part 2

We revisit the question of machine imagination and creativity with the Lovelace Test and Chef Watson from IBM.

XBRL, Blockchain, and New Technologies

New technologies and the internet’s culture of openness are transforming business reporting and data analytics.

Tools of the Trade: January 2018

We look at Sony Bravia A1E smart TV, Samsung Gear S3 smartwatch, MikMe wireless microphone recorder, SanDisk iXpand Base.

Excel: Use Helper Cells to Improve Formula Speeds

Don’t use formulas that calculate the same answer repeatedly. Improve calculation times by using a helper range.

Access: Subform to Display Calculations

When working with a form, add subforms to display relevant, updated data and other information drawn from multiple tables.

Tools of the Trade: December 2017

We look at Google Home, Kindle Oasis 2, Nixplay digital picutre frames, and the Razer smartphone for gamers.

Excel: Creating Tables from Timeline Slicers

Use a disconnected pivot table to generate a worksheet title that always shows the dates selected for a Timeline slicer.

The Far Limits of Artificial Intelligence

During the Year of AI, the conversation turned to an old question about AI—can machines show imagination and act creatively?

Where Do We Start with Cybersecurity?

Both individuals and companies need to be educated and work together to combat the ever-growing cybersecurity threats.

XBRL and the Cloud

Implementing XBRL with the right cloud-based solutions greatly improve financial and business reporting processes.

Are You Ready for Your Robots?

Rather than replace management accountants, robots will help elevate them from bean counters to strategic business partners.

Cybersecurity: Common Risks

Cybercrime is a dynamic risk. To avoid a costly security setback, organizations must learn to recognize the warning signs.

Cybersecurity Stakeholders

The cybersecurity industry has grown immensely for both private and government entities. Each sector has its own challenges.

Excel: Split Delimited Data into New Rows

Using Excel’s Power Query tools, you can convert delimited data within a cell or column into new rows.

The War for Cyberspace

Information warfare and cyberwarfare are different from espionage and warfare in the past, and they may be more dangerous.

Tools of the Trade: November 2017

We look at Google’s Pixel 2 and 2XL, Microsoft’s Surface Book 2, the Google Home Max assistant, and the August Smart Lock Pro.

Access: Main Forms and Subforms

Embedding forms in Access is useful for streamlined data entry and better organization of relational data.

Eye Tracking for Better Reports

Eye tracking provides a concrete representation of the most efficient and effective data visualizations for management accountants.

RegTech Is in Fashion

Brad Monterio and Anne Leslie-Bini discuss RegTech, a way to leverage technology to help companies remain compliant.

Access: Creating a Combo Box

A combo box in Access allows you to display values a user can choose from. This is especially useful for a list of customers.

Excel: The Pitfalls of AutoSave

Microsoft added a feature called AutoSave. While it affords Co-Authoring, it also prevents you from closing without saving.

The iPhone and the Mobile Revolution

The iPhone deserves most of the credit it has been given as a prime mover of the mobile revolution.

Tools of the Trade: October 2017

This month we look at the iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and the Volterman Smart Wallet.

Who’s Responsible for Cybersecurity?

Organizations need to be informed about the many avenues hackers might use to execute costly data breaches and prepare accordingly.

Access: Create a Shareable Calendar

A free downloadable tool can turn data from a query into a calendar that shows important dates and information for a month.

Tools of the Trade: September 2017

This month we look at the Tab S3, Keeper Security Password app, Samsung DeX Station, and a perpetual calendar.

Excel: New Features in Office 365

With a subscription to Office 365, you no longer have to wait for the next version to come out before you get new features.

Will Artificial Intelligence Eliminate My Job?

While artificial intelligence and technology may threaten certain sectors, a forward-thinking professional can stay ahead of the curve.

Blockchain: A Deloitte Report Card

As the blockchain revolution ramps up, the trust economy prepares for its impact. Just how disruptive will the technology be?

Survey: CFOs and Finance Leadership

SAP and Oxford Economics look at how accounting and finance roles are evolving in response to the digital economy.

Excel-based Active Learning

Excel-based projects help students learn how to apply management accounting concepts in practical business scenarios.

Tools of the Trade: August 2017

This month we look at a Dell 2-in-1 laptop, the HTC U11 smartphone, a Louis Vuitton smartwatch, and Nikon’s KeyMission 170.

