[Lentilcounter]

During one of the most recent AICPA/NASBA webinars, the AICPA presenter bought up the CPA exam blueprints available on the AICPA website. He said that we should reference these blueprints in preparing for the exams and then there should be no surprises. He also said that any content group/topic that is tested at the analysis level is fair game for a simulation. I have created a short summary below. While the language in the blueprints can be somewhat vague, I think if you at least have a mastery of the topics below, simulations shouldn’t scare you.

Balance sheet/statement of financial position
A) detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the balance sheet amounts to supporting documentation
B) calculate fluctuations and ratios and interpret the results while reviewing comparative balance sheets

Income statement/statement of profit or loss
A) detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the income statement amounts to supporting documentation
B) calculate fluctuations and ratios and interpret the results while reviewing comparative income statements

Statement of comprehensive income
A) detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the statement of comprehensive amounts to supporting documentation

Statement of changes in equity
A) detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the statement of changes in equity to supporting documentation

Statement of cash flows
A) detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the statement of cash flows to supporting documentation
B) derive the impact of transactions on the statement of cash flows

Notes to the financial statements
A) compare the notes to the financial statements to the financial statements and supporting documentation to identify inconsistencies and investigate those inconsistencies

Consolidated financial statements (including wholly owned subsidiaries and noncontrolling interests)
A) detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the consolidated financial statement amounts to supporting documentation

Cash and cash equivalents
A) reconcile the cash balance per the bank statement to the general ledger
B) investigate unreconciled cash balances to determine whether an adjustment to the general ledger is necessary

Trade receivables
A) prepare a rollforward of the trade receives account balance using various sources of information
B) reconcile and investigate differences between the subledger and general ledger for trade receives to determine whether an adjustment is necessary

Inventory
A) reconcile and investigate differences between the subledger and general ledger for inventory to determine whether an adjustment is necessary
B) prepare a rollforward of the inventory account balance using various sources of information

Property, Plant, and Equipment
A) prepare a rollforward of the property, plan, and equipment account balance using various sources of information
B) reconcile and investigate differences between the subledger and general ledger for property, plant, and equipment to determine whether an adjustment is necessary

Payables and accrued liabilities
A) reconcile and investigate differences between the subledger and general ledger for accounts payable and accrued liabilities to determine whether an adjustment is necessary

Revenue Recognition
A) interpret agreements, contracts and/or other supporting documentation to determine the amount and timing of revenue to be recognized in the financial statements
B) reconcile and investigate the differences between the sales subledger and the general subledger to determine whether an adjustment is necessary

Account changes and error corrections
A) derive the impact to the financial statements and related note disclosure of an accounting change or an error correction

Contingencies and commitments
A) review supporting documentation to determine whether a commitment or contingency requires recognition or disclosure in the financial statements

Leases
A) interpret agreements, contracts and/or other supporting documentation to determine the appropriate accounting treatment of a leasing arrangement and prepare the journal entries that a lessee should record.

Subsequent events
A) derive the impact to the financial statements and required note disclosues due to identified subsequent events

BEC = 79

AUD = 79

FAR = 84

REG = 86

Prayer + AICPA blueprints = my success

BEC = 72 (6/08/16)
FAR = ?
REG = ?
AUD = ?

[Ramana]

@Lentilcounter:
Is the blueprint list very different for 2018 from 2017. Would you happen to know? I'm so grateful for this list! I have been pouring over the ‘Problems' section in my Wiley Intermediate textbook and sighing all day. This list lets me focus on the more pertinent problems.

I did not see anything about Trial Balances and adjusting them in the list. Does anyone know if those are heavily tested in the SIMs? I think they like you to do document reconciliation more than anything.

[nahlij]

Is the BECKER FAR List that Ana made in the beggining, outdated? I see for example she has:

Income statement/statement of profit or loss
A) detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the income statement amounts to supporting documentation
F1.1, F1_SIM 2_6

But there is no F1 SIM 2_6? The Sim 2 only has 5 questions in it

NaHLiJ

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have a list of FAR blueprints aligned with Becker?

[nahlij]

In the beginning of the thread there is, but I think with the updates to Becker, they don't really match exactly to what Ana posted

NaHLiJ

[Goodluck2018]

@ana thank you so much for posting this! I'm taking FAR on 9/10 and this will be very helpful!

When you say F1.7 under Balance sheet/statement of financial position, is that F1 SIM #7?

