The 34^th Annual CICPAC Conference (July 23-25, 2025) took place in Chicago, Illinois offering attendees insightful construction accounting sessions and networking opportunities.  As Acumatica’s Director of Product Management for Construction, Field Service, and Property Management, I had the privilege of attending this important industry event.

I spent three days at the Vendor Expo meeting with scores of engaged attendees and sharing with them all about Acumatica’s modern construction management software . Here are my takeaways from the exciting, once-a-year event, including what hot topic dominated conversations and how Acumatica continues to rise in popularity with construction professionals around the world.

First, What is CICPAC?

CICPAC, or Construction Industry CPAs/Consultants Association, has been serving its community of accounting firm members since 1989. Its mission is to provide collaboration, education, and thought leadership so that its members can be recognized as the trusted advisors serving the construction industry.

As of this writing, CICPAC’s community includes 13,000 construction clients and 77 accounting firms across the nation. Construction companies and owners can get help navigating their complex financial and tax requirements from CICPAC members, who are financial professional “who know construction.”

According to the CICPAC website, “Essentially, CICPAC is a resource that helps CPA firms gain (or maintain) a strong presence within their local communities, so they find success in their field, while expanding their knowledge and depth of the industry.”

About the 34th Annual CICPAC Conference

During CICPAC, attendees enjoyed a packed agenda that included breakout sessions, the Vendor Expo, and social events. The breakout session topics included advanced construction accounting, prevailing wages, advanced lease accounting for construction, and so much more, providing attendees with enough financial and tax strategies to keep them going for the year ahead.

However, there was one topic of conversation that stood out, and that was artificial intelligence (AI). CPA firms are looking for guidance to better understand   the potential benefits of AI—both for their clients as well as for their own practices. CICPAC, knowing the importance of this technology, offered several AI-focused sessions, including “The Future of Construction Technology: Leveraging AI for Success” and “AI & CPAs: Smart Financial Strategies for Construction.”

The spotlight on AI at CICPAC echoes Lauren O’Hara’s experience at CFMA 2025. In her article reflecting on the conference, she writes, “The most eye-opening discussions were those centered around AI and automation and how they’re transforming financial management in the construction industry. As Acumatica’s ERP Product Marketing Manager, Construction, my key takeaway from CFMA 2025 is that embracing AI and cloud-based ERP solutions is no longer optional—it’s essential.”

Finally, while attendees were discussing and staying abreast of advanced technology, they were also earning CPE credits for each session and had the opportunity to take the CCIFP® (Certified Construction Industry Financial Professional) exam, which is a construction financial management certification that is ANSI accredited.

How Acumatica Fared at the CICPAC Conference

As I mentioned earlier, attendees had lots of time throughout the conference to visit the Vendor Expo. It gave me plenty of opportunities to talk  about Acumatica and what our award-winning Construction Edition can do for construction professionals. It was gratifying—but not surprising—that many attendees, including those who participated in our joint golf “putting” activity with Lumber, recognized Acumatica, with many telling me that Acumatica clients are starting to populate their firms.

The fact is, Acumatica’s all-encompassing ERP solution has helped over 10,000 customers thrive. One such company is IOC Construction, a general contractor managing construction, painting, roofing, and handyman service divisions.

IOC Construction was juggling four separate QuickBooks instances to manage its multiple entities, creating headaches with intercompany transfers, reconciliations, and project visibility. “Before we knew it, we had four separate instances of QuickBooks that didn’t talk to each other,” says Joel Sisto, Chief Financial Officer of IOC Construction. “And along with that, we used Salesforce to bring it all together. Reconciling data across multiple systems was a nightmare, and missing entries created huge headaches for us.”

After reviewing several ERP options, IOC Construction selected Acumatica Advanced Construction Edition, our construction-specific, user-friendly, and scalable solution. The platform consolidated all four entities into a single system, automated intercompany transactions, and provided a clear, real-time view of projects and finances.

“The whole point of an ERP is to give decision-makers the information they need,” Sisto explains. “Now, our team can see accurate project and financial data in one place, enabling faster, more informed decisions. Processes that used to take hours of manual work are now automated, and staff can focus on higher-value tasks.”

Jessica Hill, ERP Manager at IOC Construction, adds: “The more information we feed into Acumatica, the more benefits we see. It’s transformed the way we operate, reduced errors, and allowed us to improve service for our clients.”

Acumatica: At the Forefront of Innovation

Acumatica—a Silver Sponsor of the CICPAC event—stood out amongst the other ERP vendors. Unlike our competitors, our software for construction professionals puts every stakeholder on the same page, ensuring seamless project execution, enhancing team collaboration, and increasing profitability. And we’re staying at the forefront of innovation by being an AI-first solution.

“It’s not about what AI can do, it’s about what AI can do for you,” writes Acumatica’s Chief Engineering Officer Miten Mehta.

He also notes: “Our strategy is simple: we build AI capabilities directly into our cloud ERP platform through intuitive interfaces that make advanced technology accessible to everyone. Every feature is designed around the specific needs of mid-sized businesses and their teams, with a user experience that feels natural and familiar. Whether you’re automating routine tasks, surfacing actionable insights, or streamlining complex processes, you’ll find AI tools that are both powerful and easy to use.”

I was glad that I could share Acumatica’s powerful ERP solution and its many benefits with CICPAC conference attendees, many of whom were first time attendees. For those who couldn’t attend, contact our experts today to learn how Acumatica can take your construction business to the next level.