What Are the Top Mistakes that Companies Make in Auditing?

IC_Morepost_What are the Top Mistakes that in Auditing In a auditing scenario, when an organizations seeks for compliance to organisational certification standards, they rely on the good judgment of auditors. Most of the time that’s fine, but sometimes auditors pick up bad habits and make poor decisions. Audit professionals must have sufficient understanding of the organization’s structure, the goals that they want to achieve, and the different processes that form part of the organization’s day-to-day processes. The most demanding part of the audit is for an auditor to have a deep understanding of the business continuity management (includes business continuity, IT disaster recovery, crisis management and crisis communication) processes and implementation methodology.

1. Routine and Incoherent Reporting

If an auditor lacks the BCM knowledge, at the end of the audit process, auditors must submit a report containing the important details and the outcome of the audit. The report follows a certain standard, including a format and an outline, depending on the nature of the audit. Following such a demanding format often restricts auditors, resulting in monotonous and repetitive reporting which is similar to the typical generic financial and compliance audit.

2. Lack of Investment in Training

It is of utmost importance for auditors and their firms to maintain their qualifications and to keep their knowledge about the latest software and techniques in the industry updated. Failure to do so may result to a lasting damage to your firm’s reputation. Remember that mastering your craft will require more than just avoiding these mistakes, you will also have to learn along the way and continue updating yourself through relevant training.

3. Incorrect Dates Recorded

This is also another mistake seen during a audit is the incorrect dates recorded in the books and documentation. Mistakes in the dates of transactions can occur when businesses don’t record their transactions at the time it takes place. Incorrect mistakes can lead to confusions and major tax filing mistakes. The best way to avoid the date mistakes is to record the transactions as and when they take place. We recommend you to analyze your cash flow and business transactions from time to time and make sure there aren’t any mistakes during the financial audit.

4. Skipping Implementation

Choosing the right auditors ensures you receive quality feedback throughout the process. They should be able to tell you what was right, what was wrong, and why — along with recommendations on how you can improve. Unfortunately, too many organizations skip the last step of implementing those recommendations.

Compliance and auditing are an opportunity for improvement, but you must act on that opportunity. You must implement the recommendations; and that often means educating your staff on how they can improve.

5. Not Realising the BCM Audit Benefits

As all of the information validated during the pre-qualification and audit process is later made available to buyers within your industry, this can bring numerous benefit. By taking your audit preparation seriously, your business is much more likely to thrive. Auditors can give concrete suggestion regarding improvement of business on the basis of their findings in records. in case, business is managed by some agent or representative of the owner, audit helps in knowing the true financial position. Because of the fear of detection, the manager is restrained from committing frauds.

Finally, Be Prepared

Do you panic when you hear the word "AUDIT"? You might think an audit is the last thing your business needs, but they aren’t always bad. Learn what an audit is, what types of audits there are, how they can benefit your business, and more by attending our Audit

Resource

Goh, M. H. (2016). A Manager's Guide to Auditing and Reviewing Your Business Continuity Management Program. Business Continuity Management Series (2nd ed.). Singapore: GMH Pte Ltd.

Extracted from "What Are the Top Mistakes that Companies Make in Auditing?"

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