Accounting and Artificial Intelligence

**AI's Impact on Accounting: A Summary of Key Themes and Considerations**

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming the accounting profession, offering opportunities for increased efficiency, improved accuracy, and enhanced decision-making. This summary synthesizes key themes from various texts, highlighting AI's applications in accounting, the challenges and ethical considerations it presents, and the evolving skills required for accountants in the age of AI.

*   **AI Fundamentals and Applications:**

    *   Introduces core AI concepts like machine learning, deep learning, natural language processing (NLP), robotic process automation (RPA), and text mining.

    *   Focuses on practical applications in financial accounting (cash reconciliation, accounts payable/receivables, inventory management), management accounting (decision-making, operational performance), and auditing (planning, data gathering, risk assessment).

    *   Explores applications in tax (data extraction, classification, deduction identification, pricing analysis) and business advisory (lease accounting compliance).

*   **Text Mining in Accounting:**

    *   Covers techniques for document representation, morphological normalization, semantic analysis, and text summarization.

    *   Highlights advantages such as efficiency gains, insight discovery, and consistency.

    *   Addresses challenges including complexity, the need for human effort, and lack of transparency.

*   **Ethical Considerations and Challenges:**

    *   Discusses algorithmic bias, security and privacy risks, and change management risks.

    *   Emphasizes the need for accountability, fairness, transparency, and adherence to regulations like CCPA, GDPR, GLBA, and HIPAA.

*   **Evolving Skillsets and Education:**

    *   Highlights the need for accountants to develop skills in data science, critical thinking, and system auditing.

    *   Stresses the importance of integrating AI and data analytics into accounting education.

In conclusion, AI presents a transformative force in accounting, offering significant potential for automation, efficiency, and improved decision-making. However, successful implementation requires careful consideration of ethical implications, proactive management of risks, and a commitment to developing the necessary skills and knowledge among accounting professionals. By embracing these changes and addressing the associated challenges, the accounting profession can effectively leverage AI to enhance its value and adapt to the evolving landscape of the industry.

20250715 - How is Financial Intelligence related to the 3 financial statements?

 

How is Financial Intelligence satisfied by analysis of 3 Finance Statements, and how to decide what Financial Model will work best in breaking even?

Financial intelligence involves the ability to interpret financial data to make informed business decisions. The analysis of three key financial statements—the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement—is crucial for achieving comprehensive financial intelligence.

Understanding the Three Financial Statements

a. Income Statement:

This shows a company’s revenues and expenses during a specific period, resulting in the net profit or loss.

Analysis: Look for trends in revenue growth, profit margins, and expense management to assess operational efficiency.

b. Balance Sheet:

This provides a snapshot of a company's assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time.

Analysis: Assess the company's liquidity, solvency, and financial stability by calculating ratios such as the current ratio, quick ratio, and debt-to-equity ratio.

c. Cash Flow Statement:

This statement tracks the flow of cash in and out of the business from operating, investing, and financing activities.

Analysis: Evaluate cash flow trends to ensure sufficient liquidity for operations and investments. Positive cash flow indicates that the business can sustain its operations and fund its growth.

How to Satisfy Financial Intelligence

To satisfy financial intelligence through these analyses, follow these steps:

Trend Analysis: Look for patterns over multiple periods in each of the statements.

Ratio Analysis: Use financial ratios derived from the statements to assess profitability, efficiency, and liquidity.

Benchmarking: Compare financial metrics against industry standards or direct competitors to understand relative performance.

Scenario Analysis: Use data from these statements to model various business scenarios (e.g., sales growth rates, expense changes) to forecast future performance.

Deciding on a Financial Model for Break-Even Analysis

To determine the best financial model for breaking even, follow these guidelines:

a. Understand Contributions:

Calculate contribution margin (Revenue - Variable Costs) to assess how much each sale contributes to covering fixed costs.

b. Determine Fixed and Variable Costs:

Categorize your costs appropriately. Fixed costs remain constant regardless of output, while variable costs fluctuate with sales volume.

c. Break-Even Point Calculation:

Use the basic break-even formula:

{Break-Even Point (units)} = {Fixed Costs} / {Selling Price per Unit - Variable Cost per Unit}

This calculation helps identify how many units need to be sold to cover all costs.

d. Choose the Appropriate Model:

If your business has stable prices and relatively predictable costs, a linear model might suffice.

