|
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
The Art of Assessing IT Controls By Karen Titus, KnowledgeLeader contributing writer
To help internal audit departments manage ongoing challenges, a panel Click here for the rest of the story!
This article was contributed by Protiviti KnowledgeLeader, an online service providing tools, templates, and other resources for internal audit and risk management. Free trials available at www.knowledgeleader.com.
For a limited time KnowledgeLeader memberships are available for the reduced rate of $595 per year. Tell them you heard about it from AuditNet.org. AuditNet® Community Sponsor News!
Thanks to Paisley and TeamMate for sponsoring the newsletter! The AuditNet® community has grown by leaps and bounds thanks to your continued support. Yes it is hard to imagine but it has been more a decade since this community was created! Support AuditNet® by supporting our sponsors. Without sponsor and affiliate advertising and contributions from the AuditNet® community everyone would have to pay for use of this site.
Remember! Clicking on sponsored ads and visiting their sites helps support AuditNet®. Internal Controls Policies and Procedures
On Guard!
by Rose Hightower
Whether you call it creative accounting, accounting
irregularities or accounting missteps, you need to be on guard! “On guard!”
as in finding out about the things that you don’t know. When all's said and
done, it’s those things that you don’t know but you need to know about that
can harm your business.
Read the rest of the On Guard story
Business Q&A Difficult Conversations at Work
author of How to Say it When You Don't Know What to Say: The Right Words For Difficult Times Illness and Death
We’ve all faced a situation at work that’s left us speechless. Your colleague’s baby is diagnosed with a life threatening illness or a client’s spouse is undergoing chemotherapy. It’s one thing to support a friend dealing with a difficult loss but harder to know what to say and do with relationships that lack intimacy. Robbie Miller Kaplan, author of “How to Say it When You Don’t Know What to Say: The Right Words for Difficult Times: Illness & Death,” shares strategies to help you deal with real-life situations.
Here is the Robbie Kaplan Interview
Also see the Comforting Words blog!
Get a Free Resume Analysis! AuditNet Adds a New Career Feature: The Resume Tune-Up.
Nationally recognized resume expert and author of
How to Say it When You Don't Know What to Say: The Right Words For
Difficult Times If you would like your resume to be considered for a tune-up, please e-mail it to Ms. Kaplan. You will be notified by e-mail if your resume is selected. You will need to make yourself available via e-mail to answer a few questions with a tight deadline. Ms. Kaplan will send a critique and suggestions to the individual selected and a summary Resume Tune-Up will appear in the monthly newsletter column. If selected you give AuditNet the right to display your resume for the column. AuditNet® What's New This Month? From the Editor!
AuditNet Breaks 100,000 Registered User Mark!
AuditNet now has over 100,000 registered users with access to the audit program inventory. New registrations continue every day which means that auditors continue to find useful information to help in their day to day tasks. We continue to add new resources each month that provide added value for registered users and subscribers. If you are not a registered user click here to register now. Better yet consider subscribing as that is where the newest resources are available!
Contest: Where in the world is Jim Kaplan? Congratulations to last month's winner for correctly identifying St. Petersburg, Russia. The picture will change periodically so check back for your chance to win free access for a year! Send your answer to WITW.
AuditNet added a new page for compliance auditing. Compliance Central provides links to compliance resources and tools.
AuditNet is working on several initiatives to incorporate audit content into other software applications. One of these applications will offer Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions to requirement management. AuditNet has always supported new solutions and has encouraged start ups and other software vendors to enhance their products for both the mainstream as well as the small internal audit functions. We will continue to seek out opportunities that offer the global audit community new ways of doing business.
In conjunction with the Linkedin Professional Audit Information Networking (PAIN) Group established in December 2007 (and now numbering almost 2,000 professionals) we added a mapping application that demonstrates where AuditNet users live and work. The PAIN group provides an opportunity to tap into a global network of auditors. To add yourself to the map click here. To join the PAIN group click here.
