audit report writing case study

Advancing Auditing in Higher Education

Write an audit report that gets results: tips and tools to get your report read, the problem, a well written document:.

• Considers the subject from the audience’s perspective.
• Offers clarity about the purpose or intended outcome.
• Uses an organizational structure that facilitates easy reading.
• Explains terminology or jargon that is unfamiliar to the reader.
• Takes the reader’s knowledge of the subject (limited or otherwise) into account.
• Background of the problem
• Analyzed alternatives
• Recommended solution

A solution – Mind mapping

• Desired Result/Purpose: The purpose of the document.
• Audience: Audience concerns to consider. Examples include recent turnover, new processes, new employees, significant change, etc.
• Context: Criteria related to the final layout of the F&R. Examples include: using bullets for important information, writing one page only, incorporating lots of white space, considering visual appeal, etc.)
• Content: The contents of the F&R.

Transparent structure equals effective structure

• Grabs and maintains a reader’s attention.
• Directs a reader toward what is most important.
• Creates a more professional visual impression.
• Helps achieve the desired result.

Finding and recommendations – Focus on “what” questions

• Condition (What is the problem?).
• Criterion (What policy or best practice can be adopted?).
• Cause (What led to the problem?).
• Effect (What is the risk?).
• Recommendation (What should be done?).

Thinking of the above elements as a series of “What” questions is invaluable when it comes to producing an audience- versus a writer-centered audit report. If the writer has not answered all of these questions, the desired result is often not achieved.

Condition and criteria

Risk statement, focus on the macro issues, about the author.

William Woodington

William Woodington is President of Woodington Training Solutions, LLC. He delivers internal auditing and professional development training seminars. Prior to starting his business, Bill spent 18 years managing the Learning &... Read Full Author Bio

Articles Write an Audit Report that Gets Results: Tips and Tools to Get Your Report Read

The global body for professional accountants

• Search jobs
• Find an accountant
• Technical activities
• Help & support

Can't find your location/region listed? Please visit our global website instead

• Middle East
• Cayman Islands
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Virgin Islands (British)
• United Kingdom
• Czech Republic
• United Arab Emirates
• Saudi Arabia
• State of Palestine
• Syrian Arab Republic
• South Africa
• Africa (other)
• Hong Kong SAR of China
• New Zealand
• Apply to become an ACCA student
• Why choose to study ACCA?
• ACCA accountancy qualifications
• Getting started with ACCA
• ACCA Learning
• Register your interest in ACCA
• Learn why you should hire ACCA members
• Why train your staff with ACCA?
• Recruit finance staff
• Train and develop finance talent
• Approved Employer programme
• Employer support
• Resources to help your organisation stay one step ahead
• Support for Approved Learning Partners
• Becoming an ACCA Approved Learning Partner
• Tutor support
• Computer-Based Exam (CBE) centres
• Content providers
• Registered Learning Partner
• Exemption accreditation
• University partnerships
• Find tuition
• Virtual classroom support for learning partners
• Find CPD resources
• Your membership
• Member networks
• AB magazine
• Sectors and industries
• Regulation and standards
• Advocacy and mentoring
• Council, elections and AGM
• Tuition and study options
• Study support resources
• Practical experience
• Our ethics modules
• Student Accountant
• Regulation and standards for students
• Your 2024 subscription
• Completing your EPSM
• Completing your PER
• Apply for membership
• Skills webinars
• Finding a great supervisor
• Choosing the right objectives for you
• Regularly recording your PER
• The next phase of your journey
• Your future once qualified
• Mentoring and networks
• Advance e-magazine
• An introduction to professional insights
• Meet the team
• Global economics
• Professional accountants - the future
• Supporting the global profession
• Download the insights app

Can't find your location listed? Please visit our global website instead

• Internal audit
• Our webinars and other resources
• Back to Our webinars and other resources

Writing the right report

Learn how to craft an audit report which is clear, concise and useful, with advice from sara i. james..

Any internal audit, risk or compliance specialist will sympathise with the struggle to produce a good report – one that is above all clear, concise and useful. But what do these terms mean, and how can we achieve them in our different roles and organisations? Some basic principles cut across all writing in English, whatever the setting, whatever the sector. 

Clear means no vagueness, euphemism or jargon. This requires writers to have a clear idea of what they have done, how and why. Obvious, perhaps, but many gaps in fieldwork and documentation become apparent only at review stage – when it’s too late.

Be clear in your own mind about your message and its importance. Only then can you choose the fewest, best words to prompt your readers to action.

Clear writing is honest, credible writing. It requires skill and, above all, courage. Much of what we produce in reports is unwelcome news: inadequate or ineffective controls, cultural problems, regulatory headaches, poorly managed IT systems and the like. However, stating clearly what you found and why your reader should care is an essential, if possibly uncomfortable, step to improvement.

Consider the following example. I’ve often seen reports say things such as, ‘There is a perception of issues around resource.’ That probably sounds familiar to you, and so it should – it is typical corporate waffle, woolly and clichéd.

But what does it mean? I can think of three possibilities:

• There aren’t enough people to do the work.
• There are enough people, but they haven’t received training.
• There are enough people, and they’ve been trained, but they’re still incapable of doing the work.

Each interpretation requires a different response from managers. Hire more people; train the ones you have; or possibly replace the existing, trained, yet incompetent people with better staff. The original version (‘issues around resource’) leaves the reader no wiser as to what the root cause of the problem actually is.

One example of confusion caused by unclear or evasive language was in the Treasury Select Report about LIBOR. Certain organisations involved cited spoke of ‘issues’, others of ‘concerns’. 

Different corporate cultures create their own vocabularies of euphemism – to some, an issue is more serious than a concern; to others, it is the opposite. And, as the report itself made clear, ‘Barclays appears to have regarded the points raised by Mr Sants as “issues” rather than “concerns”. On the basis of the evidence it is unclear whether Barclays “got the message”.’  [1]

Resisting corporate habit is hard. (Notice I don’t say ‘challenging’.) It’s hard because it requires a greater degree of research, attention to detail and persistence from the internal auditor in uncovering the problem. It’s also hard because some people fear that clear messages are rude. 

Re-frame the ‘rudeness’ problem. A clear message actually saves your reader time and puts him or her in a better position to address gaps and failures. It also makes the organisation’s governance stronger, more transparent.

Culture matters. Countries, regions and people perceive clear communication differently. What is polite in one culture may seem unclear in another, and frankly evasive in a third. Conversely, what is open and honest in one culture may come across as direct in another, and openly rude in a third. Consider your audience, adapt your style – but remember that people the world over appreciate a concise, useful report.