Access: Visualizing Value Changes

Use data visualizations in Access to show if a value has increased, decreased, or stayed the same.

Excel: RANK, COUNTIF, and Floating Point Errors

Excel normally uses 15 digits of precision, but some features now appear to be using 17, which can cause unexpected problems.

Improve Your Technology Skills

Management accountants need to be aware of new technology and keep themselves updated on the latest trends.

The Evolution of Electric Text

There are important differences between printed text and the electric text created on word process running on computers.

Inline XBRL Runs into Opposition

Critics of the SEC’s proposed requirement to use Inline XBRL note that many software vendors aren’t prepared for it.

EXCEL: USING PASTE SPECIAL

While some may have forgotten about them, there are powerful commands available in the Excel Paste Special dialog.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: JULY 2017

This month we look at the Asus ZenBook Flip S (UX370), Apple iPad Pro 10.5, Apple Home Pod, and Rocketbook Wave Notebook.

ACCESS: GRAPHS IN A QUERY USING UNICODE

It’s possible to use Unicode characters, such as blocks or half blocks, to display a simple bar graph in an Access query.

THE SILK ROAD ON THE DARK WEB

A review of Nick Bilton’s book American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind behind the Silk Road.

GROWING UP IN ANALYTICS

A look at the tools, skills required, and other information needed to increase the analytics capability of your organization.

The CFO: Industrial Engineer of Knowledge Work

Contrary to popular belief, a significant proportion of knowledge work can be standardized. CFOs can lead the way.

KEY SKILL SETS FOR MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING

The integration of domain knowledge, technical ability, and analytical skills can lead to successful projects.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: JUNE 2017

This month, we look at the Microsoft Surface Laptop, Amazon Echo Show, VeriMark Fingerprint Key, and OWC Thunderbolt 3 Dock.

EXCEL: SORTING WITH VBA

A recorded macro for sorting data won’t work if the number of rows in the data changes. Use this VBA code instead.

MICROSOFT’S RE-ENTRY INTO ACADEMIA

Microsoft is increasing its efforts to regain its position in the education sector with an OS geared toward the classroom.

ACCESS: AGING ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

Using the Immediate If function in a query, you can group accounts receivable into different age categories and track totals.

The Blueprint for Continuous Accounting

Continuous Accounting modernizes the financial close process by embedding automation and more into day-to-day activities.

Allocating Service Department Costs with Excel

With Excel’s iterative calculation option, using the reciprocal method is much simpler and more efficient.

PARTNERING WITH DATA SCIENTISTS FOR MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTING SUCCESS

Lead a business transformation by partnering with data scientists to unlock the potential of data and technology.

Access: The Expression Builder

Use the Expression Builder to create formulas in many different places, including fields, queries, and tables.

HACKING HARDWARE

A recent book looks into the engineering and politics that go into the manufacturing of computer hardware.

Excel: The Function Arguments Dialog and Nested Functions

Follow this simple but nonintuitive trick to use the Function Arguments dialog when creating a formula with nested functions.

Tools of the Trade: May 2017

iPad Tablet 5th generation, Samsung Galaxy S8, UE Wonderboom Bluetooth speaker, SandDisk iXpand drive.

ACCESS: FORMULAS

Used for calculations, validating data, and setting default values, formulas are a critical element of Access databases.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN BUSINESS

A look at how Basware business software is incorporating Artificial Intelligence in its products and processes.

EXCEL: SETTING PIVOT TABLE DEFAULTS

A new Excel feature for Office 365 users lets you set the default layout for any pivot table you create.

Tools of the Trade: April 2017

A look at the Nokia 3310, BlackBerry Key One, Sony Xperia XA1, and Lenovo Miix 320.

COGNITIVE COMPUTING: TEACHING COMPUTERS TO LEARN

Because of its predictive and learning abilities, cognitive computing is expanding into many areas of business.

Accountants and Tech: A Game Changer?

A new framework for accounting information systems will help accounting education keep pace with changes in technology.

Machine Learning, Human Fraud

With AI dominating headlines, preventing these intelligent machines from enabling fraud remains a significant concern.

