Data Analysis for Accounting and Business

Catalog description

The practice of accounting is fundamentally tied to data and our ability to analyze them. Whether the data reside in spreadsheets, databases, text documents, or public web sites, we can use them to gain valuable insights into the financial performance of a business. You may also hear popular terms like data science, big data, and advanced analytics and wonder what they mean for a career in industry or professional services. This course provides concepts and tools for making sense of data and performing data analysis. From simple calculations to sophisticated statistical models, data analysis calls for (1) asking the right questions, (2) acquiring, transforming, and analyzing data, and (3) effective presentation of results. We introduce concepts in data management and analysis, review the use of spreadsheets and SQL (Structured Query), and introduce tools for visual analytics and statistical programming. We discuss how to apply these skills to accounting-related areas such as fundamental analysis, management consulting, and auditing. In addition, we survey topics such as machine learning and XBRL (eXtensible Business Reporting Language) and consider the impact of analytics in industry and on the accounting profession. The course concludes with a final project to demonstrate end-to-end data analysis skills. The objectives for the course are: 1. Demonstrate knowledge of terms, methods, and tools for data management and analysis 2. Demonstrate knowledge of trends in data management and analysis 3. Demonstrate how to acquire, transform, analyze, and visualize data 4. Demonstrate how to solve problems in accounting using data and analytics