Concise means only what is needed. Many organisations’ senior management and board receive three- to four-hundred-page reports monthly and quarterly. This volume of paperwork undermines good governance, as the human brain is simply not equal to ploughing through so much under pressure – much less taking critical decisions based on such reports. If you want to contribute to making your organisation better run, better informed and more successful, cut the verbiage. It impresses no one and actively hinders understanding.

One carefully chosen, precise word is better than masses of words shimmering coyly around the message. Your readers’ time is limited, their attention spans overloaded. Keeping your words few and judicious increases the chance people will read and act on your reports.

Concise writing is part of clear writing – each needs the other. Both lead, happily, to useful.

Useful means relevant. Make clear how your findings and recommendations link to the organisation’s objectives. Reports should not look like wordy compliance checklists – or worse, an exhaustive, detail-sodden narrative of everything you observed, thought, felt or dreamed during fieldwork.

It’s hard, after a lengthy internal audit engagement, to whittle down all you know to what your readers need to know. However, taking the time to do this means presenting something insightful. It also shows respect for the reader’s time constraints and other pressures of work – always helpful in building and maintaining good relationships.

The report format should be one that readers will find accessible and meaningful. This may mean using graphics – traffic lights, pie charts, tables – or even photographs. Don’t be constrained by what reports have always looked like in your organisation. Coupled with clear, concise writing that puts the data in context, fresh visual presentation can make your report stand out. 

You could consider presenting your findings on a few well-chosen, uncrowded slides, then handing out a written report at the end. The very act of preparing your slides will force you to hone your message to the essentials. Again – clear, concise, useful.

If you are providing ‘integrated assurance’, discuss the importance of these criteria with the other assurance providers. You may be surprised – not only will the final report be better, but your working relations may well proceed more openly and efficiently.

Whatever the specific style in your team, function or organisation, the principles of good writing don’t change. Regardless of reviewer, line manager or company preference, a credible, sound organisation will always promote clear, concise, useful communications.

Sara I. James, PhD, CIA, is the owner of Getting Words to Work (www.saraijames.com) and a member of the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors.

[1] Fixing LIBOR: some preliminary findings (2012), p.70

• ACCA Careers
• ACCA Career Navigator
• ACCA Learning Community
• Your Future
• ACCA-X online courses

Useful links

• Make a payment
• ACCA Rulebook
• Work for us
• Supporting Ukraine

Using this site

• Accessibility
• Legal & copyright
• Advertising

Send us a message

Planned system updates

View our maintenance windows

Advarra Clinical Research Network

Onsemble Community

Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

Participants & Advocacy

Advarra Partner Network

Community Advocacy

Institutional Review Board (IRB)

Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC)

Data Monitoring Committee (DMC)

Endpoint Adjudication (EAC)

GxP Services

Research Compliance & Site Operations

Professional Services

Coverage Analysis​

Budget Negotiation​

Calendar Build 

Technology Staffing

Clinical Research Site Training

Research-Ready Training

Virtual Investigator Meetings

Custom eLearning

Services for

Sponsors & CROs

Sites & Institutions

BioPharma & Medical Tech

Oncology Research

Decentralized Clinical Trials

Early Phase Research

Research Staffing

Cell and Gene Therapy

Ready to Increase Your Research Productivity?

Solutions for need.

Clinical Trial Management

Clinical Data Management

Research Administration

Study Startup

Site Support and Engagement

Secure Document Exchange

Research Site Cloud

Solutions for Sites

Enterprise Institution CTMS

Health System/Network/Site CTMS

Electronic Consenting System

eSource and Electronic Data Capture

eRegulatory Management System

Research ROI Reporting

Automated Participant Payments

Life Sciences Cloud

Solutions for Sponsors/CROs

Clinical Research Experience Technology

Center for IRB Intelligence

Insights for Feasibility

Not Sure Where To Start?

Resource library.

White Papers

Case Studies

Ask the Experts

Frequently Asked Questions

COVID-19 Support

About Advarra

Consulting Opportunities

Leadership Team

Our Experts

Accreditation & Compliance

Join Advarra

Learn more about our company team, careers, and values. Join Advarra’s Talented team to take on engaging work in a dynamic environment.

Critical Steps for Writing an Impactful Clinical Audit Report

The amount of detail required in an audit may vary – ranging from an executive, high-level summary with detailed observations, to an exhaustive, all-inclusive report. A report may only include detailed observations, but it might also provide a list of all the documents reviewed, describing all processes reviewed in detail, along with any audit observations. While it’s critical for the auditor to understand the expectations of whom they are writing the report for, an impactful clinical audit report includes critical information to describe the status of the auditee in a factual way while excluding information that does not add value to the audience.

As defined in ICH E6 (R2), an audit is “a systematic and independent examination of trial-related activities and documents to determine whether the evaluated trial-related activities were conducted, and the data were recorded, analyzed and accurately reported according to the protocol, sponsor’s standard operating procedures (SOPs), good clinical practice (GCP), and the applicable regulatory requirement(s).”

The audit’s output and report are written evaluations of the audit’s results. A typical audit report contains the following sections:

• General information, including who was audited, what was audited, and where the audit occurred
• Executive summary
• Summary of observations (typically in table format)
• What regulations and guidance the audit was conducted against
• Audit scope
• List of staff involved/interviewed in the audit
• Documentation reviewed during the audit
• Narrative section for describing topics covered and facilities reviewed during the audit
• Detailed observations

Industry standards are shifting to focus on building quality into studies and determining critical-to-quality factors (ref. ICH E8 R1 ) and an appropriate risk management approach (ref. ICH E6 R2 ). The audit report should identify how quality and risk management are managed throughout the entirety of the study conduct.

Critical Steps: Executive Summary

The executive summary succinctly describes the audit’s key points. This gives the audience — especially senior management — the key information and audit outcome. It should include whether it is a routine or for-cause audit, site/vendor identification, dates of audit conduct, and if there were any significant concerns or major findings. Research teams need to include a summary of these findings and an overall statement of compliance and acceptability. They should also indicate if the audit was conducted as planned, and if not, it should state the reason for any deviations from the audit plan.

Critical Steps: Observations

Observations are graded relative to the level of non-compliance or deviation. An example of this is formatting observations as critical, major, minor, or recommendation. The definitions of these are usually described in an audit’s SOPs or detailed in the report template. The definitions are based on the impact or potential to subject safety, data integrity, and the protection of human subject rights.

Multiple major audit observations may result in a systemic critical audit observation, even though each of the major observations are not “critical” themselves. Similarly, the same can be said for multiple minor observations, which may result in a major observation. Potential critical observations must be escalated – usually within 24 hours – to a client, so they can take appropriate action right away. Ideally, reports should be reviewed to ensure consistent observation grading and categorization, providing an objective perspective to verify the report is complete and clear.

Observations should be structured clearly. Typically, they start with an overarching statement of the non-compliance, followed by a detailed description of the issue with examples, and references for non-compliance (e.g., applicable regulations, guidelines, SOPs, protocol, or other study-level plans). The details provided must be factual and not based on subjective information.

