If you are tracking Continuing Education for yourself, a firm or membership group, there are many options available, methods to use, and requirements that must be followed. In a profession that is constantly evolving, a periodic review is necessary to ensure each professional doesn’t let their license lapse, or can’t find a certificate or an audit/peer review that creates concern. Just as important is the need to consider what professional development you want for your team to keep them from falling into simply attaining credits for compliance. The following is a check list that is extremely helpful to you avoid the pitfalls and tackle the painful task of tracking and processing continuing education for you and your team. (Step One can be found in my previous post)
Step Two: Organizing and Tracking CPE
Tracking CPE for you or your firm? So, now you have completed a course and must track which courses you attended, record the hours you accrued, collect documentation, and manage certificate storage, and eventually deal with periodic reporting. It seems so simple, yet many struggle with compliance. Thus, the advent of software systems, databases, excel, and with firms, Learning Management Systems.
Tracking CPE is something that I consider a “back burner” item. As professionals, we tend to forget about it until it becomes important. Like when we have 30 days until the reporting period and we realize we are short on Ethics credits or worse yet, we completely forgot, and the reporting period has passed. Without the right systems and policies in place, tracking your CPE becomes a “front burner” issue, taking the place of client services and other important work, because we ineffectively schedule courses, track CPE and organize certificates and materials.
“An astonishing 50-60 percent of random audits conducted by the Arizona State Board of Accountancy do not pass the initial committee inspection, either because the documentation was incomplete or because the course outline was not clear.”
- AccountingWeb
If you are not using a digital system, then this article is for you. Manual systems are problematic and cumbersome at best. I would ask, why use manual systems if there are many options for digitization? Yet, I still run in to professionals who have manila folders full of certificates, which can be highly problematic. Firms are recognizing the need to utilize administrative help to organize, schedule and track CE activities for their team to avoid the pitfalls of individual managing their own.
Going a step beyond manual tracking, there are things like Excel or a database to log course info and hours. If you do this, be sure to have good backups. And remember, you will still need to store the PDF certificates and other associated course materials somewhere. This will typically end up in folders on your computer. The pitfall to this is that these systems are usually isolated and not well connected to other information. In a day where integration is key, these systems fall short by having limited information and storing them in a variety of places. When it comes time to report or you have a peer review, what happens when you can’t find all of your certificates? Firm managers, HR directors, or Learning Development managers cringe on that day.
Many organizations have developed online tracking for their members with the ability to store certificates. This can be a real timesaver, and it removes the responsibility of managing and tracking the details. One of the problems with this is that for every course, you must let the organization know and deliver all the documentation. In some cases, you can log in and simply add what you need yourself. Often the things missing from this scenario are course details, videos, and notes. They lack the ability to reference them later or share them with a colleague. If you use a CPE portal, make sure it is simple to use yet comprehensive at the same time.
One of the best things I have seen are event mobile apps and conference platforms. These are critical to live events, if the CPE process is included. Otherwise the organizations are manually or ad hoc delivering CPE certificates, which makes for more work for the professional. Training Events need to use digital systems to confirm attendance, enforce evaluations and delivery certificates. Digital systems also provide a place where course materials, session notes and videos can be accessed. In some cases, the certificates can be integrated into the LMS, tracking system or site. Users can check their progress and access certificates.
The best conference apps will even deliver the certificate of completion to the attendee when the event is concluded. However, what does one do with the certificate that has been emailed? Getting all the data, certificates and related material in one place just makes sense. When you find the right application or portal, you get the complete integrated solution which helps limit or eliminate errors.
Here are a few more details from the Arizona State Board stating some of the reasons for failure to pass inspection: (via AccountingWeb)
- Hours did not add up to the 60- or 80-hour requirement.
- Less than 50 percent of the required credit hours were taken in the subject areas of accounting, auditing, taxation, business law, or management advisory services.
- The course taken was not considered continuing professional education.
- The information submitted did not match the courses listed on the biennial registration form.
eventur cpe logo
Even though the apps and databases can be costly, you begin to see an incredible ROI when you connect the dots and automate, avoiding failing an audit, peer review or reporting deficiency. The enormous responsibility in tracking and processing continuing education demands solutions, practices and knowledge to make sure each professional is never in doubt about their certifications. Any mistake can lead to loss of time, resources, money and even clients, if pitfalls are not avoided. Use digital systems, like Eventur CPE, when dealing with continuing education for the professionals of your firm.