Perplexity AI for Accounting & Finance: A Practical Hands-On Training Webinar
Overview
Perplexity is a citation-first answer engine that can help accountants locate and organize sources for standards research, tax questions, audit support, benchmarking, and client communications.
This course explains how answer engines differ from search engines and chatbots. It provides a practical tour of Perplexity’s search modes, deep research, collections, file uploads, and finance features. Worked examples from public practice, industry, and nonprofit settings demonstrate a research-and-verification process from initial prompt through documented workpaper. In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:
- Understand Perplexity’s citation-first design and identify research questions for which it may be appropriate
- Select the appropriate Perplexity feature for different accounting and finance research tasks
- Construct prompts that improve specificity, source quality, and follow-up research
- Apply a repeatable research-and-verification workflow to common CPA engagements
- Evaluate citations, identify limitations and hallucinations, and document the professional review performed
- Develop an adoption approach based on data sensitivity and the firm’s approved-tool environment
Objective
To provide CPAs and finance professionals with a practical framework for using Perplexity in source-grounded research while applying confidentiality requirements, source evaluation, verification, documentation, and professional judgment.
Emphasis
- Perplexity's role as a citation-first answer engine and how it differs from traditional search engines and conversational AI assistants
- Core Perplexity features, including search modes, deep research, collections, file uploads, and finance-focused capabilities
- Effective prompting techniques and reusable prompt frameworks for accounting, auditing, tax, and finance research
- Practical workflow applications illustrating how to:
– Research professional standards and accounting guidance
– Conduct tax and regulatory research
– Support audit planning and benchmarking activities
– Develop well-supported client communications and workpapers - Worked research examples spanning public accounting, industry, and nonprofit organizations, demonstrating consistent research, documentation, and verification practices
- Practical guidance for determining when Perplexity is the right research tool and how it complements drafting assistants such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot
- Professional judgment, verification procedures, confidentiality requirements, and ethical considerations when using AI-assisted research tools
- Reusable prompting techniques, research workflows, verification protocols, and implementation strategies that participants can immediately apply in their organizations
Speakers
Tracie Miller, PhD, CPA
Wendy Tietz, PhD, CPA, CGMA, CITP