Instructor
John Higgins
Instructor
John is the founder and CEO of Higgins Advisory, LLC, established with the mission of helping CPAs, CFOs and other financial professionals to successfully guide their firms and business organizations through a successful digital transformation that leverages the power of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, data analytics, workflow automation and more.
John is a seasoned entrepreneur with experience as the founder of two separate accounting technology advisory firms that were acquired by larger organizations. In addition, he has experience with a local CPA firm and as a technology advisory practice leader partner in a national CPA firm. John shares his expertise as a nationally recognized thought leader, strategic advisor, and speaker on accounting technology through coaching and speaking engagements. His primary contribution is his passion for helping the profession move forward through the understanding and adoption of emerging technologies.
Some of John's notable accomplishments include: * Co-founder of CPA Crossings, LLC, a national provider of CPA technology advisory and educational services * Founder of Computools, Inc. a provider of financial and ERP solutions for small and mid-size businesses * Strategic technology advisor to CPA firms * AICPA Business & Industry CPA Hall of Fame inductee * Top 25 Thought Leader recognition by the _CPA Practice Advisor magazine_ (2011 - 2023) * Nationally recognized speaker on accounting technology * National technology advisory partner with BDO, LLP * Past Chair of the Michigan Association of CPAs * Michigan Association of CPAs Innovative User of Technology award * Co-author of _10 Steps to a Digital Practice in the Cloud_, published by the AICPA * Contributing author to _The Insiders' Guide to Accounting Advisory Success _on Amazon
Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved well beyond the experimentation stage. Most firms have explored tools such as Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT, and Claude. The opportunity now is to move from individual experimentation to a structured firmwide strategy that produces measurable business value while protecting client information and maintaining professional standards. Microsoft Copilot for CPA Firms: From Experimentation to Enterprise Adoption is an intensive, practical program designed to help accounting professionals develop a roadmap for deploying Microsoft Copilot effectively and responsibly throughout their firms. Rather than focusing only on Copilot features, this program addresses the larger questions firms must answer: Where should we use Copilot? Which workflows offer the greatest opportunity? How should we protect confidential information? How do we maintain professional judgment? How should we govern its use? And how do we turn Copilot adoption into measurable return on investment (ROI)? John Higgins, CPA, Certified Information Technology Professional (CITP), is a nationally recognized strategic technology advisor to the accounting profession. Throughout this program, John will guide participants through a practical framework for developing a Microsoft Copilot adoption strategy. Demonstrations, case studies, exercises, and planning tools will help participants translate what they learn into actionable initiatives for their firms.
Analyze CPA firm workflows to identify opportunities where Microsoft Copilot can improve productivity, client service, capacity, and employee experience.
Apply Microsoft Copilot capabilities within Microsoft 365 applications and accounting workflows to support research, analysis, communication, and document-intensive activities.
Determine appropriate prompting, grounding, validation, and human-review techniques for improving the accuracy and reliability of Copilot-generated output.
Differentiate appropriate and inappropriate uses of Microsoft Copilot based on confidentiality, data security, professional judgment, verification, and firm governance considerations.
Topics include:
• Understanding the Microsoft Copilot ecosystem
• Identifying the different Copilot experiences available within Microsoft 365
• Using Copilot as an interface for accessing leading Generative AI models
• Applying Copilot within Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams, and other Microsoft 365 applications
• Working with firm information and Microsoft 365 content
• Understanding the role of AI agents within the Microsoft environment
• Exploring opportunities to develop agents for repeatable firm processes
Participants will receive the greatest benefit from the program if they have: • General familiarity with the Microsoft 365 ecosystem of applications • Basic familiarity with Generative AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot, Anthropic Claude, or ChatGPT • A licensed version of Microsoft Copilot 365 Premium
None
Anye who is involved in the adoption of Microsoft within an accounting practice.