When describing the critical and major observations, it’s important to also provide an impact statement. This details how the observation potentially impacts patient safety, their rights, data integrity, etc. Critical and major observations require root cause investigation and corrective and preventive action (CAPA), as ICH E6 R2 addendum section 5.20 requires. Minor observations usually only require correction. Observations must stand alone as the auditee will likely receive them separately from the report. The details in the observation must allow for the auditee to understand the observation and enable them to take action to rectify it.

Critical Steps: Trending

In addition to grading observations, observations should also be categorized – and subcategorized if need be – so trending can be performed. Trending is important to understand the organization’s health, giving visibility to repeat or systemic issues. Instead of raising an observation for each individual discrepancy, similar issues should be grouped in one observation wherever possible, instead of surfacing an observation for each individual discrepancy. For example, instead of creating an observation for a missing ethics committee (EC) letter, and another observation for a missing protocol signature page, these can be grouped under investigator site file/essential documents.

Critical Steps: Narrative

The narrative section of the report is where there are differences in the level of detail required by each organization. A best practice is to evaluate what would be value-added for a particular audit and understand the audience who will read the report. Providing too much information may take away from the site’s or vendor’s status. Some examples include:

• For a site audit, it would be relevant to detail the impact of COVID-19, as this could have resulted in missed patient visits or procedures. Facilities also may not have been available for routine patient visits, monitoring visits, or audits
• For a site audit, a detailed description of the facilities and processes relevant to clinical trial’s conduct (e.g., pharmacy, investigational product administration or infusion of investigational product, laboratory sample, and processing) must be included
• For a vendor audit, it may not be practical to describe company background/mergers in detail if the clinical or procurement team can be easily obtained from the internet
• The clinical team may be familiar with the procedures necessary in the protocol; therefore, each step of a procedure does not need to be described in detail, but rather a high-level description would suffice. If any issues with the process or procedure are identified, the narrative references in the observation section rather than including that deviation detail in the narrative
• Noting each reviewed narrative document can distract from the overall activity of the electronic trial master file (eTMF) or investigator site file (ISF) review activity. Staff can note their review for the eTMF and ISF and list any issues in the observation section or on a separate addendum to the report

Providing the correct level of information in an audit is a delicate balance. Critical to successful audit report writing is to understand the report’s audience, the essential information needed for the audience – site or vendor – to execute the plan, as well as sufficient detail allowing for a full understanding and a chance for observation correction.

Tagged in: CRO , fda audits , quality coe , quality management , sponsors

Back to Resources

Ready to Advance Your Clinical Research Capabilities?

Subscribe to our monthly email.

Receive updates monthly about webinars for CEUs, white papers, podcasts, and more.

Advancing Clinical Research: Safer, Smarter, Faster ™

Copyright © 2024 Advarra. All Rights Reserved.

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use
• Cookie Policy

Famous Audit Case Studies: Lessons Learned from Noteworthy Audit Failures and Successes

Audit case studies provide valuable insights into the world of auditing, offering lessons that can shape the profession and help auditors navigate complex challenges. In this blog, we delve into some famous audit case studies that have impacted the auditing profession. These case studies demonstrate the importance of thoroughness, professional scepticism, and adherence to auditing standards.

1. The Lehman Brothers Collapse

The collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008 is a prominent example of an audit failure that had far-reaching consequences. The case highlighted the need for auditors to exercise professional scepticism and thoroughly evaluate companies’ financial statements and disclosures. The failure to identify the risks and irregularities ultimately led to the global financial crisis.

2. The Satyam Scandal

The Satyam scandal in 2009 shook the Indian corporate world. Auditors failed to detect a massive accounting fraud that involved inflating revenues, creating fictitious assets, and manipulating financial statements. This case emphasised the importance of auditors’ independence, scepticism, and the need for robust internal controls within organisations.

3. The WorldCom Fraud

The WorldCom scandal in 2002 revealed one of the largest accounting frauds in history. Auditors failed to identify the manipulation of  financial statements  through improper accounting practices. This case highlighted the significance of auditors’ responsibility to assess and verify financial information and exercise professional judgment diligently.

4. The Olympus Corporation Scandal

The Olympus Corporation scandal in 2011 involved a massive cover-up of losses through fraudulent accounting practices. This case underscored the importance of auditors conducting thorough assessments of an organization’s financial controls, risk management processes, and corporate governance structures.

5. The Waste Management, Inc. Case

In the 1990s, Waste Management, Inc. was involved in a significant accounting scandal. The case brought attention to the manipulation of financial statements and the role auditors play in ensuring accurate financial reporting. It highlighted the need for auditors to challenge management when faced with questionable practices.

Famous audit case studies serve as cautionary tales, illustrating the impact of audit failures and the importance of maintaining the highest professional standards in auditing. These cases remind auditors of the significance of independence, skepticism, and diligence in their work. By learning from these case studies, auditors can enhance their skills, sharpen their professional judgement, and contribute to the integrity and reliability of financial reporting. Continuous education, adherence to auditing standards, and a commitment to ethical conduct are essential for auditors to navigate complex audit environments and safeguard stakeholders’ interests.

Book your free demo with us for a better understanding.

You can see how this popup was set up in our step-by-step guide: https://wppopupmaker.com/guides/auto-opening-announcement-popups/

Register and Pay (Accunting)

" * " indicates required fields

[honeypot honeypot-226]

[honeypot honeypot-583]

[honeypot honeypot-836]

Corporate Training for Software + Auditing

Corporate training for auditing, corporate training for software, register and pay.

Reader-oriented report writing for internal auditors

Fresenius medical care.

Fresenius Medical Care (FME) is the world's largest integrated provider of products and services for individuals undergoing dialysis because of chronic kidney failure. The Global Internal Audit (GIA) department supports FME’s operations by ensuring that internal controls are effective throughout the organization and business processes are in line with internal and external standards. This is achieved through recommendations published in reports. These reports need to be clear, concise, consistent - and above all readable.

The client's challenge

The Senior Vice President of GIA knew his auditors needed to be better equipped to write clear, concise, sensitive and readable audit reports. He was also looking to reduce the time required to edit and review the reports he received. He needed a level of professional consistency - but the diverse nationalities, background and experience of the auditors was making this a challenge.

Securing consistency in the Global Internal Audit department

We analyzed anonymized examples of FME’s internal audit reports. These examples were integrated into our seminar training material to ensure relevance and promote learning and transfer. After the seminar the learning continued. Anonymized live reports were sent to the trainer who reviewed them for accuracy and appropriacy of language, style and clarity. This coaching went beyond corrections and their reasons, to include hints and reflections on lessons learned. We then encouraged learner autonomy through self-editing and further coaching for those who needed more direct support.