For businesses with varying prices or complex cost structures, consider a more sophisticated model such as a multi-product break-even analysis or a contribution margin model.

e. Sensitivity Analysis:

Analyze how changes in selling price, variable costs, and fixed costs affect the break-even point. This helps in understanding risk and potential adjustments needed to reach profitability.

Conclusion

Financial intelligence is derived from a thorough analysis of financial statements, while effective break-even analysis depends on accurately categorizing costs and understanding revenue dynamics. By utilizing these tools and approaches, businesses can make informed decisions regarding pricing, cost management, and strategic planning to enhance financial performance and sustainability.

20250704-Why-Templates-Do-Not-Work-In-Financial-Modeling

 Do Not Use Templates For Creating Financial Models!!

CA VIKRAM SHANKAR MATHUR

04-July-2025 | 02:00 Hours IST

Implementation Zoho Books Proposal June 2025

https://www.zoho.com/in/books/

When in Rome, do like the romans do. Appealing to all those service provider's and manufacturers who have yet not gotten into a proper accounting system, switch to Zoho Books today!

We, at AhmedabadFCA, are just qualified to, as experienced Chartered Accountants, to help you implement this significantly advanced system to manage your working capital cycles most efficiently!

Contact vsmathur@ahmedabadfca.com today, or call +918460890111.

CA Vikram Shankar Mathur

vsmathur@ahmedabadfca.com

http://www.ahmedabadfca.com

June 15th, 2025 - Excel Using AI Workshop

Excel Using AI Workshop by OfficeMaster.IN

Proud to announce attending, completing and being certified by OfficeMaster.IN and Aditya Goenka for the "EXCEL USING AI WORKSHOP" on June 15th, 2025 from 11:00AM to 02:00PM.

CA Vikram Shankar Mathur

June 15th, 2025 | 17:50 Hours IST

Financial Modeling in Excel For Dummies

 By Danielle Stein Fairhurst

Financial Modeling in Excel For Dummies by Danielle Stein Fairhurst – book overview & hands‑on guide

📘 Overview of Financial Modeling in Excel for Dummies

• Author credentials

  • Danielle Stein Fairhurst is a Sydney‑based financial modeling consultant and Microsoft MVP (2021) (datarails.com, 2022.globalexcelsummit.com)

  • Regular speaker, facilitator, and champion of women in finance (2022.globalexcelsummit.com)

• Book purpose

  • Designed for beginners and intermediate users, empowering them to create robust financial models without specialized software (youtube.com)

  • Emphasizes real‑world applicability across all business sizes—from solos to multinationals

• Hands‑on, learn‑by‑doing approach

  • Includes practice models with templates and step‑by‑step breakout exercises (dummies.com, linkedin.com)

  • Companion site offers downloadable Excel workbooks alongside the print material (datarails.com)

---

🧭 Part 1 – Getting Started with Financial Modeling

• Introducing the basics

  • Defines a financial model as a structured, quantitative tool for business decision-making (dummies.com)

  • Debunks the myth that you need advanced math—emphasizes logic and structure over complexity

• Planning & designing models

  • Emphasizes clarity in structure: sheet layout, modular assumptions, and systematic flow (2022.globalexcelsummit.com, datarails.com)

  • Encourages thinking of the output/report first to guide the layout

• Best practices for model-building

  • Sixth “crucial rules” include labeling clearly, separating inputs/outputs, auditing formulas, and ensuring consistency (2022.globalexcelsummit.com)

  • Stresses adopting naming standards, documenting sources, color-coding, and version control

• Working with existing models

  • Strategies to review, edit, and validate models built by others (dummies.com)

  • Warns of dangers from hidden rows and inconsistent formulas, and how to detect them

---

🧰 Part 2 – Diving Deeper into Excel

• Essential Excel tools & techniques

  • Covers Data Validation, Keyboard Shortcuts, Watch Window, Inspector, conditional formatting, FILTER, and structured tables (linkedin.com)

  • Encourages using Power Query and Power Pivot for large datasets (dummies.com)

