The new exam will test candidates' research, communications, and technology skills, in addition to the more traditional skills, according to Gregory Johnson, director of the CPA exam at the AICPA. The revised format includes simulations where candidates will go through a set of facts and solve problems on spreadsheets or drag correct answers on the "answer sheet." More than 10,000 new questions and 500 potential simulations have been developed. The exam will be given twice each quarter now, rather than only in May and November. Eventually, the test will be administered year-round.

The AICPA is working with state accountancy boards and legislatures, including settling NASBA's (National Association of State Boards of Accountancy) concerns about the conflict of interest in the AICPA's proposed contract with Prometrics to administer the exam. Thomson Corp., an investor in the AICPA's CPA2Biz portal, owns Prometrics. NASBA has been added as a party to the contract between the AICPA and Prometrics.

(For more information, see NASBA's PDF on its October meeting, where the computerization of the exam was covered in length. The PDF may take several minutes to download.)