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Newsletter Redesign Welcome to the new look for the AuditNet newsletter. Hopefully the format and content will meet with your approval. The focus will be to provide you with new information available on the site. If you have suggestions on other ways to improve the look and feel please send your comments to editor@auditnet.org Thanks for your support! Book Review Using Microsoft Access for Data Analysis and Interrogation By Mark J. Nigrini Ph.D. 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. Every auditor has Microsoft Access on their desktop but how many have considered using this bundled software for digital analysis and interrogation? Click here for a review of Mark's latest book. AuditNet Job Listings (& more) Looking for an audit job? Go to AuditNet's Audit Jobs section for the latest job opportunities. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week you have the ability to not only look at available jobs, but you can also post your resume, apply for open jobs, research companies and obtain career advice. If you are in the market for a new job, make AuditNet your first stop to check out what's available. This is just another benefit of using AuditNet as your one stop shop for all your audit and career resources.
CAREER BOOT CAMP FOR AUDITORS Handling the Salary Question by Robbie Miller Kaplan Job seekers find the salary question a tough one to answer. If you ask for too little, you may be hired and paid less than your colleagues. But, if you ask for too much, the answer may knock you out of the running. You can’t use a crystal ball to predict the most appropriate answer but, you can conduct research and plan your response to the inevitable question. Sometimes the salary issue is as easy as answering a question with a question. If you are asked “What are your salary requirements?” counteract with “What is the salary range?” Most organizations hire somewhere between the starting salary and the mid-point. If you can obtain this information, it will give you a solid basis for salary negotiation. If you can’t move beyond this hurdle, click here for 8 tips to help you calculate your worth in the workplace. Each month the AuditNet Resource Newsletter includes a career-related tip from Robbie Miller Kaplan, author of How to Say It in Your Job Search. If you like these tips, check out her books! For more career tips go the Job-Resources Web site at www.job-resources.com CAATT's Proving the
Numbers Reconciliation can be a tedious process, but data accuracy is too important for companies to ignore. Companies make decisions based on the belief that their data is accurate, so all efforts must be put forth to validate the data. With the proliferation of database systems and the variety of source data contained in them, there is an increasing need to validate data to assure consistent, accurate information. However, there are a number of challenges that arise in pursuit of this effort. This article will explore these challenges as well as explain how the two most prevalent reconciliation methods, the Line Grouping Method and the Source Transaction Method, can be used to locate inaccuracies. This article will also explore where and how technology is employed in these efforts. With all of the technology available today, one would assume that software is commonly applied to automate these methods. In reality, many organizations are still using spreadsheets or rudimentary manual paper to perform these reconciliation processes. While the Source Transaction Method can be easily computerized, the Line Grouping Method, which often depends on the unique requirements and processes of the unit being evaluated, is more complicated to automate. Click here for the complete article. AuditNet Resource List Updates Please let us know of links that are not working! AuditNet Statistics For those who like to wade through the details on how popular AuditNet is, click here for the current stats or go to the online WebTrends report. Preview of Coming Attractions! The AuditNet Monograph Series is under development. Useful guides for all levels of auditors from juniors right up to audit directors. If you are interested in developing a monograph on a contract basis, send an email to editor@auditnet.org Watch for a Book review of Financial Shenanigans: How to Detect Accounting Gimmicks & Fraud in Financial Reports by Howard Schilit Software review of Flowcharting 5 from Patton and Patton. AuditNet Feedback "I love this comprehensive site. Thanks so much for helping nurture the profession.. I hope that there will be someone whom you have exposed on how to run the site. Things like this should have a perpetual life." |
The Auditor's Guide to Internet Resources, 2nd Edition! Audit Work Programs Corner Auditors Sharing Audit Programs and Workpapers The following audit programs, ICQs, checklist
or workpapers were added this
month. They are in
Audit Programs in the Queue! The following audit documents will be posted next month. Interested in them now? Send an audit work program, ICQ, checklist or other audit template and receive them via e-mail. Your contribution must include your name and email address.
The Internet paradigm has affected virtually every aspect of business, as we know it. Auditors are adopting new techniques incorporating Internet technology into their jobs. From audit planning right through to the report auditors are incorporating the Internet into the audit process. I have been using the Internet and developing Internet resources for auditors since 1994. In fact this is the 8th anniversary of the AuditNet Resource List. Every month since 1994 I have added, modified or deleted Internet Internet resources from the list. Why did I do it? Because I felt it was needed and it was the right thing to do. The result of that initial distribution is AuditNet which is now visited by over 28,000 auditors every month of which more than 8,000 are prior users. Why do those auditors keep coming back? Because we keep adding new resources and tools and they add value to both individual auditors and audit departments. Each month I will present an article on ways to leverage the Internet for audit productivity based on my experience. I will introduce how others are using Internet and welcome AuditNet users to share your experiences. IF YOU HAVE AN EXPERIENCE TO SHARE ON HOW YOU HAVE INCORPORATED THE INTERNET INTO YOUR AUDIT PROCESS, SHARE IT BY SENDING IT TO editor@auditnet.org. DISASTER
RECOVERY AUDIT & PLANNING: by Sarah Hollins One of the strengths of AuditNet is that it offers
simplicity. It saves reinvention of the wheel via straight forward
solutions. For the rest of the article click here. Software Compliance Audit News Software licenses are now showing what is
perceived as onerous conditions in EULA's from Microsoft. This article
from PCProfile shows some issues regarding "audit
rights" and "survivability" that are creeping into
EULA agreements, not just Microsoft's but other leading vendors.
In some instances the margin for error is 5% The overall document is a significant contribution towards opening up peoples eyes to Software licenses in general and the full page is located here. Audit Street News The results are in and IDEA is the clear winner in all the major software categories in Internal Auditor's Audit Software Usage Survey. Click here for details from Caseware-IDEA Risk Analysis and Management by N.Nagarajan Risk can be defined as any perceived threat or disruption to an ongoing activity. This risk can be broadly categorized in to one due to Management and Organization, Accuracy and completeness, Security, Auditability and timeliness and recoverability. Read the complete article by Mr. Nagarajan Conferences and Seminars Raising the Bar - In Security Management Building on the last several years of highly popular and well attended Security and Privacy events, the Winnipeg Internal Auditors will be delivering a 5 day series of "leading edge" security events - starting on November 4th, 2002. They have organized a comprehensive security conference covering a wide variety of today's hot issues and arranged for a host of very senior and experienced Security Practitioners (to present). Please register early to avoid any disappointment: For conference details |
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