[memmy29]

I passed all parts about a year and a half ago and landed a job in Internal Audit. I mostly deal with operational audits in higher education and love it. My issue is this: whenever accounting issues come up, I feel totally clueless.

Example: a client is having issues with their Quickbooks accounts and all these negative balances carrying forward over years. They need to make adjustments and want advice on how to proceed. I had to bring it to my boss in order to find out how to help them.

I never really gained experience as an accountant and I am ashamed to say that I feel clueless about accounting issues…even after a Masters in Accounting and a CPA license! It’s causing me a lot of stress and I’m becoming very self conscious about it.

Anyone feel this way? How do I gain more day-to-day knowledge of accounting issues without ever having been an accountant?

AUD - 84
BEC - 84
FAR - 77
REG - 75

So glad to be done!

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Sir Winston Churchill

AUD-84, REG-75, BEC-84, FAR-77

Licensed CPA

CIA Exam
Part 1 - Passed
Part 2 - Passed
Part 3 - Passed

[san4596]

I know it is boring, but read the Journal of Accountancy. You have to continue to educate yourself (CPE) and read up on topics to stay with the times. Accounting is an ever changing world of information, but I am sure you know more than you think.

CPA EXAM: DONE!!!!
Ethics Course: Passed
Application Mailed: 3/16/15
Professional Conduct Exam: 97
Certification Date: 4/2/15!!!

[nika_cpa]

That's why public accounting experience is very important for CPAs and all accountants in general. This is my first year in public accounting and I feel like I learned here more that all my graduate courses and 10 years of private accounting altogether:)))

Becker self-study, Wiley Test Bank and books, Becker final review. NINJA MCQ bank and NINJA notes for BEC only!

AUD - PASSED!
FAR - PASSED!
REG - PASSED!
BEC - PASSED!

[KBinMN]

Knowing how QuickBooks works and knowing accounting are 2 different things.

Fixing other people's mistakes isn't so easy if you don't have experience with QB.

I'd try to take a class on QB for accountants or just a basic QB class. But really doing bookkeeping for clients is the only way to know how it works.

[Anonymous]

do a research first even google it, try to see how it was done before, and if there is nothing found then just make a judgement based on common sense and your best knowledge. You have all the necessary education and intellectual capacity

[memmy29]

@Nika_CPA – Exactly. I feel like I missed out on the public accounting experience and it's too late. I'm in my early 30s and have 5 years in Internal Audit. I'm wondering if I should try to make a transition into Accounting before I never learn! How far can I go in Internal Audit without accounting knowledge anyway?

AUD - 84
BEC - 84
FAR - 77
REG - 75

So glad to be done!

"If you're going through hell, keep going." - Sir Winston Churchill

AUD-84, REG-75, BEC-84, FAR-77

Licensed CPA

CIA Exam
Part 1 - Passed
Part 2 - Passed
Part 3 - Passed

[Anonymous]

I feel the same. My only experience is working for the state auditing sales tax returns. Even though I have passed all sections, I don't feel like I have much “real” accounting knowledge.

[tomq04]

CPA has always been to me more about the capacity to learn and adapt, than knowledge about a particular subject in any form of Accounting.

REG- (1) 76
FAR- (2) 64, (5)74, (7)83 (Over achiever!)
AUD- (3) 70, (4) 75
BEC- (6) 75

[Anonymous]

I'm sure you know a lot more about accounting than you think. Are all of those ‘negative QB balances' in A/R or A/P accounts? Because if they are, I might be able to walk you through fixing them.

Oh, and for the record, Quickbooks is not Accounting. It's data entry. It's easy to use if you have zero accounting knowledge and extremely easy to screw up.

[mt3130]

I agree with the person that spoke to the value of public accounting experience. I have learned an incredible amount of information related to accounting, audit, tax, and general business management.

Even if I decide this isn't what I want to do, the experience has totally been worth the headaches.

REG - 90 (08/2014) - Study Time = 6 days
FAR - 89 (10/2014) - Study Time = 9 days
BEC - 83 (11/2014) - Study Time = 4 days
AUD - 89 (01/2015) - Study Time = 2 days

Final score released - 2/4/15
Application mailed - 2/5/15
Licensed CPA - 2/12/15

[StephAV]

I remember feeling that way when I was an auditor. 6 plus years in industry and I can account in circles around anyone. I explain things to our auditors and watch their eyes glaze over, I remember those days!

I would look at the account detail and try to understand what makes up those balances, if possible. If you have to go to your boss really try to understand the solution and how they got to it. If they aren't explaining ask questions.

FAR - 7/13 - 72, 11/13- 74, 2/14- 82!!! Best score ever (for me)!!!
BEC - 1/14 - 75!!! Perfect score! First Pass! YAY!!!
AUD - 8/14 - 80!!!
REG - 5/14 - 72, 10/14 - 66, 1/15 - 78 - DONE FOREVER!!!
I did 5 of the UNA and CPAExcel classes to earn units.

[ruggercpa2b]

Having worked in internal audit for 7 years I totally understand where you are. I think because you are doing mostly operational audits you have not been exposed to the financial side of things. I have been fortunate to work in a department where I do operations, compliance, and financial audits. I have worked with auditors who just want to tick and tie numbers and not really understand who the whole thing works. To be successful I think you have to ask detailed questions even if all you need to do is tie out numbers and understand how they come to those numbers. You become a pro at knowing the theory behind how things are done.

AUD - NINJA in Training
BEC - NINJA in Training
FAR - NINJA in Training
REG - NINJA in Training

AUD - 1/6/18
FAR - TBD
REG - TBD
BEC - TBD

AUD - 73, 72 retake 7/2/2016
BEC - 8/20/2016
REG - TBD
FAR - TBD

I am so ready for this nightmare to be over. Been at this way too long.

[stoleway]

Quick book is a software and has nothing to do with being competent in accounting. It's like being a good accountant and not being able to navigate oracle or SAP.

REG -63│ 84!!
BEC- 59│70│ 71 │78!
AUD- 75!
FAR- 87!

Mass-CPA

[mla1169]

CPA is so vast that it's normal some of us master a few aspects and not others. I've been doing financial accounting forever and have my CPA, but I know close to nothing about tax. It doesn't matter what your experience is you'll never be a master of all. You can learn whatever you think will help you in your career .

FAR- 77
AUD -49, 71, 84
REG -56,75!
BEC -75

Massachusetts CPA (non reporting) since 3/12.

[Anonymous]

“I remember feeling that way when I was an auditor. 6 plus years in industry and I can account in circles around anyone. I explain things to our auditors and watch their eyes glaze over, I remember those days!”

Haha. This is true. Whether you are an internal or external auditor, you're going to feel this way at times! so, I strongly disagree with whomever said public accounting is the key.

[nika_cpa]

One more thing to remember in case your client doesn't know in QB all credit balances are shown as negative numbers….which is totally normal!

Becker self-study, Wiley Test Bank and books, Becker final review. NINJA MCQ bank and NINJA notes for BEC only!

AUD - PASSED!
FAR - PASSED!
REG - PASSED!
BEC - PASSED!

[Author]

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