Tech Faculty
Find out more about the ICAEW Tech Faculty, governance, constitution, annual general meetings and annual reports.
Technology
Keep up-to-date with tech issues and developments, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, big data, and cyber security.
Featured items
In this section
Artificial intelligence
Raising the bar on audit quality
As we take on the challenge of rebuilding a post-pandemic economy, it is also time to consider new ways to improve audit quality. Alex Russell takes a closer look at the key messages in a new faculty publication.
Tackling corporate fraud in the Middle East
We speak to Zafar Anjum, founder and chief executive of CRI Group, about the rising levels of fraud during the pandemic, and how his company is using AI to investigate wrongdoing.
What is explainable AI?
The artificial intelligence and machine learning boom has led to concerns about ‘black box’ models and systemic bias. A solution to this is to build explainable AI. Technical Manager David Lyford-Smith explores what that means and how it can be done.
The role of technology in audit
The results of the FRC’s consultation on tech’s place in audit have been published. David Lyford-Smith takes a look at the lessons for the future.
Blockchain
The essential guide to blockchain
This guide from the ICAEW sets out the key features of blockchain, and the challenges it must face to reach widespread adoption. It includes case studies of real-life applications, as well as examining its impact on accountancy.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain technologies have the potential to disrupt the work of finance teams – particularly those focused on transactional tasks – by offering a system of universal entry bookkeeping, removing the need for independent verification. Here ICAEW’s Tech Faculty and Deloitte outline the basics of this complex and developing technology.
Cloud computing
How to build an app stack
Not sure how to pick the right tools for your technology stack? Lesley Meall speaks to firms about their experiences and insights.
What does 2021 have in store for IT
There is no doubt 2020 saw some significant changes to working methods and practices and all the signs are that this will continue into 2021.
Exceptions - exceptions - exceptions!
Exception reports are a favourite tool. It is all very well having reports but is the underlying data in those reports a) correct and b) complete?
The client dashboard view
A hugely valuable resource for work allocation and planning.
Cryptocurrency
What happened to Tesla’s bitcoin billions?
Fintech academic and chartered accountant Gavin Brown examines the impact of Tesla’s decision to hold bitcoin as a treasury asset on its balance sheet, both for the company itself and the wider cryptocurrency market.
Bit-Crazy? Why we can no longer afford to ignore Bitcoin
By passing the 10-year mark, Bitcoin has gained some acceptability by major institutions.
COVID-19: A scientific perspective - looking to the future
Brought to you by the ICAEW Financial Services Faculty, this webinar provides a conversation with Professor Peter Piot of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Special Advisor on COVID-19 Research & Innovation
Cyber security
What to ask your IT provider
Useful advice on crucial steps to take
Cyber threats in 2021
What to look out for this year
It's time to update HR documentation
With WFH now almost permanent, you need to update important documents
Life sciences: incubating ideas, incubating businesses
If there is one sector that has captured the world’s imagination in 2021 it must be biotech. And it’s firmly on investors’ radars too.
Data analysis: finance professionals must ask the right questions
Data offers huge business opportunities and boards, funders and creditors increasingly expect data analysis to underpin decisions, but financial controllers must grasp the challenges surrounding data integrity, trust in data and ethics to capitalise on its potential, an expert is warning.
Excel update – Power Query can now use Dynamic Arrays as a data source
Up to a week or so ago, the Data Ribbon tab, Get & Transform Data group included a From Table/Range command that would create a new Power Query query from an Excel Table, a named Range or from a selected block of cells that would be turned into an Excel Table as part of the process. In the Insider, Beta Channel edition of Office 365, this option has now been renamed as From Sheet. This change in name is a result of the expansion of the available data sources within an Excel worksheet to include Dynamic Arrays.
New guidance: European Patent Office updates Guidelines on the patentability of databases
Businesses developing software which includes database management systems and information retrieval should review whether it is capable of being protected by a patent in the EU, following publication of an amended version of the European Patent Office (EPO) Guidelines for Examination.
Excel Community project – rescuing the lost archive – part 5
In October 2020, the web platform used for Tech News and the Excel Community was changed. Although there are many clear advantages of the new platform, one downside is the splitting of the content for both communities between current articles and the very extensive archive of articles built up over many years. The faculty team have sought to alleviate the problems by providing a tabular index to over 2,000 archive articles.
OneNote: the flexible brainstorming, note-taking and research tool
Getting the most out of Microsoft OneNote.
Excel Tip of the Week #393 - AND and OR
Hello all and welcome back to the Excel Tip of the Week! This week, we have a General User post in which we’re taking a review of the logical summary functions AND and OR. These were last covered in TOTW #127.
Finance in a Digital World
Digital transformation
ICAEW has brought together these resources to help you understand how digital technologies are transforming economies and workplaces. Learn what it means for businesses and accountancy practices.
AI for finance professionals
ICAEW has brought together these resources to help you understand artificial intelligence and what it means for finance functions. Here you'll find support on identifying how AI can benefit your organisation and how it to start implementing the technology.
RPA for finance professionals
ICAEW has brought together these resources to help you understand Robotic Process Automation (RPA), what it means for your organisation and how it to start implementing the technology.
The future of accountancy work
Digital technologies are set to have a revolutionary impact on the work of accountants, both in business and in practice. ICAEW has gathered together these resources to ensure its members understand how finance functions will change, the skills that will be needed and the role you will play.
IT management
Tax Faculty Budget Update 2021
In this webinar the Tax Faculty team will be reflecting on the announcements from the Budget
Tax news in brief
Highlights from the broader tax news week ending 3 February, which includes: a restrained Scottish Budget in light of the coronavirus pandemic and HMRC publishes a Brexit edition of its Agent Update with guidance on postponed VAT accounting.
Exam top tips
Nahla Betelmal, ICAEW Statistical Researcher, has compiled the following common mistakes students are making in their ICAEW CFAB and ACA Certificate Level exams.
What does 2021 have in store for IT
There is no doubt 2020 saw some significant changes to working methods and practices and all the signs are that this will continue into 2021.
Software
How much "tech training" do you provide each year?
Developments in technology have changed methodologies in accounting dramatically, and accountants need to adapt and change.
Data everyone
Some horror stories have arisen recently regarding the migration of data (or, to be more accurate, the inability to do so).
How to build an app stack
Not sure how to pick the right tools for your technology stack? Lesley Meall speaks to firms about their experiences and insights.
Technology and the profession
Automation in finance functions: lessons from India and the UK
Drawing on real-life experiences, this collaborative thought leadership report by ICAEW and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) considers how finance functions can harness automation to deliver greater value to business and the skills needed by accountants in the future.
Ethics and technology - latest thinking from IESBA
As accountants increasingly innovate with data, AI and other technologies, is the profession’s ethics code fit for purpose in this new world?
Digital transformation of businesses during the Covid-19 crisis
Many businesses have had to adapt quickly in the last three months to deal with the impact of Covid-19 and lockdown, by making sure they are able to run their businesses remotely and mainly digitally by using and implementing the right kind of software.
Risks and assurance of emerging technologies
Cognitive and automation technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) have drawn a great deal of interest, but also concern about the potential for bias and misuse. ICAEW’s Tech Faculty examines the risks associated with the adoption of emerging technology and how these risks can be tackled through internal controls and assurance.