Tools of the Trade: March 2017

CTL J5X Chromebook, daVinci Mini 3D Printer, Lenovo Yoga 910, Ventev s500 Charging Hub.

Access: Numbers

When a field contain numerical data, there are several different data type and field size options to choose from.

AI Rising

After a 30-year period of development, AI may finally be seeing its great realization in 2017.

IT Audit Survey

Protiviti and ISACA find that IT audits and technology issues are getting more attention at the board and executive levels.

The Changing Nature of Accounting

New technologies will push the role of accountants further away from bean counting toward business coach and advisor.

ABSOLUTELY SECURE COMPUTING

The launch of the quantum communications satellite Micius could provide a path forward for computer security.

Tools of the Trade: February 2017

Lenovo Phab 2 Pro, Lenovo Smart Assistant, Acer Predator Z301CT, Cota Ceiling Tile Wireless Charger.

Excel: Converting Dates to Quarters

Excel doesn’t have a function that returns a fiscal-year quarter number. These solutions will get you the results you need.

Access: Data Types

Selecting the correct data type for your fields can make all the difference in creating a successful database.

The Quest for Privacy

Organizations need to go the extra mile and not only ensure the security of their data but safeguard its privacy as well.

Tools of the Trade: January 2017

Satechi Smart Charging Stand, Seagate 5TB Portable Hard Drive, Logitech Create iPad Pro, FitBit Flex 2 Fitness Wristband

The Most Notorious Hacks of 2016

Even the most high-profile tech luminaries were vulnerable to being hacked in 2016. Is a quantum satellite the answer?

Get Ready for Blockchain

Management accountants need to remain ahead of the IT curve, learning about blockchain and its potential business impact.

Excel: When “Identical” Cells Don’t MATCH

There are a couple of solutions to consider when the MATCH formula won’t recognize matching items in two lists.

Manufacturing Enters the Third Dimension

3D printing can have a significant impact on traditional supply chain logistics as well as product development and prototyping.

The Power of Finance Automation

Automate your manual accounting processes to free up your accounting and finance team to focus on driving performance.

Big Data on Small Budgets

Big Data isn’t just for giant corporations. There are many tools and solutions for budgets and companies of any size.

Excel: Using an Alternate Calendar

When using dates, Excel usually assumes a traditional calendar. The Data Model can help if you use something different.

It’s About Time

The smartwatch has been in development for 88 years and is still having trouble finding adopters. Why?

Tools of the Trade: December 2016

Microsoft Surface Studio, Microsoft Surface Book i7, MacBook Pro 2016, Kodak Ektra.

Tools of the Trade: November 2016

Discover the latest in must-have technology: Google Pixel, Google Home, Netgear Arlo Pro, Quad Lock Car Mount.

ADD JUST ONE MORE

Despite the vast impact that computers have had on the world, there’s no Nobel Prize for computing. It’s time for a change.

Access: Refining the Sales Report

After creating a report with the Report Wizard, it’s often necessary to tweak the design so it’s easier to read.

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES IN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

Keep these important tips in mind when implementing a new system or software package at your company.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: OCTOBER 2016

iPhone 7, Apple Watch Series 2, Echo Dot, SignalVault.

EXCEL: INTERACTIVE REPORTS WITH POWER BI

A new tool from Microsoft enables users to create and share a number of interactive reports.

ACCESS: CREATING A GROUPED REPORT

How to build a report for product sales grouped by year, month, and day.

THE UPSIDE OF GADGET ADDICTION

There are some positive benefits to being a gadget enthusiast.

BETTER PERFORMANCE THROUGH ANALYTICS

The first in a series on moving from predictive to prescriptive analytics.

AFTER THE TURING TEST

Our computers and robots are getting smarter, which raises the question: Will they achieve consciousness?

Tools of the Trade: September 2016

Galaxy Note7, Instax Share SP-2, Logitech iPad Cover CREATE, AUKEY Power Bank.

Access: Use VBA to Modify a Crosstab Query

Add code that will limit the records displayed in a report based on user-entered criteria.

Excel: Problems After Upgrading Computers

A user encounters a problem after a computer upgrade: All new workbooks only print in black and white.

OPEN SOURCE ESSENTIALS

Open source accounting software is becoming an increasingly popular choice. Management accountants need to know the benefits and downsides.