There were 3 key elements in the seminar:

• Tailored training materials incorporating actual examples from FME reports helped the auditors see what could be improved and what could be achieved..
• A trainer with professional auditing credibility ensured the auditors understood why these improvements were necessary and how language patterns could impact their goals.
• Case studies and individual self-correction showed the auditors how to apply the learning in practice and fly solo.

“...We had an excellent trainer who was familiar with the writing of audit reports. The concept has had a longlasting effect on the precision and uniformity of our reports...” Martin Dreher, Senior Vice President  GIA, FME

Since the training, FME has experienced three benefits:

• The GIA team is better able to efficiently and independently write reports tailored to their readers’ needs.
• The Senior Vice President spends less time reviewing and editing reports before they are distributed.
• And ultimately, the department now delivers more consistent, readable reports that add even greater value to FME.

Let's talk training solutions!

By using this site you agree to our use of cookies. Please refer to our privacy policy for more information.   Close

Report writing for auditing professionals.

Instructor: Phil Vassallo Product ID: 703814

• Duration: 90 Min

RECORDED TRAINING

Customer Care

Fax: +1-650-362-2367

Email: [email protected]

Read Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should You Attend:

The art of audit report writing demands far more than simply listing the four elements of a finding–criteria, condition, cause, and effect. Adding the fifth element, the recommendation, may still be insufficient. This boilerplate approach to writing can threaten independent, critical thinking and undermine the entire audit process, ultimately tarnishing the credibility of the auditor.

This highly specialized webinar will offer a deep and useful toolbox of techniques that auditors can use when noting audit observations, drafting objective work papers, and composing well-structured, detailed, and fluent audit reports. The program will begin with a case study to illustrate each element of an audit checklist with a close focus on objective reporting. It will then uncover problems of ensuring validity and reliability of findings and determining root cause.

The webinar will drill down to a deeper level to organize audit content based on time-tested principles of structure. The session will also cover the two pillars of writing style: syntax (word order) and diction (word choice)—each of which poses numerous pitfalls that can compromise the integrity and objectivity of an audit report. Reviewing understandable, pertinent examples from various auditing disciplines, attendees will learn how to remedy the greatest roadblocks to clear thinking through writing and cultivate a convincing, authoritative style.

Learning Objectives:

• Draft work papers thoroughly based on objective observations
• Create a department-specific template to facilitate the writing process
• Organize audit points for greater impact
• Edit audit points for a clear, concise vocabulary for documenting audit reports

Areas Covered in the Webinar:

Determining factors affecting the validity and reliability of a finding

Assessing the appropriate level of detail, creating a department-specific template to facilitate the writing process, drafting work papers based on objective observations, employing formatting devices to improve the visual appeal of an audit report, choosing fluent sentence structure to illuminate ideas, developing a precise, clear, concise vocabulary for documenting audit reports.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What are the usual expectations for report length. subjects covered, and the time spent writing the report?
• Can a finding be valid without being reliable and vice-versa?
• Is a 26-line paragraph about 4 or 5 causes too long even if it is well organized?

Who Will Benefit:

• Cost auditors
• External auditors
• Forensic auditors
• Internal auditors
• Consultant auditors

Philip Vassallo, Ed.D., has designed, delivered, and supervised communication training programs for more than 20,000 executive, managerial, supervisory, administrative, and technical professionals internationally over the past three decades. Dr. Vassallo is the author of the books How to Write Fast Under Pressure, The Art of E-Mail Writing, and The Art of On-the-Job Writing. He has edited major reports for the US government, City of New York, and the corporate world. He also writes the blog Words on the Line, which offers practical tips for developing writers. He has taught internationally, currently as a faculty member of the Beijing International MBA program.

Topic Background:

The Code of Ethics of the Institute of Internal Auditors holds the principles of integrity, objectivity, confidentiality, and competency as the cornerstones of credible internal audits. Auditors can find abundant resources to ensure that their audit process meets those standards consistent with regulatory requirements and that they represent the auditee’s best interests. However, certifying compliance does not occur merely at the point of observation but in the writing that emerges from it. Numerous challenges lie ahead for auditors when composing an audit report. They want to ensure that they clearly articulate a comprehensive review process, valid and reliable criteria, conditions logically linked to causes, relevant and risks, and beneficial recommendations-all with an objective style.

More Training By Experts

• Business Writing for Financial Professionals
• Quality Writing for Technical Communicators
• Writing High-Impact Executive Summaries
• Writing Effective Email
• Creating Powerful PowerPoint Decks

Refund Policy

Our refund policy is governed by individual products and services refund policy mentioned against each of offerings. However in absence of specific refund policy of an offering below refund policy will be effective. Registrants may cancel up to two working days prior to the course start date and will receive a letter of credit to be used towards a future course up to one year from date of issuance. ComplianceOnline would process/provide refund if the Live Webinar has been cancelled. The attendee could choose between the recorded version of the webinar or refund for any cancelled webinar. Refunds will not be given to participants who do not show up for the webinar. On-Demand Recordings can be requested in exchange. Webinar may be cancelled due to lack of enrolment or unavoidable factors. Registrants will be notified 24hours in advance if a cancellation occurs. Substitutions can happen any time. On-Demand Recording purchases will not be refunded as it is available for immediate streaming. However if you are not able to view the webinar or you have any concern about the content of the webinar please contact us at below email or by call mentioning your feedback for resolution of the matter. We respect feedback/opinions of our customers which enables us to improve our products and services. To contact us please email [email protected] call +1-888-717-2436 (Toll Free).

+1-888-717-2436

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

6201 America Center Drive Suite 240, San Jose, CA 95002, USA

PAYMENT METHOD: 100% Secure Transaction

Accounting and Business Consultants, LLC | 800-930-2923

Case Studies

Case study #1, sox compliance – auditing expertise and resources provided to a pharmaceutical company.

An SEC-registered pharmaceutical public company and large accelerated filer with revenue increases from approximately $150 million to $600 million in 3 years required additional internal auditing expertise and resources to meet new and changing compliance and internal control requirements. READ FULL STUDY >>

Case Study #2

Merger and sap implementation – accounting expertise, resources and an interim controller required by an electronic material manufacturer in the electronics industry.

A manufacturing company with significant revenue growth over several years and approximately $500 million in revenue was implementing an SAP system and required additional accounting resources and an interim controller during the implementation project and after.  READ FULL STUDY >>

Case Study #3

Sap implementation – accounting resource and project management leadership for a medical imaging products manufacturer .

A privately held US manufacturing company of medical imaging products with approximately $1 billion in revenue with offices in Delaware, Europe, Australia and Japan was implementing SAP and required an interim management resource to assist with the FI module configuration and testing and with project management of the implementation and training efforts in Sydney, Australia.  READ FULL STUDY >>

Case Study #4

Internal controls expertise, training and project planning for an oil company.

