This case study, developed by the KPMG Master of Data and Analytics Program Team, has been designed to give instructors a meaningful way to incorporate Alteryx Designer into an auditing or financial statement accounting classroom. Because greater understanding of data and analytics is commonly identified by experienced audit professionals as an area of importance for new staff auditors, the need for university faculty to incorporate data analytic tools, especially Alteryx, in their classes is at an all-time high. To expand the breadth of this case study offering, it has been designed to provide a meaningful learning experience for even those students with no prior Alteryx experience.

The Beginner Alteryx case is based on common audit procedures completed by an engagement team on their client’s journal entry population and trial balance (i.e., completion and recalculation), as well as various analyses and summarizations of data to corroborate risk assessment. The data contains a journal entry population and prior period trial balance, with the need for the student to export their own clean journal entry detail and current period trial balance. The materials include a complete set of facilitator notes and a slide deck to assist with an introduction of Alteryx to the classroom.

The primary target audience for these cases is an auditing or financial statement accounting class, at either the undergraduate or graduate level.

Learning objectives

Through completion of this case study, students will be able to:

- Demonstrate how to use beginner Alteryx functionality, such as:

• In/out: Input data, output data, browse
• Preparation: Data cleansing, filter, formula, select
• Join: Join, union