AI Tools That Help Accountants Choose the Right CPE Courses

AI tools are changing how accounting professionals choose their continuing education courses. The numbers tell an interesting story - AI's global market in accounting is projected to reach $6.68 billion this year, growing to $37.6 billion by 2030. Yet only 8% of tax and accounting firms use generative AI technology today. 

More firms recognize AI's value, and 13% plan to implement these tools soon. The industry's biggest names are betting big on AI too. PwC plans to invest $1 billion over the next three years to build AI capabilities. Deloitte has created an AI Academy to build a learning ecosystem. The accounting profession's attitude toward AI is shifting positively - 61% of accountants now see AI as a chance to advance their work. These tools help reduce routine tasks and improve accuracy. 

This blog explores five proven AI tools that help accounting professionals pick the most relevant CPE courses.

Top AI Tools That Help CPAs Choose the Right CPE Courses 

Designed to simplify CPE selection and ensure compliance, these tools help CPAs align learning with their professional goals. Each one offers distinct features to reduce manual effort and support ongoing development. 

1. ChatGPT

ChatGPT has become one of the fastest-growing applications in tech history. More than 100 million users started using it in just two months. CPAs looking to improve their continuing professional education strategies can use this powerful AI tool. It changes how we choose and manage CPE courses. 

How ChatGPT helps CPAs with CPE decisions

This AI assistant can change how accounting professionals pick and manage CPE courses. The platform does a complete job of researching available courses. It helps match our skill gaps with the right educational chances. 

CPAs often find it hard to pick courses that will help their careers. ChatGPT solves this problem by: 

• Looking at your skills compared to what the industry needs 
• Finding CPE courses based on what you want 
• Giving custom suggestions that fit your career goals 
• Checking if course content meets your learning goals

ChatGPT's strength lies in its quick analysis of large amounts of information. Instead of browsing course catalogs for hours, I just ask ChatGPT to find options that fit my needs. This works whether I need tax updates, advisory services, or tech training. 

The AI also helps understand CPE rules in different states. This ensures we follow the rules while picking the best courses. It's especially helpful for CPAs who work in multiple states with different requirements. 

ChatGPT's features for CPAs

The platform offers many features that help accounting professionals manage their CPE experience. CPE providers say accountants can utilize ChatGPT to speed up tasks and work better. 

Key features include: 

• Complete Research Capabilities: ChatGPT does thorough research on CPE topics. It helps CPAs find knowledge gaps and relevant courses. 
• Technical Help: The platform is quick to answer technical questions about CPE courses, content, or requirements. 
• Excel Formula Optimization: ChatGPT creates, fixes, and explains Excel formulas. This helps with financial analysis in CPE courses. 
• Document Processing: GPT4 plugins help process PDF documents like course catalogs or certification rules. 
• Automated Task Management: The system automates regular CPE tracking and management tasks. 
• Custom Learning Paths: ChatGPT looks at your skills and career goals to suggest personal CPE paths. 
• Real-time Support: You get immediate help with course choices instead of waiting for advisors.

CPAs keep finding new ways to use the platform. ChatGPT helps create study plans, summarize course concepts, and make practice questions for exam prep. 

The platform analyzes CPE rules from different licensing bodies. This helps ensure compliance while picking the best courses. It's particularly useful when dealing with multiple state licenses and their different CPE rules. 

ChatGPT pricing options 

ChatGPT offers a free tier with basic features, while ChatGPT Plus costs $20/month and includes priority access, faster responses, and advanced GPT-4 capabilities with plugins. 

2. Indy 

Indy offers a simple business management platform that helps CPAs track their CPE requirements while managing client work. Unlike regular AI assistants, Indy comes with specialized tools that blend learning management into daily accounting workflows. 