AUD - 89
BEC - 82
FAR - 75
REG - 81

AUD-89
BEC-82
FAR-Q3
REG-81

[Anonymous]

Could explain what the F1.7, F1.2, etc means?

[thisistuff]

Hi @lentilcounter and @ana !! I was wondering if you guys also had the Audit sims listed out based on the blueprints? I don't see a thread for them so I figured I would ask thank you 🙂

[Anonymous]

@Ana

When you say F1.7 in the first set of the list, did you mean F1 Module7 SP or MCQ or we should look into module 7 material again in general?

[Ana]

came on here and by chance saw this post. It makes me so happy to see that people are still benefiting from this!!! as some of you have noticed, since becker has updated the material to correspond with the ever changing test. the blueprint no longer ties up with the material in al ot of cases. but don't fret! you can easily line it up. just take the time to look over the topics being tested and find theat topic in the becker material. i would look at progress

BEC - 78
AUD - 75
REG - 64, 77
FAR - 73, 73, 73, 82
Ethics: 74, 84, 98
Finally done after 23 months.

[Ana]

sorry, at a client and the forum is being slow. i'll get back to it later!

BEC - 78
AUD - 75
REG - 64, 77
FAR - 73, 73, 73, 82
Ethics: 74, 84, 98
Finally done after 23 months.

[unreachable]

Area I — Conceptual Framework, Standard-Setting and Financial Reporting (25–35%):

General-purpose financial statements: for-profit business entities:

1) Balance sheet/statement of financial position:
• Analysis:
a) Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the balance sheet amounts to supporting documentation.
b) Calculate fluctuations and ratios and interpret the results while reviewing comparative balance sheets.
c) Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the income statement amounts to supporting documentation.
d) Calculate fluctuations and ratios and interpret the results while reviewing comparative income statements.

2) Income statement/ statement of profit or loss:
• Analysis:
a) Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the income statement amounts to supporting documentation.
b) Calculate fluctuations and ratios and interpret the results while reviewing comparative income statements.

3) Statement of comprehensive income:
• Analysis:
a) Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the statement of
b) comprehensive income amounts to supporting documentation.

4) Statement of changes in equity:
• Analysis:
a) Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the statement of changes in equity amounts to supporting documentation.

5) Statement of cash flows:
• Analysis:
a) Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies while agreeing the statement of cash flows amounts to supporting documentation.
b) Derive the impact of transactions on the statement of cash flows.

6) Notes to financial statements:
• Analysis:
a) Compare the notes to the financial statements to the financial statements and supporting documentation to identify inconsistencies and investigate those inconsistencies.

7) Consolidated financial statements (including wholly owned subsidiaries and non-controlling interests):
• Application:
a) Prepare consolidated financial statements (includes adjustments, eliminations and/or non-controlling interests) from supporting documentation.
b) Adjust consolidated financial statements to correct identified errors.
• Analysis:
a) Detect, investigate and correct discrepancies identified while agreeing the consolidated financial statement amounts to supporting documentation.

Public company reporting topics:

1) U.S. SEC reporting requirements, earnings per share and segment reporting)
• Application:
a) Prepare financial statement note disclosures for reportable segments.
b) Calculate basic earnings per share.
c) Calculate diluted earnings per share.

Area II — Select Financial Statement Accounts (30–40%):

Cash and cash equivalents:
• Analysis:
a) Reconcile the cash balance per the bank statement to the general ledger.
b) Investigate unreconciled cash balances to determine whether an adjustment to the general ledger is necessary.

Trade Receivables:
• Analysis:
a) Prepare a roll-forward of the trade receivables account balance using various sources of information. Reconcile and investigate differences between the sub-ledger and general ledger for trade receivables to determine whether an adjustment is necessary.

Inventory:
• Analysis:
a) Prepare a roll-forward of the inventory account balance using various sources of information. Reconcile and investigate differences between the sub-ledger and general ledger for inventory to determine whether an adjustment is necessary.

• Analysis:
a) Prepare a roll-forward of the property, plant and equipment account balance using various sources of information.
b) Reconcile and investigate differences between the sub-ledger and general ledger for property, plant and equipment to determine whether an adjustment is necessary.

Payables and accrued liabilities:
• Analysis:
a) Reconcile and investigate differences between the sub-ledger and general ledger for accounts payable and accrued liabilities to determine whether an adjustment is necessary.

Revenue Recognition:
• Analysis:
a) Interpret agreements, contracts and/or other supporting documentation to determine the amount and timing of revenue to be recognized in the financial statements.
b) Reconcile and investigate differences between the sales sub-ledger and the general ledger to determine whether an adjustment is necessary.

