Istvan Samayoa, CPA
A Pioneer in Audit Data Analytics
January 18, 2022
Advances in technology offer the accountants who embrace them opportunities to create even more value for their clients and their companies. An advocate for data and analytics (D&A), Istvan Samayoa, CPA believes that data and analytics (D&A) tools will be a significant part of the work of upcoming CPAs.
“Data analytics is not new in itself; however, its applicability and use in audits is still in its infancy and evolving. I feel like that makes us, as CPAs, pioneers of sorts.”
Istvan Samayoa, CPA recalls the decision to pursue his CPA designation as an easy one. His sister is a CPA, and he saw the opportunities that it the designation afforded her, making the choice a no-brainer. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Regina, Istvan began to work at KPMG in the Regina office.
Of course, Istvan has now had plenty of opportunities come his way. In 2017, the firm began piloting various data and analytics (D&A) tools and allowed anyone who was interested to begin trying to use them. Istvan started learning about Tableau, a software for visualizing and understanding data, and applying what he could to help the firm’s clients.
“One success I am particularly proud of was the creation of a series of visualizations within Tableau. We have since provided this to our clients annually, due to the insights that could be derived from this data.”
Istvan earned his CPA designation in 2018. Then, when the KPMG Global Service Group began looking for people its Audit Product Development later that year, a Regina partner who had noticed Istvan’s interest in D&A notified him of the opportunity. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Istvan spent two years working with KPMG’s Global Service Group in New Jersey on developing the audit software and D&A tools that KPMG would use across their global operations. Now he focuses on implementing those tools in the audit engagements that he manages. “[I]t is rewarding to be a part of a process that enhances what we do as auditors,” says Istvan.
Istvan continues to expand his skillset, and he is currently enrolled in the Accounting with Digital Analytics graduate certificate program at Simon Fraser University. Istvan advises future CPAs who wish to stand out from the crowd to ensure they have a good grasp of tools such as Excel and Power BI. That will give you a great starting point to begin to explore more advanced data analytics tools, such as Alteryx.
“Regardless of your role or industry, you are going to need to have a grasp on data that was not required in the past. . . Many organizations still rely on manual, tedious processes because they do not have the skillset to internally identify opportunities for change. This means there is an opportunity for future CPAs to walk into organizations and immediately make a significant positive impact.”