An African oil company with approximately $12 billion in revenue and multiple subsidiaries wanted to provide in-house training to approximately 50 key accounting and audit executives and managers. The Company also required assistance developing a Company-wide internal control project implementation plan.  READ FULL STUDY >>

Case Study #5

Outsourced sox compliance and internal audit expertise for a real estate management company.

An SEC-registered real estate public company with approximately $15 million in revenue required outsourced internal auditing expertise to handle all compliance and internal control requirements. The company had limited accounting personnel and required best practices in implementing COSO and control monitoring solutions.  READ FULL STUDY >>

Case Study #6

Implementation of it policies, procedures, and controls for a pharmaceutical manufacturing company.

A public company in the pharmaceutical industry experienced significant growth over several years and required enhanced IT policies and procedures and adoption of a security and availability controls framework.  READ FULL STUDY >>

Case Study #7

Soc 2 audit for an it managed services provider.

A large customer of an IT service organization providing outsourced managed services required an SOC 2 audit. READ FULL STUDY >>

Case Study #8

It sox controls documentation for european pharmaceutical company.

A large privately owned European pharmaceutical company with over $3 billion in revenue and limited experience with SOX compliance in the USA required audit expertise to document IT controls relative to IT operations for a division being purchased by a US company. READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #9

Reconciliation project leadership, expertise and resources provided to a nationwide bank.

A large public company financial institution with over $11 billion in assets and approximately $800 million in revenue had a breakdown in reconciliation procedures for automated processing of transactions by an outsourced processor. The Bank required expertise and resources to resolve control weaknesses and investigate unreconciled prior year processing errors and irregularities.  READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #10

Sox and internal control project management leadership and resources provided to an energy company.

A large public energy company with $6 billion in revenue and multiple subsidiaries was required to document and implement internal controls throughout the company and at various locations for Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) requirements.  READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #11

Audit expertise and resource for a regional water company.

A local public water company, with $77 million in revenue and $431 million in assets, acquired property and certain equipment pursuant to an acquisition agreement with a local municipality. Management required an independent auditor to perform steps to ensure certain aspects of the agreement were adhered to and reports provided were reliable.  READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #12

Compliance assistance and resource provided to a world wide bank operating in delaware.

A worldwide bank with operations in Delaware required assistance with strategic planning and research efforts relating to compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). The Delaware bank has assets approximating $28 billion and interest and other revenue of $2.8 million.  READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #13

Outsourced sox services provided to an sec public company.

An SEC-registered public company on the verge of bankruptcy required outsourced internal auditing expertise to handle all compliance and internal control requirements. The company had limited resources and accounting personnel and required an efficient approach to ongoing Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) Compliance efforts.  READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #14

Document procedures, risks and controls for a manufacturing division of a large public company. assist with accounting for carve out transaction.

A large public company helicopter manufacturing division with limited accounting and compliance personnel was required by its corporate headquarters to document procedures for business processes and to identify financial reporting risks and controls in those processes. At the same time, management required assistance in carving out a line of business for a sale transaction.  READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #15

Special projects and reconciliation specialist for a nationwide bank.

A large public company financial institution required an audit and reconciliation specialist to lead various special projects and reconciliation efforts throughout the bank.  READ FULL STUDY

Case Study #16

Provided internal controls expertise, leadership, and resources to a full solution security services company.

A public company and nationwide provider of full solution security services and revenue approximating $140 million required expertise, leadership and resources to implement the May 2013 COSO Framework, assist the company in documenting its risk assessment, enhance business process documentation and controls, including IT and entity level controls, and to assist in developing ongoing monitoring plans and separate evaluations. READ FULL STUDY

Contact Us Now

Send a message through our website and we'll be in touch soon.

Contact Us »

SEND US A FILE

Use our secure file sharing system to safely send us your files

Send File »

CLIENT CASE STUDIES

We've helped many businesses just like yours with controls and compliance.

Learn More »

Yearend Internal Auditing: Case Study Example

Audit case study: introduction.

Auditing is the process of examining the financial statements of an organization, correcting errors, and eliminating possible cases of fraud. The auditing process is a core activity that enables a company to control its internal activities in an efficient manner. Through auditing, most companies are able to achieve their business goals and objectives (Wang & Tuttle 2009).

Several critics have risen concerning the auditing process. While some businesspersons find it worthwhile to invest in the auditing exercise, some find the auditing exercise unworthy.

In this case, we have the XYZ Ltd Company; a pharmaceutical manufacturing company that was formed because of the splitting of the parent company, ABC Ltd. XYZ Ltd is the smaller of the two newly formed companies and the previous sales manager of the parent company is the Managing Director.

The managing director does not find it worthwhile for the small company to carry out yearend audits. According to him, yearend auditing is an unnecessary exercise that will only increase the expenses of the company without necessarily adding value to the business.

This paper will give a stringent analysis of the newly formed XYZ Company and determine if indeed there is a need to carry out yearend auditing. The paper will also give a detailed discussion of the pros and cons of appointing the same auditors of the parent company to audit XYZ Ltd.

Lastly the paper will give an overview of the audit rotation exercise, its advantages and disadvantages. From the discussions, the paper will give decisive conclusions and recommendations that would enable the XYZ Company’s managers to make a worthwhile decision concerning the auditing process.

Overview of the newly formed XYZ Company

As indicated, XYZ Ltd Company formulated because of the splitting of the parent company. According to the previous descriptions, XYZ Ltd Company is a private limited company that is not legally obliged to have an audit (Hodgdon et al. 2009).

This is because the company Act only obliges state owned companies and public limited companies to have audited financial records, whereas, the smaller companies voluntarily choose to have auditors examining their financial statements. However, although having an audit is not a mandatory requirement for XYZ Ltd, the auditing exercise would add some tangible value to the company.

Value of auditing to XYZ Ltd

Detection and prevention of fraud.

Fraud is a practice that can make businesses to undergo some massive losses. It is noteworthy that a small company like XYZ has a small operating capital that could diminish drastically if not well managed. Fraud cases such as skimmed payments from customers, cash theft, improper handling of petty cash and misuse of the company’s credit cards are some of the practices that can lead to total failure of a company.

It is quite expensive for a small business like XYZ Ltd to create an internal audit department, however, the company can create a system that checks and controls the financial operations and the company employees. An informal internal audit process would somewhat reduce fraud cases resulting from personal interests (Chi & Huang 2011). It is noteworthy that the parent company would have split due to extreme cases of fraud.

Prevention of fraud through an informal audit exercise would enable the small XYZ Company to prosper and grow into a big multinational company and even surpass the projected turnover of £2.8 million in the first year of trading.