• Core functions for finance

  • Focus on SUMIF(S), COUNTIF(S), IFERROR, XLOOKUP, INDEX–MATCH, logical and financial functions (NPV, IRR, PMT) (dummies.com)

  • Includes Goal Seek, Scenario Manager, and “What‑If” Data Tables (dummies.com)

• Errors, checks, and testing

  • Advocates for built‑in error checks, circular reference alerts, consistency auditing (dummies.com)

  • “Garbage in, garbage out” reinforces the need for assumption testing and stress-testing (dummies.com)

• Scenario & sensitivity analysis

  • Guides on setting up “best/base/worst” scenarios using drop‑downs and Data Tables (2022.globalexcelsummit.com)

  • Encourages looking side‑by‑side across multiple scenarios to reveal key drivers

---

📊 Part 3 – Presenting Results & Managing Models

• Data visualization best practices

  • Dynamic charts that update directly from model inputs (dummies.com)

  • Clear, simple visuals—avoid clutter and keep charts linked to assumptions

• Formatting & labeling for clarity

  • Use of color, borders, labels, comments, and bolding to guide users (dummies.com)

  • Documentation and version control for collaboration and auditability

• Presentation & reporting skills

  • Guides on telling the “story” of the numbers: distilling key insights for executives (dummies.com)

  • Designing boardroom‑ready summary reports and slides

---

💼 Part 4 – Sample Case Study

• End‑to‑end model build

  • Guided exercise walks readers through building an integrated model featuring income statement, cash flow, and balance sheet projections (dummies.com)

  • Highlights depreciation schedules, free cash flow, terminal value, and DCF valuation

• Putting it all together

  • Showcases how assumptions feed into outputs; scenario toggles impact charts and summaries

  • Illustrates iterative tuning for accuracy and realism

---

🧩 Why It Works

• Accessible, practical

  • Reviewer notes: “Don’t be fooled by the Dummies branding—this is a meaty, excellent reference”

  • Another says it's a great baseline for fixing broken workbooks and auditing models (linkedin.com)

• Bridges theory & real-world needs

  • Balances technical Excel functions with high‑level design and layout guidance

  • Preps readers for collaborative work, audits, and consulting contexts (dummies.com)

• A career booster

  • Ideal for analysts, FP&A professionals, consultants and freelancers

  • Builds career-ready skills: clear layouts, auditability, scenario planning, and presentation

---

📝 Takeaway Tips for You

• Highlight author credibility—MVP status, consulting background, global teaching presence

• Emphasize learn-by-doing style—step-by-step, downloadable models, real case study

• Stress balance—strong Excel techniques + design/communication skills

• Call out differentiators—scenario analysis, error checking, Power Tools integration

• Quote reviews to build trust:

  “A great reference for analysts of all skill levels ... control the model, or the model controls you.” (datarails.com, linkedin.com)

---

Conclusion

Financial Modeling in Excel for Dummies is a thorough yet approachable guide. It empowers readers to:

• Plan smartly and layout models logically

• Master key Excel functions and tools

• Implement robust checks and scenario analysis

• Present polished charts and professional summaries

Whether you're in FP&A, consulting, or anywhere financial insights matter, this book is a practical handbook and career‑builder. Danielle’s blend of skill‑building, design principles, and real‑model walkthroughs makes this a standout resource. Highly recommended for you, my precious audience!

---

CA Vikram Shankar Mathur
vsmathur@ahmedabadfca.com
https://www.ahmedabadfca.com
https://www.exceltrainerahmedabad.com
https://www.cavsm1962.co.in
https://www.cavsm.in
https://www.vikramshankarmathur.link
https://www.vbacoder1962.com
https://vsmathurcoin.blogspot.com
HTTPS://CODER.VIKRAMSHANKARMATHUR.INFO

Financial Management & Management Accounting

WHY IS AHMEDABADFCA.COM SYNONYMOUS WITH FM / MA?