How Indy supports CPE tracking for CPAs

Accountants often struggle with tracking CPE credits manually in spreadsheets. The sample CPE tracking worksheet from regulatory bodies shows that accountants must record course dates, providers, titles, and sort hours by type (general, accounting/auditing, ethics, self-study). Indy makes this process easier through: 

• One central place for all CPE documents 
• Custom categories for learning activities 
• Built-in project management with client work 
• Time tracking that works with learning activities

Indy connects CPE activities directly to client work. This helps CPAs spot skill gaps and focus on learning that benefits their practice. 

Notwithstanding that, Indy stands out by treating CPE as part of practice management rather than just a compliance task. This comprehensive approach helps accountants choose courses based on their clients' needs and business goals. 

Indy features for learning management

Indy blends business management with learning tools to help CPAs organize their professional growth. We designed it as a business management platform, but several features make CPE selection and tracking better: 

• AI Digital Assistant: The Pro Bundle's AI assistant helps write proposals and contracts. CPAs can use this assistant to analyze what skills they need for potential client projects and find relevant CPE courses. 
• Task Management System: Indy's task tracking lets accountants schedule CPE activities alongside client work. This ensures they set aside time for professional development. 
• Calendar Integration: Google Calendar sync helps CPAs plan their CPE schedule and get reminders about upcoming learning deadlines. 
• File Storage System: The platform gives you plenty of storage, 10GB in the Free plan and 1TB in the Pro plan. This space stores course materials, certificates, and other CPE documents. 
• Client Portal: The branded client portal organizes CPE materials by topic. This makes it easy to find relevant learning resources during client work. 
• Forms and Templates: Custom forms help create personalized CPE tracking documents that match state requirements or personal learning goals.

These features tackle the key learning management needs of accounting professionals, such as compliance training, custom content, and CPE credit tracking.

Indy pricing and plans

Indy offers a free plan with basic features for up to 3 clients monthly, while the Pro Bundle costs $18.75/month (billed annually) with unlimited clients and advanced features. 

3. Truewind 

Truewind's AI-powered accounting platform works like a digital staff accountant that "never sleeps, never gets sick, and always does its work." CPAs can now spend more time picking the right continuing education courses. Many accounting professionals get stuck with daily transaction work. This leaves little time to plan their continuing education properly. 

How Truewind aids in strategic CPE planning

The platform's core function helps CPAs plan their CPE better by handling routine accounting tasks. Its AI takes care of up to 47% of month-end close tasks. This gives CPAs time to: 

• Review skill gaps needing CPE attention 
• Find courses that match career goals 
• Complete CPE courses without rushing 
• Put new knowledge to work with clients

Truewind turns CPE planning from a rushed task into a chance for real growth. The platform handles transaction sorting and matching automatically. This lets accounting professionals think over their CPE choices carefully. 

The platform spots patterns in your accounting work and shows where extra training could help you work better. This helps you pick CPE courses that fill real knowledge gaps instead of just meeting basic requirements. 

The platform's ability to analyze differences gives you another edge. It spots trends and changes that might need more learning. CPAs can use this to pick forward-looking courses that prepare them for what clients will need next. 

Truewind features for accounting professionals

The platform comes with several AI-powered tools that help accounting professionals make smarter CPE choices: 

• Transaction Coding Automation: Automatically classifies bank and credit card transactions with high accuracy and cuts coding time by up to 75%. CPAs can use the saved hours for more meaningful work or CPE.
• Smart Accounting Predictions: Finds differences, fills gaps, fixes errors, and highlights areas where CPAs may need extra learning or CPE.
• Automated Reconciliation: Matches customer payments with bank deposits automatically, saving hours every month and giving CPAs more time for development.
• Prepaid Expense Tracking: Tracks and spreads prepaid expenses without spreadsheets, reducing manual effort and helping with better CPE planning.
• Fixed Asset Management: GAAP-compliant asset tracking updates on its own, making it easy for CPAs to spot areas where more education could help.
• Variance Analysis: Provides clear vendor-level insights with auto-prepared variance reports, helping CPAs see where additional training may improve their work.
• Integrations: Works smoothly with QuickBooks Online, NetSuite, Sage Intacct, Xero, and Excel workpapers for a simple, connected workflow.
• Security Compliance: Comes with built-in SOC 2 security, reminding CPAs of the importance of staying updated with security-focused CPE.

