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ACL Connections Recap

ACL Connections Recap . July 31, 2013 Jan Beckmann, CPA, ACDA. Overall Message. New leadership - Laurie Schultz, CEO Committed to improving ACL Analytics (desktop) New releases every 6 months with substantial enhancements Town hall meetings for user input. Conference Concepts.

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ACL Connections Recap

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  1. ACL ConnectionsRecap July 31, 2013 Jan Beckmann, CPA, ACDA

  2. Overall Message • New leadership - Laurie Schultz, CEO • Committed to improving ACL Analytics (desktop) • New releases every 6 months with substantial enhancements • Town hall meetings for user input

  3. Conference Concepts • Lots of how to apply for cost containment, retired assets, fraud tests, accounts payable • AX implementation case studies • New technology demonstrations • Management of a data analysis department

  4. Technology Enhancements • Version 9.3 • Fuzzy duplicates • Color script editor and word wrap • Version 10 • Execute command • DateTime data type • Open multiple tables at the same time • Performance improvements

  5. New Functions • CTODT() - converts character or numeric value to Date and Time • CTOT() - converts character or numeric value to a Time • STOD() - converts serial Date to Date • STOT() – converts serial Date to Time • STODT() - converts serial Date to Date and Time • DATETIME() - converts Date and Time to character • NOW() - returns the current system time • TODAY() - returns the current system date • CMOY() - returns the name of the month for a specified date • EOMONTH() - returns the last day of the month • GOMONTH() - returns the date X number of months away • YEAR() - extracts the year from a specified date • MONTH() - extracts the month from a specified date • DAY() - extracts the day of the month from a date • HOUR() - extracts the hour from a specified Date and Time • MINUTE() - extracts the minutes from a specified Date and Time • SECOND() - extracts the seconds from a specified Date and Time

  6. Serial Date and Time • ACL Analytics 10 uses serial Datetimes to evaluate date and time values • 42004 = January 1, 2015 • 42004.50000 = January 1, 2015 12:00:00 • 0.75000 = 18:00:00 • New functions help convert these into recognizable date and times: • STOD() – Serial to Date • STODT() – Serial to Date and Time • STOT() – Serial to Time

  7. Example of Execute Command NOTE – consider security issues • Open other applications and perform tasks required by the script • Open any file in its default application • Perform file and folder administrative tasks • Run external scripts or non-ACL batch files (.bat) • Pass parameters to a batch file • Run scripts in other projects • Incorporate waiting periods in scripts • Access data from network locations

  8. Examples of Execute Command • Use FTP to access data from remote locations • Zip or unzip data • Encrypt or decrypt data • Integrate with SQL databases • Incorporate Active Directory account lists • Integrate with VBScript • Incorporate Windows task scheduling in scripts • Open web pages

  9. “Change Your Thinking”Jim Kaplan – Audit NetRich Lanza – Cost Recovery Specialists Overcoming Obstacles… • Plan on education and make it routine • Meet every three weeks on analytics – no matter what • Build a team of champions to coach the team • Get everyone else involved…..even if it is with Excel to start • Make it part of annual objectives to learn the product

  10. “Change Your Thinking”Jim Kaplan – Audit NetRich Lanza – Cost Recovery Specialists Top Data Import Mistakes • Asking for data before understanding reporting needs • Settling for lesser quality data extracts from the company system • Not knowing what is possible within the tool to import and normalize data • Not documenting (videotaping) past ways to obtain data • Not asking for data early enough • Not obtaining data routinely and building the expectation (UK Bribery Office)

  11. Maximizing Results to Add Value How to use data analytics to make an impact with audit reports • Key points: • Build complementary skill sets (sales, journalism, political, etc.) • Sell your issues by providing solid, quantified backup • Chase the complexity and look for new audit areas • The “5 Whys” to get to the root cause

  12. Creating Sustainable AnalyticsManuel Coello, GE

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