First, let us understand the two books below, based on which there will be more posts over a period of time. These are:

(A) Financial Management: Text, Problems and Cases by M.Y. Khan and P.K. Jain is a widely used textbook in the Indian market that covers the core principles and practices of financial management [Buy Financial Management : Text Problems & Cases book : My ...]. It uses a comprehensive approach, combining theoretical concepts with practical problems and real-world case studies [Financial Management: Text, Problems and Cases, 8e - M. Y. Khan ...][Financial management : text, problems and cases [6 ed ...][Buy Financial Management : Text Problems & Cases book : My ...]. The book aims to provide students with a solid understanding of financial decision-making in various contexts [A Study on the Effectiveness of Debt Management and Financing ...].

The book covers topics such as:

• Financial statement analysis [Financial Management: Text, Problems and Cases, 8e - M. Y. Khan ...]
• Cost analysis and control [Financial Management: Text, Problems and Cases, 8e - M. Y. Khan ...]
• Working capital management
• Investment decisions
• Capital structure
• Dividend policy
• Long-term financing [A Study on the Effectiveness of Debt Management and Financing ...]()
• Valuation
• Mergers and acquisitions

The book is structured to help readers understand both the theoretical underpinnings and the practical application of financial management techniques. It includes numerous problems and cases to illustrate the concepts and provide hands-on experience in financial problem-solving [Financial Management: Text, Problems and Cases, 8e - M. Y. Khan ...][Financial management : text, problems and cases [6 ed ...]()[Buy Financial Management : Text Problems & Cases book : My ...].

 

(B) Management Accounting: Text, Problems and Cases by M.Y. Khan and P.K. Jain is a comprehensive book that explains the use of accounting information for managerial decision-making and defining long-term organizational goals 3. It covers financial accounting, financial analysis, cost accumulation, profit planning, cost control, and decision-making 3.

The book is divided into seven parts 3. The first part introduces the nature of management accounting 3. The second part focuses on financial accounting, covering generally accepted accounting principles, accounting standards, accounting cycles, and financial statements 3. The third part deals with financial analysis, including cash flow statements and the analysis of financial statements 3.

The fourth part explains cost accumulation, examining cost concepts and costing in various management aspects like labor and material control 3. The fifth part discusses profit planning, covering budgeting, profit planning, and volume-cost-profit analysis 3. The sixth part covers cost control concepts such as standard and quality costs, variance analysis, and responsibility accounting 3. The final part focuses on decision-making, including capital budgeting and short-run decision analysis 3.

The book includes additional information on accounting standards, cash flow statements, and understanding corporate financial statements, along with a new section on service costing 3. It also features numerous case studies to enhance understanding 3. The book is available in multiple editions, including the 6th and 7th editions 1256711.

========== CA Vikram Shankar Mathur ==========

========== ahmedabadfca@gmail.com ==========

========== www.exceltrainerahmedabad.com ==========

========== www.vbacoder1962.com ==========

========== www.vbacoder1962.in ==========

========== www.excel-vba-ahmfca.com ==========

========== www.cavsm1962.co.in ==========

========== www.vikramshankarmathur.link =========

========== www.vikramshankarmathur.info ==========

========== vsmathurcoinshop.blogspot.com ==========

========== www.cavsm.in ==========

Using RubberDuck to Optimize VBA Code

how to use rubberduck to optimizevba code

• All
• Search
• Copilot
• Images
• Videos
• Maps
• News
• Shopping
• Travel
• Flights
• Hotels
• Search Tools

Done! Here's what I came up with:

Using the Rubberduck add-in for VBA is a fantastic way to optimize and improve your VBA code. Rubberduck is an open-source tool that provides advanced features for VBA development, such as code inspections, refactoring, and unit testing. Here's how you can use it effectively:

1. Install Rubberduck

• Download Rubberduck from its official website or GitHub repository.
• Install it and ensure it integrates with your VBA editor (e.g., in Excel, Access, or other Office applications).

2. Run Code Inspections

• Open your VBA editor and navigate to the Rubberduck menu.
• Use the Code Inspections feature to analyze your code. It will identify:
  • Unused variables or procedures.
  • Poor naming conventions.
  • Potential performance bottlenecks.
  • Logical errors or redundant code.
• Review the inspection results and address the flagged issues to improve code quality.

3. Refactor Your Code

• Rubberduck offers tools to refactor your code for better readability and maintainability:
  • Rename Variables/Procedures: Use meaningful names for clarity.
  • Extract Methods: Break down large procedures into smaller, reusable methods.
  • Encapsulate Fields: Convert public fields into private ones with property accessors.
• These changes make your code more modular and easier to debug.