Area III — Select Transactions (20–30%):

Accounting changes and error corrections:
• Analysis:
a) Derive the impact to the financial statements and related note disclosures of an accounting change or an error correction.

Contingencies and commitments:
• Analysis:
a) Review supporting documentation to determine whether a commitment or contingency requires recognition or disclosure in the financial statements.

Leases:
• Analysis:
a) Interpret agreements, contracts and/or other supporting documentation to determine the appropriate accounting treatment of a leasing arrangement and prepare the journal entries that the lessee should record.

Subsequent Events:
• Analysis:
a) Derive the impact to the financial statements and required note disclosures due to identified subsequent events.

AUD - 67, 75 

BEC - 69, 64, 80

FAR - 42, 64, 72, 73, 76

REG - 88

[unreachable]

Updating for Becker:

(S.P. = Skills Practice)
(SIM = Simulations)

Area I — Conceptual Framework, Standard-Setting and Financial Reporting (25–35%):

General-purpose financial statements: for-profit business entities:

Balance sheet/statement of financial position:
(F1_S.P.: M2) – (F1_SIM 2: #3) – (F2_S.P.: M8) – (F2_SIM 1: #3 & #5)

Income statement/ statement of profit or loss:
(F1_S.P.: M2)– (F1_SIM 2: #3) – (F2_S.P.: M8) (F2_SIM 1: #3 & #5)

Statement of comprehensive income:
(F1_S.P.: M7) – (F1_SIM 1: #5)

Statement of changes in equity:
(F7_S.P.: M5, M6, & M7) – (F7_SIM 2: #1, #2, & #3) – (F6_SIM 3: #2 & #3)

Statement of cash flows:
(F8_S.P.: M2) (F8_ SIM 1: #1, #2, #3, #4, & #7) – (F8_SIM 2: #1)

Notes to financial statements:
(F2_S.P.: M1) – (F2_SIM 1: #7)

Consolidated financial statements (including wholly owned subsidiaries and non-controlling interests):
(F4_S.P.: M3, M4, M5, M6, & M7) – (F4_SIM 2: ALL)

Public company reporting topics:

U.S. SEC reporting requirements, earnings per share and segment reporting:
(F2_SIM 1: #1) (F8_S.P.: M1) – (F8_SIM 1: #8)

Area II — Select Financial Statement Accounts (30–40%):

Cash and cash equivalents:
(F3_S.P.: M1) – (F3_SIM 1: #7) – (F3_SIM 3: #8)

Trade Receivables:
(F3_S.P.: M2) – (F3_SIM 1: #4) – (F3_SIM 3: #1, #2, & #6)

Inventory:
(F3_S.P.: M3) – (F3_SIM 2: #1, #2, & #3) – (F3_SIM 3: #7& #9)

Property, Plant, and Equipment:
(F3_S.P.: M4 & 5) – (F3_SIM 1: #8 & #9) – (F3_SIM 3: #4 & #5)

Payables and accrued liabilities:
(F5_S.P.: M1) – (F5_SIM 1: #4 & #5) – ((F5_SIM 2: #1)

Revenue Recognition:
(F1_S.P.: M3 & M4) – (F1_SIM 2: #1, #2, & #4)

Area III — Select Transactions (20–30%):

Accounting changes and error corrections:
(F1_S.P.: M6) – (F1_SIM 1: #3, #4, & #6) – (F1_SIM 2: #1 & #4)

Contingencies and commitments:
(F2_SIM 1: #4) – (F5_S.P.: M2) – (F5_SIM 2: #4)

Leases:
(F6_S.P.: M1, M2, &M3) – (F6_SIM 1: #1, #2, #3, & #6)

Subsequent Events:
(F2_S.P.: M3) – ((F6_SIM 1: #3 & #4)

AUD - 67, 75 

BEC - 69, 64, 80

FAR - 42, 64, 72, 73, 76

REG - 88

[Goodluck2018]

@M Thank you so much for posting this!

AUD - 89
BEC - 82
FAR - 75
REG - 81

AUD-89
BEC-82
FAR-Q3
REG-81

[unreachable]

One Mistake for Subsequent Events. It is F2 for SIM:
(F2_S.P.: M3) – (F2_SIM 1: #3 & #4)

AUD - 67, 75 

BEC - 69, 64, 80

FAR - 42, 64, 72, 73, 76

REG - 88

[Anonymous]

@M, Thank you so much for updating this!

[Author]

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