PKF launches software to ease burden of CPD management
The accounting firm has developed a Microsoft Outlook (Office 365) add-in enabling accountants to save hours of manual entry for CPD records.
PKF Sydney and Newcastle and VInet have launched a software solution, the CPD Module, to enable individuals to easily and contemporaneously capture CPD hours from Outlook calendar entries.
PKF partner Stacie Shaw said while CPD is critically important to the accountant profession, tracking and reporting it can be a painful process.
“If you think about hourly charge rates, the opportunity cost of time spent pulling together CPD records can add up very quickly,” she said.
“The app minimises the angst of confirming your CPD hours annually as part of membership renewal and can save accountants hours.”
Shaw said the application enables accountants to eliminate hours trying to recall, search for and manually re-key training records by completing this process automatically as CPD is completed.
The app was originally built for in-house use by PKF with the firm now relaunching the solution for all accounting firms to use.
While many accounting professionals consider keeping track of CPD to be each individuals’ responsibility, Shaw said it can soon become the accounting firm’s responsibility where the firm is subject to an audit or is required to submit records as part of a practice review.
The application ensures that any training records are recorded accurately and contemporaneously, ensuring the firm is prepared for these types of scenarios, she said.
“A firm that’s part of a network or alliance may also have reporting requirements. HR or people and culture representatives may also want to be across what training and personal development staff are receiving,” she added.
The tool also ensures there is a clear and reliable record of what training and development the firm provides to potential candidates.
“We had a candidate recently tell us in an interview that they were sick of the rhetoric they’ve heard from other firms around giving them true personal professional development and then not delivering once they’re employed – and while they wanted to believe us that we have a solid program in place, they weren’t sure how they could be sure,” said Shaw.
“I said no problem – here’s your proof; and brought up not just our training calendar and competencies/ professional development plan templates, but the CPD Outlook add-in and the records it generates to show them exactly how much training occurs across the firm.”
The CPD Module takes approximately half an hour for an IT manager or systems administrator to set up and there is a training video provided for teams, the firm said.