4. Leverage Unit Testing

• Rubberduck includes a Unit Testing framework for VBA.
• Write test cases to validate the functionality of your procedures and functions.
• Regularly run these tests to ensure your code behaves as expected, even after modifications.

5. Use Code Metrics

• Rubberduck provides metrics like cyclomatic complexity, which helps you identify overly complex code.
• Simplify complex procedures to enhance performance and maintainability.

6. Explore Other Features

• Smart Indentation: Automatically format your code for better readability.
• Code Explorer: Navigate through your modules, classes, and procedures easily.
• Annotations: Add meaningful comments and documentation to your code.

By using Rubberduck, you can systematically improve your VBA code, making it cleaner, faster, and more reliable. It's like having a coding assistant right inside your VBA editor!

https://ahmedabadfca.blogspot.com

What is Artificial Intelligence?

What is Artificial Intelligence?

What is Artificial Intelligence? When you go through these slides, you understand that there is no way that you can survive without using AI, in the world that we are inexorably being sucked into. At the very best, you should have someone working with you who can leverage AI for you!! 

Yes, demand for AI enabler's is going through the roof, but we would prefer being on this side of that fence, thank you very much!! 😀😀😀😀😀😀

An important thought just occurred to me, after posting this, is that Software Developers come in all sizes and shapes. 

On one hand you have open-sourced AI's like DeepSeek, which may or may not be following all the important standards or Training for a good one. 

On the other hand, you have Microsoft CoPilot or Gemini 2.5 which has been created by Google DeepMind, perhaps with dozens of engineers working on the coding, so their results are naturally more reliable. While the former is free, the latter cannot offer too many freebies, naturally.

While I have been Programming the VBA since last 3 decades, using OOP methodology, my concurrently learning Python Programming along with AI, allows me to implement OOP methodologies far more easily than any other Programmer with my qualifications and experience.

Forgetting AI, for the moment, current taxation softwares all do error checking only at the time of submission,  while I have always stressed on doing maximum error checking at the entry-level itself. Not that I am complaining, you see, it is not in my hands, in any case, until I come up with something, right?

Cheers!! 😀😀😀😀😀😀

Being a software developer myself and having more than 3 decades of experience in VBA Programming using OOP methodology, I think that these considerations are the first thing all AI Developers should take primary responsibility for. Since I am already sailing the ship by concurrently learning Python Programming,  which also adheres to OOP methodology, I find it easy to create error-free Applications that take care at entry-level itself. Most of the applications built in recent years are not always so pre-emptive, but rather do all error checking at the post-submission stage. Hope that answers any question that the reader may have, at least from my perspective?

Microsoft Excel and Myself

Perhaps there is some guilt hidden in my words when I say that I have never really acted on the maxim "When you've got it, flaunt it"!

Excel and I go back a long, long way - and yes, VBA Macro's came in much later, coz I used to do Macro Programming in Lotus 1-2-3 long before I began coding in Visual Basic for Applications. Funny thing is, that I never did it commercially, so far. It was always either for self-consumption, or for my CA Firm, where I had been a partner at that time.

Today, practically everyone who needs to compute figures, uses Excel Spreadsheets, VBA or no VBA. Ironically, a VBA subroutine, if coded properly, can save you hours of manual computing, a point I have proven over and over, in the past, since almost 1995, when I entered private practice, as a CA.

Today, even though Microsoft says that VBA will continue to be a part of the Office Suite, be it Office 2024/25 or Microsoft 365, there are maybe just a handful of CA's who use VBA, that too just the Macro Recorder!! Have yet to come across somebody professional regularly creating or actively using UDF's, userforms or class modules, which is where the true power lies!!

Not that I am complaining, because in any case, I am not doing what I currently do or have been doing commercially, so if I don't earn another rupee, it does not matter!!

Creating formats in Excel is another hobby that I have always had, and I have enough in my Formats folder to keep me going forever. Templates are for those who do not have time to create a format, but I have always carved out time from my schedule to create my own templates, but none that I can share publicly, unfortunately!! Yes, occasionally I too use office templates, like Amortisation of Term Loans, but only to adapt them for my own use.