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Technology
Keep up-to-date with tech issues and developments, including artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, big data, and cyber security.
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Opinion and news analysis
Staying visible when working from home
With hybrid working now a reality for millions of UK employees, how can you be sure that even if you’re far from sight, you’re not far from mind when it comes to career opportunities?
Hybrid working and employee monitoring: what to be aware of
Kirstin Gillon explores how to balance productivity and privacy with employee monitoring in the new hybrid workplace.
Hybrid working: making the tech work for teams
The pandemic has ushered in a new model of working, with many businesses considering adopting more flexibility in the longer term. That’s certainly the case for the Oil and Gas Authority, which is set to adopt a hybrid working method for its post-pandemic way of working.
What will the workplace of the future look like?
ICAEW Insights explores where the chartered accountant of the future might work, with recent trends including local co-working spaces and building communal office space into new housing developments.
Why finance teams need to upskill now
COVID-19 has accelerated digital adoption across all business sectors. The finance function needs to embrace tech and develop new skills to keep up.
Artificial intelligence
Effective cyber crime insurance
Ransomware attacks on businesses and other cyber crimes are an ever-increasing threat across all industries, but is current cyber crime insurance worth it?
Helping people to trust data and information
Trust in information is declining. From data management and analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning, to data storytelling and the influence of stakeholders.
Robotic process automation
Automation can help process increasing volumes of data, give an opportunity for upskilling to data science, computer programming and project management, and allow accountants to spend more time with clients.
Digital transformation will power your business
Key steps to successful cost-effective investment
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
Building a data strategy
Kirstin Gillon summarises the key points from the Tech Faculty’s recent webinar on creating a data solution that works for your business.
Where does bookkeeping stop and accounting start?
A major change with cloud accounting is always on access to the data.
My system is down - what do I do now?
In the last couple of weeks, a significant number of accountants, their clients and businesses will have been affected by “major outages” with cloud accounting software.
Focusing on tax technology
From artificial intelligence to cloud computing, Paul Aplin applies another lens to tax technology.
Cryptocurrency
Cryptoassets and auditing
While cryptoassets are growing in popularity, there is a lack of specific guidance on dealing with the issues around them, including over-reliance on blockchains, ownership of cryptowallets and even criminal dealing.
Bitcoin the financial reporting challenge for investors
Why the accounting for cryptocurriencies isn't helping investors and is it time for standard-setters to act?
Tax year end, Bounce Back Loans and cryptocurrency
ICAEW’s Philippa Kelly and Lindsey Wicks and PwC’s Mike Jervis join host Tom Herbert to discuss the potential moving of tax year end, Bounce Back Loan repayment options, business restructuring and cryptocurrency.
Cyber security
Protect yourself from payment diversion fraud
Incidents of payment diversion fraud are on the rise due to increased home working leaving remote staff more susceptible to being tricked. Here’s how to spot the signs.
Cybercrime: how to rebuild after suffering a breach
A cyber attack can be enormously costly for an organisation. Here’s how to respond and recover quickly.
Phishing attacks: how to stay vigilant
Incidents of phishing attacks are on the increase as businesses adapt to hybrid working, with £754m stolen from bank customers in the first half of 2021. Here’s what to watch out for.
A New audit Methodology for the Digital Era
Inflo’s Digital Audit methodology transforms the audit process. It takes a truly data-driven approach, while harnessing the power of digital workflow to achieve a more efficient and higher quality audit – yielding a vastly improved staff and client experience.
Cybercrime: how to rebuild after suffering a breach
A cyber attack can be enormously costly for an organisation. Here’s how to respond and recover quickly.
Accounting errors and anomalies
Over recent weeks, with the aid of review software, a significant number of problems have come to light.
Helping people to trust data and information
Trust in information is declining. From data management and analysis, artificial intelligence and machine learning, to data storytelling and the influence of stakeholders.
Achieving the impossible: reversing text with Power Query
As a follow up to a recent article on reversing text with Excel Simon shows another, potentially more straightforward method using Power Query.
Microsoft forms: analysis automation on surveys created in minutes
Whether its employee feedback, customer satisfaction, post meeting surveys, Forms are very handy.
Exploring Charts (Graphs) in Excel - 9: Colours, shadows and graphics (adding clarity not unnecessary use of options). Adding backgrounds.
With the plethora of chart options available it is all too easy to get ‘carried away’ and as mentioned in blog 5 there is a balance between medium and message. We also mentioned that in a pole of FDs that were asked to vote on their least favourite Excel feature, it was 3-D charts that topped the list. In the words of A.S.C. Ehrenberg “a Chart is a means of making results clear and memorable” and thus clarity is the primary objective
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
Building a data strategy
Kirstin Gillon summarises the key points from the Tech Faculty’s recent webinar on creating a data solution that works for your business.
Adapting technology and security for homeworking
Lesley Meall examines the questions that remain about the technology required to support post-pandemic hybrid working – and whether accountants can adapt to the changes.
Digital transformation will power your business
Key steps to successful cost-effective investment
My system is down - what do I do now?
In the last couple of weeks, a significant number of accountants, their clients and businesses will have been affected by “major outages” with cloud accounting software.
Software
Microsoft forms: analysis automation on surveys created in minutes
Whether its employee feedback, customer satisfaction, post meeting surveys, Forms are very handy.
Accounting errors and anomalies
Over recent weeks, with the aid of review software, a significant number of problems have come to light.
Screen recording videos - save time!
Kevin Salter considers various scenarios.
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.