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Forensic Analytics #370526

Course Overview

Credit

Amount

CPA

Course Author: Steven M. Bragg, CPA Field of Study (CPA): Auditing

Course Description

Course publication/revision date: This course was updated on 8/27/2026.

Errors and fraudulent transactions can be remarkably difficult to spot. In the Forensic Analytics course, we provide a number of tools for teasing out these problem transactions from the masses of data in which they are normally hidden. Techniques covered include Benford’s Law, outlier analysis, round numbers analysis, growth spurt analysis, policy threshold analysis, and time-series analysis. The course also gives extensive coverage to the process of importing data into Excel, so that these analyses can be conducted.

Table of Contents

Forensic Analytics1

Introduction	1
Forensic Analytics Defined	1
Common Characteristics of Fraudulent Transactions	2
Forensic Analysis Steps	2
Excel Data Importing and Scrubbing	3
Data Imports	3
Data Cleanup	5
Duplicate Row Removal	5
Text Splitting	6
Flash Fill	10
Case Changes	11
Space Removal	11
Value Conversions	12
Concatenation	12
Gap Filling	13
Spell Checking	16
Text Substitutions	16
Data Analysis Techniques	17
Missing Records Analysis	17
Benford's Law	18
Cross-Matching Analysis	22
Policy Threshold Analysis	23
Outlier Analysis	24
Trend Analysis	26
Round Numbers Analysis	27
Duplicate Numbers Analysis	27
Subset Aggregation Testing	28
Growth Spurt Analysis	29
Relative Size Factor Analysis	29
Time-Series Analysis	30
Moving Averages Function	30
Exponential Smoothing Function	32
Linear Trend Function	33
Cubic Volume Analytics	35
Ratio Analysis	35
Supplier-Specific Analytics	36
Adjacent Supplier Analysis	36
Supplier Decline Analysis	37
Supplier Predictors of Fraud	37
Dealing with False Positives	37
Summary	38
Review Questions	39
Answers to Course Questions	40

Glossary42

Index43

Course Details

Author: Steven M. Bragg, CPA

Steven Bragg, CPA, has been the chief financial officer or controller of four companies, as well as a consulting manager at Ernst & Young. He received a master’s degree in finance from Bentley College, an MBA from Babson College, and a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the University of Maine. He has been a two-time president of the Colorado Mountain Club, and is an avid alpine skier, mountain biker, and certified master diver. Mr. Bragg resides in Centennial, Colorado. He has written more than 300 books and courses, including New Controller Guidebook, GAAP Guidebook, and Payroll Management.

Publication/Revision Date: 8/27/2026

Course Exam Questions (online): 10 (multiple-choice)

Program Delivery Method: NASBA QAS Self-Study

Available Formats of Course Text: PDF or PDF plus printed copy sent in the mail

Course Level, Prerequisites, and Advance Preparation Requirements

License	Course Level	Prerequisites	Advance Preparation Requirements
CPA	Intermediate	A general understanding of Excel	None

Sponsor ID Numbers

National Registry of CPE Sponsors ID: 107615

State CPA Board Sponsor ID Numbers (where applicable)

Florida Division of Certified Public Accounting: 0004761

Hawaii Board of Public Accountancy: 14003

New York State Board for Public Accountancy: 002146

Ohio Accountancy Board: CPE .51 PSR

Pennsylvania State Board of Accountancy: PX178025

Texas State Board of Public Accountancy: 009349

Learning Objectives

As a result of studying the course material, you should be able to meet the objectives listed below:

Specify how data can be imported into Excel and scrubbed for analysis purposes.
Specify how Benford's Law can be used to identify suspect transactions.
Identify the uses to which data analysis techniques can be put for forensic analysis.