Keeping your CPD evidence
Keep a record of your CPD for three years*, just in case it’s needed for a CPD review.
To help you with your record-keeping, we've pulled together guidance on recording your CPD and recording tools and examples.
We've provided a handy document on what to do if you're selected for CPD review as well as information for CPD for practising members.
* Members holding an ACCA Irish practising certificate and audit qualification and individuals who are partners or directors or agents of a firm holding an ACCA Irish auditing certificate must keep a record of their CPD activities for six years. Registered tax practitioners in South Africa must keep a record of their CPD activities for five years.
Guidance on recording your CPD
How you record your CPD varies depending on the route chosen.
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Unit route
Ensure that you keep comprehensive evidence of your verifiable CPD units, as well as a record of your non-verifiable CPD.
For your verifiable CPD, your records should show:
- why you chose the activity;
- what you’ve learned from it; and
- how you have/will apply the learning.
You can record your CPD activities within your CPD recording tool which is available in the Professional Development area of your myACCA account.
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to keep records in your own format or your employer’s, please ensure that you still say why you chose the activity, what you learned and how you have/will apply the learning.
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Unit route - part-time or semi-retired
Ensure that you keep:
- a summary of your non-verifiable CPD;
- evidence of your verifiable CPD; and
- a note of why you think your verifiable CPD is relevant and adequate for your role.
Also provide evidence of the number of hours worked, along with confirmation that you’re working in a role that meets our part-time/semi-retired route conditions.
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ACCA approved employer route
Ensure that you keep evidence of both your:
- employment; and
- participation in your employer's development and appraisal processes.
We may confirm your CPD activity with your employer.
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IFAC body route
Ensure that you keep:
- evidence of your membership of the other accountancy body;
- evidence of your participation in their CPD programme; and
- a copy of the outcome letter if they’ve reviewed your CPD record.
We may ask you for a copy of this letter or the records you’ve kept for the other professional body.
Recording tools and examples
We’ve developed a range of support to help you record your CPD activities, along with examples of the types of activity could count as verifiable or non-verifiable CPD.
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CPD support tools
CPD checklist for members working part-time/semi-retired (PDF, 488kb)
CPD record (PDF, 18kb)
CPD summary (PDF, 13kb)
Guidance and checklist for audit engagement partners (PDF, 106kb)
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CPD record examples
Attending a course (PDF, 21kb)
Coaching (PDF, 21kb)
Consulting with experts (PDF, 20kb)
Developing a new IT system (PDF, 19kb)
Internal training (PDF, 22kb)
Lecturing (PDF, 20kb)
MBA (PDF, 24kb)
Meetings (PDF, 25kb)
Non-verifiable (PDF, 37kb)
Non-accountancy based (PDF, 20kb)
Starting a new role (PDF, 19kb)
Train the trainer (PDF, 339kb)
Train the marker (PDF, 261kb)