It is important for the company to create a program that would help in monitoring employees and enforce strict rules regarding any employee who is found guilty of committing fraud cases. The establishment of an internal audit would facilitate the above-mentioned practices though a persistent analysis of the company’s operations.

Testing and monitoring of internal controls

An Informal internal audit calls for recurrent analysis of the operations within a company. The habitual analysis enables the company’s operations to occur smoothly, where, the employees are kept on toes to offer the best of services. A small company like XYZ Ltd can employ auditors who would design, modify, and control the internal activities of the company.

Though auditing, the company is able to streamline its activities in a manner that would enable it to achieve its goals and objectives (Holm & Zaman 2012). Essentially, XYZ Ltd is a profit making company that would aim at generating the maximum profits possible.

The auditing exercise would enable the company to keep track of its revenue and expenditure and the gross profits made during a particular financial year. Any form of misappropriation of resources is tracked, where; all the involved stakeholders are made answerable of their actions.

Monitoring the company’s compliance with the company policies

All companies have policies that guide then in their daily operations. In addition to the informal internal exercise, XYZ Ltd Company can employ a formal internal audit policy that works towards ensuring the company eliminates all actions that would expose it to massive losses. A company may have a policy that extends credit to its customers to prevent losses.

An auditing exercise will determine if indeed the company adheres to the policy. Moreover, the auditors will be able to carry out a cost benefit analysis of the credit policy and determine if it is a worthwhile practice. The reports from the auditors will help the decision makers to determine new policies that would work if enforced and identify the old policies to eliminate from the company practices (Deis & Giroux 2006).

An operational audit would examine the financial statements of a business to ensure the business complies with the policies of obtaining maximum efficiency from all business operations.

Monitoring the company’s compliance with the government regulations

The worst thing that can happen to a small business like XYZ Ltd is facing the adverse consequences of failing to adhere to government regulations. An operational audit exercise plays a great role in advising the business managers of all the applicable government regulations (Bon Kim & Yi 2009).

It is though an auditing process that a business would know the legal procedures of tax avoidance. Moreover, the government has strict employment laws that companies ought to follow.

The auditing exercise would advise the management team accordingly on when it should recruit new employees, when to promote or when to fire an incompetent employee. The auditors would advise the management team of the actions that attract fines as well as the procedures to obtain and comply with government regulations.

The exercise of appointing an auditor

The exercise of appointing an auditor may seem very simple, but it is associated with a lot of dilemma. The XYZ Company formed because of the splitting of the parent company.

There is no clear reason as to why the parent company decided to separate the pharmaceutical and optical divisions; however, it would be due to mismanagement reasons. Whatsoever the reason, appointing the same auditors as those of the parent company to audit XYZ Ltd Company is associated with several advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of appointing the same auditors

Massive experience and expertise.

As indicated, the auditors have audited the financial records for the parent company for the past ten years. This is a clear indication that the auditors did some marvelous work that sustained the growth and expansion of the parent company (Jackson, Moldrich & Roebuck 2010). There is a high probability that the parent company had grown too big such that the managers decided to split it for easy management.

The success of the parent company is attributed to the massive experience and the excellent work of the auditors. Similarly, XYZ Ltd Company can appoint the same experienced auditors to audit their financial records.

Appointing the same auditors would be an assurance that the newly formed company would grow and last for the next 10 years or more. XYZ Ltd Company will greatly benefit from the quality services from the expertise of the auditors.

Affordability and efficiency of the auditing services

It is evident that a small business like XYZ Ltd will find it very expensive to obtain new auditors to audit their financial books (Kaplan & Mauldin 2010). The auditors of the parent company may have some compassion with the small company and charge the company some affordable rates for the auditing exercise.

Moreover, the auditors who are already familiar with the financial records of the parent company will give an effective allocation of the amount set aside for the auditing expense to ensure that the company does not run at a loss.

Smooth flow of activities

Bringing in a new set of auditors would somewhat bring in disruptions. If XYZ Ltd Company appoints the same auditors as the parent company, the auditors will put up with the small company easily.

In fact, maintaining the same auditors would enhance their morale to improve their quality of services in the subsequent audits (David & Thomas 2013). The relationship between the auditors and the company would strengthen, and this would make the auditors to work hard to ensure their auditing work brings in some mutual benefit to all the company stakeholders.

Disadvantages of appointing the same auditors

Possibility of recurring previous mistakes.

From a business point of view, an esteemed company cannot decide to separate its operations for any good reasons. There is a very high probability that the company decided to do so because it began experiencing some massive losses because of vague auditing processes.

If truly this is the reason behind the splitting of the company, it means that the auditors played a critical role in bringing down the parent company. Therefore appointing the same auditors will pose the way to recurring the previous mistakes. In the end, the XYZ Ltd Company would also face the same problem and it may end up collapsing.

Lack of the point of comparison and evaluation

It is always advisable for companies to evaluate and compare the services offered by a particular company stakeholder. If XYZ Ltd Company uses the same auditors as the parent company, it may not be able to evaluate the efficiency of the services. While the auditors may appear to offer quality services, it would be worthwhile to have a change that would formulate a point of comparison.

Probably, the new auditors would reveal fraud cases that the usual auditors would not depict. In essence, appointing the same auditors as those of the parent company will blindfold the XYZ Company and it may not be able to gauge the quality of the auditing services (Kramer et al. 2011).

Audit rotation

The exercise of changing auditors has often raised eyebrows amongst businesspeople. While some businesspersons regard audit rotation as a worthwhile practice, some of them regard the exercise as unworthy as it only encourages businesses to doubt the competence of auditors. Despite the different perceptions, audit rotation is associated with various advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of audit rotation

Increased perfection.

It is evident that there is no perfect human being; therefore, a different set of eyes on a company’s financial record would detect an error that the preceding auditors could not detect. In fact, for publicly held companies, audit rotation is done every five years, and private limited companies can employ the same practice to obtain quality audit services.

The exercise helps in identifying and eliminating intentional and non-intentional errors (Daniels & Booker 2011). Companies that embrace audit rotation will be at a safe position, as they would provide clear records of their financial statements to the bank and to the funders.

Decreased fraud and increased impartiality

Some auditors within a given audit firm may collaborate with the financial managers of a given company to “steal” from the company. Audit rotation plays a significant role in ending such cases because not all auditors would comply with such evil deals.

The shortened period of auditing will not allow audit firms to create close relationships with the management, an action that may have a negative impact on the performance of the auditors.

Audit rotation enhances the provision of impartial services by audit firms as they are obligated to rotate the auditors within the firm (Chi et al. 2009). In essence, the audit rotation exercise plays a critical role in increasing impartiality for all the stakeholders of the company.

Disadvantages of audit rotation

Disruption of the company’s activities.