Access: Enhancing a Menu

Use a tab control to organize the controls on a menu form and create a better user experience.

Canning Blackberries

The discontinuation of the BlackBerry Classic is a sign of the inevitability and persistence of change.

Excel: Color-Coding Values

Use conditional formatting to highlight cells or rows in different colors, depending on their values.

Technology Trends to Watch

Management accountants need to stay abreast of the latest technology trends and developments that could help on the job.

Tools of the Trade: August 2016

HP Spectre 13, New Kindle, Garmin Fenix 3, iRoller Cleaner.

Writing without Ink

Pen and paper might finally face a serious challenge from the digital world with Apple’s pencil and the Surface stylus.

Tools of the Trade: July 2016

Dell Inspiron 2-in-1 laptop, Innova8, Apple App Store, Notability, NuBryte Touchpoint

Excel: Using Custom Lists with the Fill Handle

This solution frees users from having to type the same series of values with the creation of each new workbook.

Polytechnic Education for the Cybersecurity Workforce

Cal Poly Pomona uses a hands-on, learn-by-doing approach to teach its students about cybersecurity and computer information systems.

Access: Control Names in Calculations

Use the results of aggregate calculations to create other statistics for your Access report.

ITGC and the Management Accountant

Be a collaborative business leader by understanding your organization’s IT general controls and leveraging them for continued success.

Excel: Array Formulas in Conditional Formatting

Use an array formula with conditional formatting to highlight the smallest value greater than zero.

Tools of the Trade: June 2016

Philips SpeechAir recorder, Punkt. MP01, Kindle Oasis, Apple HomeKit, Hesperus

The Evolving Personal Assistants

Personal digital assistants have developed slowly, but they now have human voices and deep learning capabilities.

Excel: Sentiment Analysis

An Excel add-in makes it easier to analyze text and comments fields from survey results.

Tools of the Trade: May 2016

Samsung Galaxy TabPro S, iPad Pro 9.7, iPhone 6s Plus, BrydgeAir Keyboard

Politics, Privacy, and Cryptology

Within a single month, both Apple and Microsoft got embroiled with the government in legal disputes over privacy.

Handling IT Questions in an Uncertain Economy

When the economy isn’t doing well, prioritizing investments in IT can be difficult. These strategies can help.

More Strategic CFOs?

Corporate performance management software helps CFOs broaden their thinking to better contribute to the overall health and longevity of the organization.

Excel: Replacing Volatile Conditional Formatting

Use custom number formats to flag cells in a large range to avoid a potential slowdown in performance.

Improving Data Quality: People, Process, Technology

Management accountants are in a prime position to help ensure better data governance and quality.

Hacking Your Car

Loaded with chips, software, and various computer systems, our cars are now hackable in ways most of us wouldn’t consider.

Tools of the Trade: April 2016

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge, LG G5, Garmin Vivoactive HR.

Access: Stacked Column Chart

Use a crosstab query to help create a chart that tracks monthly sales by category.

Excel: Six New Functions

The late-January Excel update included the new CONCAT, TEXTJOIN, IFS, SWITCH, MAXIFS, and MINIFS functions.

The Computer that Taught Itself to Win at Go

Another AI milestone looms with the upcoming match between Google’s AlphaGo and Lee Sedol, the human world champion of Go.

Access: Chart a Secondary Axis

Display two different sets of data on the same chart in Access.

Ready or Not, Here Comes Accounting Automation

Management accountants need to be prepared to master the newest technology innovations in accounting.

Tools of the Trade: March 2016

HP Spectre x2 2-in-1, My Passport Ultra external drive, ThinkWare DashCam, Pulse Solo LED light with JBL Bluetooth speaker.

CREATING VALUE WITH CPM

Corporate performance management software can provide better automation and information gathering to help financial professionals make better, more informed decisions.

Excel: Shortening a VLOOKUP

Reduce calculation time and improve efficiency by using related tables and the Power Query tool.

Tools of the Trade: February 2016

The ThinkPad X1 Tablet, Sony USB Turntable, Oculus Rift VR, D-Link DIR-879 Wi-Fi Router.

How Nonprofits Use Online Technologies

A variety of factors influence how nonprofit organizations use technology and online tools.

