The pandemic has led to remote internal audit processes. This invention was necessary because internal audit firms in Dubai, UAE needed to work remotely, and travel was restricted. It is becoming apparent that they are here to stay.
Remote auditing is not something that everyone is prepared for. Many underestimated the difficulty of switching from on-site to remote auditing. But our experience has shown us that this is not true.
Remote auditing has become a vital part of an internal audit function. Many lessons can be drawn from the past years’ experience and many more. These lessons will be discussed, and strategies for making remote audits more efficient and producing the same results as those on-site will be considered. Visit Farahat and co for more information.
Plan
To be successful in remote audits, you need to plan. These are the essential elements. Key personnel Identifying key personnel can be crucial.
During the scoping phase, you will be provided with a list of key stakeholders. You can identify other people involved in different parts of the project by doing fieldwork.
Because you are always in contact with your team on-site, it is easy. Remote audits in Dubai, UAE can be difficult due to the limited availability of key personnel.
The audit work papers should include a list of all participants in each phase. For validation purposes, this information should be shared with auditors.
Walkthroughs
Walkthroughs should be done during the planning phase. You can walk through the process on-site during the planning phase or fieldwork. Remote audits can also be done during the planning phase to better use your resources. For validation, auditees should be able to see the documentation.
Before submitting an Initial Data Request (IDR), it is important for internal audit service UAE experts to verify with process stakeholders. Standard reviews are also known as Provided By Client (or PBC) lists.
Audit teams have established IDRs. Elements of the required components can have changed due to changes in the audited processes caused by the pandemic.
The walkthrough will link the IDR for non-standard review. Before submission, all stakeholders should approve the IDR. Each audit team should assign one person to fulfill the request. This involves regularly monitoring the progress of the audit team and creating an information repository that is accessible to all members.
Project Timeline
The project schedule must be realistic. Based on all information and available resources, the auditor should be able to create a realistic schedule. Remote audits differ from on-site audits because the auditor team might be involved in multiple projects simultaneously.
When planning an assessment, it is important to consider these activities. The audit director and auditees should review this timeline. This timeline should contain all pertinent information about the project, such as available resources and response times. Status meetings should be held at least once per week to keep everyone updated on project progress.
Before the audit can begin, all tools must be agreed on. Most Dubai, UAE organizations use standard tools for data analysis, file sharing, and video conferencing. The audit team should be familiar with all key features to ensure secure, accurate, and efficient communication throughout the project.
The features that allow video calls are recorded if allowed by company policy. Data extraction tools and security for data sharing (especially sensitive) are also included. The process owners may have access to the data or allow auditors to see it.
Fieldwork
Remote audits require you to identify ways to motivate your team and keep them focused when multiple projects are run simultaneously. Engagement of the team The audit leader should create mechanisms to ensure that the team stays on track. For internal status, it is recommended to have at least one weekly meeting.
The internal audit director should encourage team members to maintain an online version of their audit program every day. They should also keep an issue log in the event of fieldwork results. Potential issues should be discussed with the audit director.
Communication
Project communication should always be open and transparent. Although communication standards should be established for the engagement, team leaders should keep open communications with audit and auditee teams.
This will influence the willingness of auditor personnel to have honest, unscheduled conversations. This is to help the auditor feel more at home in real life.
Status Meetings
All individuals involved in the review must attend status meetings. Status calls must be made well in advance by the lead auditor. The lead internal audit teams should schedule appointments with senior management to discuss the audit’s status and findings.
Any issues that may prevent the assessment from being completed on time must be addressed to avoid delays. Effective meetings require rules of engagement before they can be held. Rules of engagement can be established to determine the length of calls, how they will last, whether off-line discussions will take place, what time evidence must arrive, etc.
Issues
All issues must be communicated clearly and negotiated with the auditor before officially communicating to any other person than the process owner.
This is especially important when multiple people are involved in a process. Remote audits can be challenging because all parties involved must agree on the issue formulation and the management resolution actions.