It is evident that audit rotation, especially if it involves changing the auditing firm would have adverse consequences on the company’s activities. Different audit firms will come up with different advisories to the management team and the company’s activities may be disrupted from one time to another (Bates et al. 2012).

Moreover, audit rotation does not allow the development of a long-term relationship between the company and the auditors, which is very important for the delivery of efficient services.

Destroyed reputation of the company

Some companies have had a tendency of frequently changing the auditing firms. The practice of changing audit firms too often would depict a negative picture of the firm. Investors would shy away from such firms, as they would perceive them as incompetent because they only do “auditor shopping” and expect better results instead of working of their performance.

In essence, audit rotation would bring out misconceptions about a profit making organization like XYZ Ltd Company.

Increased risk of audit failure

It is evident that every time a new audit firm is appointed to carry out the auditing exercise, the firm requires some time to comprehend the company’s books of accounts. The audit firm fully understands the rules of the game of how to audit the firms accounting books when its term is almost over.

The administrative will have to invest time to evaluate the subsequent audit firm and the whole exercise is not only expensive, but it also increases the chances of failure of the auditing exercise by the new audit firm (Daugherty et al. 2013).

Audit Case Study: Conclusion

From the discussions, it is evident that auditing is a very essential exercise in any organization. Auditing enables companies to have a clear outlay of the company’s activities. Though auditing, a company can easily depict fraud cases and address them accordingly. From the discussions, it is evident that the decision on whether to maintain auditors or to employ an audit rotation depends on their performance.

If, for example, the auditors of the parent company, ABC Ltd Company, were not competent, the newly formed XYZ Ltd Company may need to appoint a new auditor to audit the financial books. Secondly, if the new set of auditors do not display their competence after a couple of years, an audit rotation will be essential (Peecher, Schwartz & Solomon 2011).

In essence, every decision made is associated with advantages and disadvantages. The company managers are obliged to make decisive decisions about the auditing process. There should be strong reasons behind any form of changes in the auditing process.

Both the internal and external auditors have a great role in maintaining efficient and reliable financial reports. The auditors should be in a position to give a detailed explanation of every figure that appears in the financial records.

The directing managers should only take the role of the overseers who should only come in whenever there are suspicions of fraud cases. All scandals relating to the books of accounts are handled in a professional manner without downsizing the involved stakeholders.

Bates, HL, Waldrup, BE, Jaeger, DG & Shea, V 2012, ‘Issues with mandatory audit firm rotation’, Journal of Business and Accounting, vol. 5, no. 1, pp. 70-75.

Bon Kim, J, & Yi, CH 2009, ‘Does auditor designation by the regulatory authority improve audit quality? Evidence from Korea’, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy , vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 207-230.

Chi, W & Huang, H 2011, ‘Discretionary accruals, audit-firm tenure and audit-partner tenure: empirical evidence from Taiwan’, Journal of Contemporary Accounting & Economics , vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 65-92.

Chi, W, Huang, H, Liao, Y, & Xie, H 2009, ‘Mandatory audit partner rotation, audit quality, and market perception: evidence from Taiwan’, Contemporary Accounting Research, vol. 26, no. 2, pp. 359-391.

Daniels, W & Booker, Q 2011, ‘The effects of audit firm rotation on perceived auditor independence and audit quality’, Research in Accounting Regulation , vol. 23, no. 1, pp. 78-82.

Daugherty, B, Dickins, D, Hatfield, R, & Higgs, J 2013, ‘Mandatory audit partner rotation: perceptions of audit quality consequences’, Current Issues in Auditing , vol.7, no.1, pp. 30-35.

David SJ &Thomas, EV 2013, ‘Audit firm rotation and audit quality: evidence from academic research’, Accounting Research Journal , vol. 26, no.1, pp.75-84.

Deis, DR, & Giroux, G 2006, ‘The effect of auditor changes on audit fees, audit hours, and audit quality’, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy , vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 55-76.

Hodgdon, C, Tondkar, RH, Adhikari, A & Harless DW 2009, ‘Compliance with international financial reporting standards and auditor choice: new evidence on the importance of the statutory audit’, The International Journal of Accounting , vol. 44, no.1, pp. 33-55.

Holm, C & Zaman M 2012, ‘Regulating audit quality: restoring trust and legitimacy’, Accounting Forum , vol. 36, no. 1, pp. 51-61.

Jackson, AB, Moldrich, M & Roebuck, P 2010, ‘Mandatory audit firm rotation and audit quality’, Managerial Auditing Journal, vol. 23, no. 5, pp. 420-437.

Kaplan, SE & Mauldin EG 2010, ‘Auditor rotation and the appearance of independence: evidence from non-professional investors’, Journal of Accounting and Public Policy , vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 177–192.

Kramer, ST, Georgakopoulos, G, Sotiropoulos, N & Vasileiou, KZ 2011, ‘Audit firm rotation, audit firm tenure and earnings conservatism’, International Journal of Business and Management, vol. 6, no. 8, pp. 44-57.

Peecher, ME, Schwartz, R & Solomon, R 2011, ‘It is all about audit quality: perspectives on strategic-systems auditing’, Accounting, Organizations and Society , vol. 32, no. 5, pp. 463-485.

Wang, KJ & Tuttle, BM 2009, ‘The impact of auditor rotation on auditor-client negotiation’, Accounting, Organizations and Society , vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 222–243.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, February 18). Yearend Internal Auditing: Case Study Example. https://ivypanda.com/essays/auditing-case-study-report/

"Yearend Internal Auditing: Case Study Example." IvyPanda , 18 Feb. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/auditing-case-study-report/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Yearend Internal Auditing: Case Study Example'. 18 February.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Yearend Internal Auditing: Case Study Example." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/auditing-case-study-report/.

1. IvyPanda . "Yearend Internal Auditing: Case Study Example." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/auditing-case-study-report/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Yearend Internal Auditing: Case Study Example." February 18, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/auditing-case-study-report/.

• Best Buy Co., INC. Company Analysis
• Strategic Lens and Prioritization
• Frontline PR: Health Savings Account
• Analysis of Reward Policy in the Digital Age
• Government Accounting Purpose and Implementation
• Financial Position of AT&T Through Downsizing
• On Owning a Business Producing Price-Elastic Goods
• National Bank and Trust Company: Human Resource Needs
• XYZ Company
• The XYZ Family
• Ameribank and Online Banking
• Financial Meltdown of 2008
• An Investigation of the Sustainable Benefits of Agency Banking in Kenya
• Starting a Painting Business
• Policies in Canada to Enhance Economics

• 0 items $0.00

Date/Time Date(s) - 23/11/2021 - 25/11/2021 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

About this course:

Course introduction.