Access: Calculating Running Sums

Tracking monthly data? Use a query to create a running sum for your results.

Wikipedia Is 15

The website with the 7th-highest traffic worldwide provides 5 million encyclopedia articles free in 250 languages.

Excel: Combining Many CSV Files

A new Excel feature makes it easy to combine an entire folder of CSV files into one workbook.

Cybersecurity: Watch Out for Data Leaks!

Data leakage is a bigger threat to companies than hacking or data breaches.

Access: Creating a Graph

Create charts and graphs in Access to present your data visually.

Tools of the Trade: January 2016

Olympus Tough TG-4, Epson Expression Home XP620, Tylt Vu wireless charger, Eton emergency light.

The Second Machine Age

The World Economic Forum solicited predictions about the future of software and society.

BIG DATA OR BIG EMPATHY?

Big Data skills should be supported with “big empathy” skills to improve the quality of data.

Excel: Pivot Tables and Custom Numbers

Custom number formatting applied to a pivot table doesn’t stay after the pivot table is changed, but there’s a way around it.

Tools of the Trade: December 2015

The LG Urbane 2 smartwatch, an entry-level Roku, the Alpha 2 Robot, and the Nest Security Cam.

A New Bluetooth in 2016

The next version of Bluetooth will be twice as fast, reach four times as far, and will be able to connect to other networks.

Access: 12 Ways of Access

A look back at the key strategies and functions covered in previous columns.

EXCEL: POORLY FORMATTED DATES

Excel doesn’t recognize dates very well. This process can help convert your data into the right format.

THE FUTURE OF THE INTERNET OF THINGS

Management accountants can harness the Internet of Things to improve data collection, analysis, and decision making.

ACCESS: RUNNING TOTALS

The DSUM function is an effective tool for creating running totals for use in queries.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: NOVEMBER 2015

New tablets from Amazon and Google, a mini desktop computer from Acer, and smartwatches from Samsung

Book Review: Optimizing Big Data

Think Bigger explains how Big Data is created, collected, stored, cataloged, and used in more than 18 industries.

THE NEW MICROSOFT UNIVERSE

Under new CEO Satya Nadella, Microsoft has reinvented itself to fit today’s computing world.

Internal Reporting with XBRL Global Ledger

Create business reports in XBRL GL format to enhance reporting and decision-making capabilities.

EXCEL: WHAT’S NEW IN EXCEL 2016

The newest version of Excel contains several improvements.

A VISION FOR THE FUTURE

Identify, analyze, recommend, and implement the technologies that will bring your organization to the next level.

Siri’s Competition

The Intelligent Personal Assistant field is getting a little crowded with Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and Amazon joining Apple’s Siri.

Tools of the Trade: October 2015

Three new products from Apple, including two new iPhones, a very large iPad Pro, and an improved Apple TV.

Survey: Cybersecurity Threats

A recent IMA survey of senior finance professionals looks at their concerns regarding cybersecurity.

Access: Fill Down

You can create a process similar to Excel’s Fill Handle to fill in incomplete data in a table.

Excel: Cash Flow Waterfall Charts in Excel 2016

The pains of creating waterfall charts are gone with the release of Excel 2016.

Access: Fixing Dates from Excel

A simple table and update query can fix dates that are imported from Excel as number values.

Tools of the Trade: September 2015

Dell offers three rugged tablets that can survive the outdoors and the assembly line.

The Basics of Mobile Computing

Take advantage of the latest trends in mobile computing while ensuring that company data and information remain secure.

Robot Analysts and Robot Reporters

Companies like Automated Insights now provide computer-generated stories and financial reports for outlets like the AP, Yahoo!, and the NFL.

IRS SECURITY BREACH UPDATE

The IRS raised its estimate of people affected by the May 2015 cybersecurity breach.

Excel: Visualizing Positive and Negative Changes

Add data visualizations to quickly show if an amount has increased or decreased from one period to the next.

IT AND DATA GOVERNANCE: RELEVANT TO IMA MEMBERS

IT governance is an issue that affects all finance professionals, not just those in top management.

Tools of the Trade: August 2015

ASUS released the ZenPad S 8.0, the latest competitor to Apple’s iPad Mini.

THE BIGGEST GOVERNMENT HACK YET

The breach at the Office of Personnel Management compromised personal information and more for 21 million federal employees and contractors.