The platform's AI assistant finds unusual patterns, shares unique insights, and lets you chat about financials. This helps CPAs spot areas where more education would help most. 

Truewind pricing and access 

Truewind packages start at $249/month with customized solutions available. The platform offers a 14-day free trial for evaluation. It also partners with groups like CalCPA to support accountants and grow professionally. 

4. QuickBooks Assistant

QuickBooks Assistant gives CPAs simple tools to manage their continuing professional education with built-in reminders and accounting workflow integration. Many CPAs already use QuickBooks for client work, so its CPE management features fit naturally into their existing software setup. 

How QuickBooks Assistant helps with CPE reminders 

QuickBooks Assistant makes CPE management easier through its Reminders feature and To Do List. These tools help accounting professionals track CPE deadlines without needing extra software. 

You can customize the Reminders feature to alert you about upcoming CPE requirements, so you won't miss compliance deadlines during busy client work. These reminders show up right in your accounting workflow, connecting your professional development with daily tasks. 

Setting up CPE reminders in QuickBooks follows a simple process: 

• Open the Edit menu and select Preferences 
• Select Reminders in the left pane 
• With the My Preferences tab selected, check the box to show the Reminders List when opening a company file 
• Select the Company Preferences tab to customize reminder parameters

QuickBooks has two display options that make CPE management better: 

• Show Summary - Groups CPE tasks by category 
• Show List - Shows individual CPE requirements separately

These reminder tools help accountants stay compliant with continuing education even during their busiest seasons, so they don't have to rush to complete required courses. 

QuickBooks Assistant features for CPAs 

QuickBooks has several features that help track and select CPE for accounting professionals: 

• To Do List Management: CPAs can create detailed CPE task entries with priority levels, due dates, specific times, and descriptions. Each task shows status updates through completion. 
• CPE Credit Tracking: Intuit gives CPE credit for many webinars, covering everything from taxpayer data security to tax software training. 
• Self-Paced Training: You can earn CPE credit through QuickBooks' self-paced courses, perfect for busy professionals. 
• Intuit ProConnect Training: The platform has how-to videos and peer training forums that help CPAs stay updated on tax law changes and technology. 
• AI-Powered Insights: QuickBooks' AI spots potential knowledge gaps by analyzing business trends, which helps to choose the most useful CPA CPE courses. 
• Smart Expense Organization: The AI assistant reviews transactions and organizes them, showing areas where extra CPE training could improve efficiency.

These features work together to make CPE management part of your regular accounting workflow instead of a separate task. 

QuickBooks Assistant pricing

QuickBooks offers various pricing tiers with the ProAdvisor Program providing the best CPE value through free credits and access to self-paced training. 

Conclusion

Each tool brings its own benefits while tackling common problems CPAs face: limited time, complex compliance rules, and matching education with career goals. Your specific practice needs and work style will determine the right tool for you. 

More accounting firms plan to use AI technologies soon - about 13% of them. CPAs who start using these tools gain an edge in meeting requirements and building expertise that helps serve clients better. 

The time is right to see how these AI tools fit your CPE strategy. You might pick ChatGPT for research, Indy for workflow, Truewind to free up time, QuickBooks for ease of use. The end goal stays the same - turning required education into a strategic advantage. 

FAQs

Jason Dinesen President, Dinesen Tax & Accounting, P.C. LinkedIn

Jason (LPA, EA) is a highly experienced tax professional, entrepreneur and educator with more than 18 years of expertise in accounting, tax preparation and business advisory services. As the founder of Dinesen Tax & Accounting, P.C., he is dedicated to helping professionals master complex tax topics with clarity and confidence. Jason has educated over 200,000 professionals on tax updates, ethics, and IRS regulations. Renowned for his practical insights and engaging teaching approach, he empowers CPAs, EAs and finance professionals to stay current and navigate today's rapidly changing tax landscape.