Persuasive communication is an essential skill for auditors at all levels, and high-quality audit reports are a key communication tool. By participating in this course, auditors in all sectors and at all levels will learn what goes into an effective audit observation and how to organize reports that meet professional standards, elicit management action, and communicate crucial messages to executives and board-level readers. By honing these skills, they can distinguish themselves in their current positions and prepare themselves for advancement. This is a hands-on course that focuses on the organization and structure of audit reports, and includes case study activities for practicing the basics of audit report writing.

Course Schedule

• Day 1: 08:00 – 12:00
• Day 2: 08:00 – 12:00
• Day 3: 08:00 – 12:00

Course Outline

The Audit-Report Writing Task

• Recognize the criteria for, and importance of, writing audit reports.
• Explain why audit reports are written.
• List the readers of your reports.
• Describe how readers use the reports.
• Describe limitations placed on your reports and on yourself as a report writer.

Components of Audit Observations

• Complete the five components of an audit observation.
• Identify types of criteria.
• Create condition summaries.
• Determine levels of cause.
• Determine levels of effect (or consequence).
• Create recommendations and action plans.
• List the components of audit observations.

Audit Report Structure

• Construct an audit report.
• Evaluate the importance of the various sections included in audit reports.
• Apply one of the four formats to write an audit Observation.
• Distinguish the advantages and disadvantages of different report formats.

Quality of Reporting

• Develop reports that are accurate, objective, clear, concise, constructive, complete, and timely.
• Develop coherence.
• Practice objectivity.
• Ensure sentence clarity.
• Rephrase technical terminology.
• Write with readability and conciseness.

CPE Credits: 12

Level: intermediate, field of study: communication, advance preparation: none, delivery format: online.

Bookings are closed for this event.

The UAE IAA reserves the right to amend the Terms & Conditions at any time without prior notice.

While the UAE Internal Audit Association and its staff make every effort to observe and maintain the schedule of every training course as set forth in the organization’s training schedule, under certain circumstances that are out of our control we might feel obligated to cancel and/or reschedule any training course or event. Under these circumstances, our training department will forward all registrants to the next available schedule for the same course. The individual participant or the sponsoring organization will have the ability to request a different schedule for the same course or a different course within the same calendar year.

Number of Attendees:

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

• Policy and research
• Career Pathway
• Training and events
• Audit & Risk
• Communities
• Technical blog
• Technical skills
• Interpersonal skills
• How to audit
• Internal audit leadership
• Risk management
• Control and regulatory compliance
• Sector-specific standards and guidance
• Global insights
• Ask the resources team
• Global Internal Audit Standards 2024

• You are in:
• Technical guidance
• Delivering internal audit
• Effective Report Writing

This page is for members and subscribers only

IIA Membership login is currently disabled.

In the meantime, if you urgently need access to a piece of guidance, please contact  [email protected]  and we'll email you a copy.

If you have any membership queries, please call  020 7498 0101

Sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.

Please log in

If you're a member of the Chartered IIA, or a subscriber to our Audit Committee Service, please enter your username and password at the top of the page to access your exclusive content. 

Forgotten your username or password?

If you have any problems logging in, please contact us on 020 7498 0101.

Not a member? Why not join us?

When you become a member of the Chartered IIA you'll receive support and guidance on every aspect of internal auditing. You'll get access to all of our technical guidance, exclusive features, news and webinars, plus a host of other membership benefits.

Find out more about membership

• What is internal audit?
• Join the Chartered IIA
• Audit & Risk Magazine
• Jobs in internal audit
• Regional network
• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy

Report writing course for Internal Auditors

• COURSE NAME
• 22 Jan – 26 Jan 2024
• Kisumu-Kenya

Introduction:

The success of an audit project is usually measured by its primary output: the internal audit report. Hence, it is essential that the report is easy to read, compelling and authoritative. If the report influences a reader to think differently or take action, it has met its purpose.  This programme will help internal auditors learn what goes into an effective audit observation and how to organise reports that meet professional standards, elicit management action, and communicate crucial messages to auditee, senior and executive management and board-level readers. Participants will learn to produce reports that have impact and add value to the decision making within their organisation

This is a hands-on course that focuses on the organization and structure of audit reports, and includes case study activities for practicing the basics of audit report writing.

Course Objectives

• Develop a collaborative approach while completing the audit
• Enhance your communication skills
• Focus on core findings to maximize outcomes
• Focus on strategic organizational risks while reporting
• Add value for your organization and for the auditee

I have really enjoyed the training sessions and the services of ARAMI. Thank you.

Habuwera Charles

…Thank you, excellent presentation of course…

Langat K. Charles

Instructor could answer any question… would gladly recommend strongly.

Febby Chileshe

Interim report

The Cass Review has submitted an interim report to NHS England, which sets out our work to date, what has been learnt so far and the approach going forward. The report does not set out final recommendations at this stage.

At present there is a single specialist service providing gender identity services for children and young people – the Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS) at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.

In recent years GIDS has experienced a significant increase in referrals which has contributed to long waiting lists and growing concern about how the NHS should most appropriately assess, diagnose and care for this population of children and young people.

Key points – context

• The rapid increase in the number of children requiring support and the complex case-mix means that the current clinical model, with a single national provider, is not sustainable in the longer term. 
•  We need to know more about the population being referred and outcomes. There has not been routine and consistent data collection, which means it is not possible to accurately track the outcomes and pathways that children and young people take through the service.  
•  There is lack of consensus and open discussion about the nature of gender dysphoria and therefore about the appropriate clinical response. 
•  Because the specialist service has evolved rapidly and organically in response to demand, the clinical approach and overall service design has not been subjected to some of the normal quality controls that are typically applied when new or innovative treatments are introduced.   

Key points – moving forward

• Children and young people with gender incongruence or dysphoria must receive the same standards of clinical care, assessment and treatment as every other child or young person accessing health services.  
• The care of this group of children and young people is everyone’s business. Our initial work indicates that clinicians at all levels feel they have the transferable skills and commitment to support these children and young people, but there needs to be agreement and guidance about the appropriate clinical assessment process that should take place at primary, secondary and tertiary level, underpinned by better data and evidence.  
• Addressing the challenges will require service transformation, with support offered at different levels of the health service.
• The Review’s research programme will not just build the evidence base in the UK but will also contribute to the global evidence base, meaning that young people, their families, carers and the clinicians supporting them can make more informed decisions about the right path for them.    

A fundamentally different service model is needed which is more in line with other paediatric provision, to provide timely and appropriate care for children and young people needing support around their gender identity. This must include support for any other clinical presentations that they may have.

It is essential that these children and young people can access the same level of psychological and social support as any other child or young person in distress, from their first encounter with the NHS and at every level within the service.

The Review team will work with NHS England, providers and the broader stakeholder community to further define the service model and workforce implications.

At this stage the Review is not able to provide advice on the use of hormone treatments due to gaps in the evidence base. Recommendations will be developed as our research programme progresses.

• Download the Interim report

In this section