Access: Duplicates in Your Data

Duplicate records are inevitable. Create a process that will check for and remove duplicates from your data.

Excel: Iterating a Function 359 Times

Force Excel to repeat any calculation 359 times in a single formula.

WINDOWS 10: A RETREAT AND A REVOLUTION

Microsoft’s latest OS is an ambitious attempt to create a universal engine that can run on all platforms.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE: JULY 2015

Windows 10 will be a free update that will operate across all platforms.

KEY TECHNOLOGY TRENDS FOR MANAGEMENT ACCOUNTANTS

IMA’s Technology Solutions & Practices Committee has put together a list of top technology trends for 2015.

ACCESS: LEVERAGE ACCESS AND EXCEL

Access and Excel have different strengths that you can take advantage of within a single project.

Moving to the Cloud

The primary concerns of security, access, control, reliability, and quality should be familiar to any management accountant.

Access: Importing Data

If you’re having difficulty bringing data into your database, these importing basics and tips should help.

From Predictive to Prescriptive Analytics

Prescriptive analytics allow companies to better gauge customer profitability and reach potential new markets.

Excel: TOP-LEVEL BUDGET VS. DETAIL-LEVEL ACTUALS

The Excel 2013 Data Model lets you combine your budget data and actuals into one pivot table.

Tools of the Trade: June 2015

Tesla introduces a revolutionary home battery for solar power systems and simple backup against blackouts.

Still Adding to the Pile?

Technology has failed to provide a paperless office, but don’t blame the machines.

NSA Program Deemed Illegal

The NSA program that collected millions of Americans’ data has been found unlawful by a federal court.

CHIP CARDS: ARE CONSUMERS READY?

Consumers support replacing magnetic-strip cards with embedded-chip ones, but they haven’t done so on their own.

Raise Your Technical Intelligence

Management accountants need to raise their technical intelligence to keep pace with today’s rapidly changing technologies.

EXCEL: CREATING TERRITORIES

Excel 2013 lets you build pivot tables with data from more than one source.

TECHNOLOGY’S DEFLATIONARY CURVE

As the power and effectiveness of computing continues to increase, the progress is producing even greater discounts.

ACCESS: BREAKING UP TEXT

The MID and INSTR functions help you manipulate text from your data.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Microsoft adds the lower-priced Surface 3 to its tablet line to directly compete with Apple’s iPad.

A COLLECTIVE SHRUG ABOUT PRIVACY

Users haven’t changed their behavior online despite greater awareness of privacy concerns.

Intercompany Transactions Can Snowball

Tracking, settling, and reconciling intercompany transactions can be a burdensome process. Technology offers a solution.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

The Apple Watch is finally available for purchase, and we also review the Samsung Galaxy S6 and two keyboards.

ACCESS: LINKING DATA IN QUERIES

Use multiple queries to link and combine different data sets together so you can create the report layout you want.

EMERGING CYBER THREATS

The latest survey of emerging cyber threats from Georgia Tech shows that the links exploited most often are human, not digital.

SHOULD THE CLOUD BE IN YOUR FUTURE?

Software-as-a-Service applications provide small businesses with a number of major advantages over in-house solutions.

EXCEL: REPLACING NESTED IF STATEMENTS WITH VLOOKUP

An approximate match VLOOKUP is a simple alternative to a long series of nested IF functions.

LINK UP WITH IMA

IMA’s Technology Solutions & Practices Committee has launched a new online community on LinkUp IMA.

EXCEL: NONCONTIGUOUS SELECTIONS

Add to Selection and Go To Special are two useful tools for selecting multiple ranges.

NEWS: MASSIVE CYBER ATTACK AT ANTHEM

Up to 80 million individuals have been affected.

Financial Supply Chain Management

FSCM has different meanings in different contexts, but they share the common theme of improving financial operating processes.

TECH FORUM: APPLE iPAD: THE FIRST FIVE YEARS

The story of the much-hyped device successfully captures the corporate vision that drove Steve Jobs.

ACCESS: Finding Records

Combo boxes can help users find data and limit the output of reports.

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

Reviews for the Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2, Eero Wi-Fi System, InkCase Plus, and Amazon Kindle Convert.