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Using Microsoft Access for Data Analysis and Interrogation
By Mark J. Nigrini Ph.D.
Book Review
by Jim Kaplan
Auditors in the 21st century must deal with greater volumes of data than ever before. As much of that data is in electronic or digital format, auditors must therefore rely on sophisticated tools and techniques for testing and evaluating evidence. Medium and large audit shops rely on tools such as I.D.E.A. and ACL for data extraction and analysis. Many audit shops however do not use software for data extraction and analysis either because of budget constraints or non-availability of technical auditors. These auditors, and others, regardless of organization size or location may be overlooking a free tool currently residing on their computers, for performing some data analysis testing. Many organizations purchased and installed Microsoft's Professional Office Suite, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access. Auditors routinely utilize the first three of these tools and pay little attention to Microsoft Access, the Office Suite's database application. Mark Nigrini, in his latest book Using Microsoft Access for Data Analysis and Interrogation may change all that.
The author describes sixteen data analysis tests and provides the information on how to run these tests in Microsoft Access. The book is divided into three parts. The first three chapters review the theory and practical issues of data analysis and Access's architecture. The fourth chapter provides an overview of basic data analysis routines using Access. Chapters 5 through 13 discuss the tests and show how to do them in Access using a database that can be downloaded from the author's Web site.
The chapters covering the tests include (1) basic digit tests, (2) number duplication, (3) last two digits and round numbers, (4) largest subsets and all numbers equal, (5) relative size, duplicate records and same-same-different, (6) audit sampling and (7) histogram, duplicates gaps and aging. Not only does Mr. Nigrini walk you through each of the tests using narrative and screen shot illustrations, but he also adds practical examples of how auditors used these tests in audits.
While I had never used Microsoft Access before, I was able to follow the instructions and run all the routines using the test data. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I now comfortable working with Access but I could see the benefits of using it for data analysis and interrogation. Once again, Mark Nigrini has demonstrated to auditors how we can use available tools for performing digital data analysis.
The preface of the book, table of contents and ordering information for this book are available at www.nigrini.com/data_analysis_books/data_analysis_using_access.htm
Site with articles on Benford’s Law and Digital Analysis: http://www.auditsoftware.net