AUDITNET® SURVEYS New Survey for Government Auditors
There have been a number of surveys conducted to determine the nature of auditing in government. While working in a local school district I conducted a survey of the 100 largest school districts to benchmark public school auditors. This survey looks at government auditors concentrating on size of staff, standards followed, reporting structure and more. If you work as a government auditor please help us by completing the survey. If you have contacts that are not AuditNet users please forward the survey link to them as well so we can get as large a response as possible.
Sarbanes-Oxley and Internal Audit: A SurveyRecently Ask the Auditor received an excellent question relating to the correlation between establishing an internal audit function and Sarbanes-Oxley. This prompted us to prepare a survey and gather information that could help answer the question. The Sarbanes-Oxley Internal Audit survey summary is now available. The link to the complete survey results is also accessible below. Previous Surveys
Sarbanes-Oxley and Internal Audit
Pay by Phone or FAX AuditNet is now set up to accept credit card payments for subscriptions by phone or fax. If you are interested in this option click here! Writing for AuditNet? AuditNet Editorial Guidelines Based on the number of articles being contributed to AuditNet we have developed editorial guidelines for future submissions. If you are planning to write an article please review the guidelines before submission. We appreciate receiving material from the global audit community in the interest of sharing knowledge. We are also in the process of guidelines for book reviews and other material submitted for inclusion on AuditNet. Get Audit Related Books Free! Interested in developing your writing skills with having access to the latest audit and business related books? AuditNet is looking for auditors that would like to review books for the benefit of the audit community. This is an excellent way to build your professional publication library and provide a valuable service for AuditNet users. A list of available books will be provided on request. For the guidelines click here. New Benefits of Registration AuditNet receives many questions on what kind of audit related information is available on the Internet and where to find it. As a result of my research to find the answers to those questions I discover value added resources that are useful for auditors. In the past these resources would have been added to the AuditNet Links Page (aka KARL). To provide an incentive for auditors to register on AuditNet I will begin loading these links to a special page that is only available to registered users. Also expect more resources to transition to the registered users area.
AuditNet continues to forge new relationships with professional associations and audit and accounting sites to provide auditors with access to audit work programs.
Group Access to AuditNet Audit Programs.
Join the other groups such as CCH TeamMate, Protiviti KnowledgeLeader and the Association of Healthcare Internal Auditors that have access to all of the AuditNetNet audit programs.
If you want your group or professional association (IIA, ISACA, ACFE, ACUA, ACUIA etc) to have transparent access to AuditNet audit programs and other content as a benefit of membership contact your professional association official or group leader and ask them to pursue this with AuditNet. Fraud News Feed Go to the AuditNet Fraud Resource Center and check out the fraud news feed to keep up to date with media reported fraud happenings. Audit Programs The audit programs section of AuditNet requires registration in order to access. Beginning in January 2009 there will be a fee (TBD) to access the Level 1 audit programs. There will also be an increase (TBD) in Level 2 or premium content subscriptions. The rates will be announced at a later date. New audit program contributions are available only to paid subscribers or on a one-for-one exchange basis. There are currently over 100,000 registered users. A multi-user subscription rate is also available. Organizations that need more than 2 staff members accessing the service will benefit from this option. There are new additions to the premium audit programs each month that are available as an alternative for those auditors that are unable to or choose not to contribute material to AuditNet®. Site licenses are also available for organizations with more than 15 users. The best way to find all the resources on the site is by going to the AuditNet Library or use the site search. IIA Technology Audit Guide Series
Each Global Technology Audit Guide (GTAG) is written in straightforward business language to address timely issues related to information technology management, control, or security. GTAG is a ready resource series for chief audit executives to use in the education of members of the board and audit committee, management, process owners, and others regarding technology-associated risks and recommended practices.
|
||||||
Interview
with Robbie Miller Kaplan 
,
Robbie Miller Kaplan will select one auditor resume each month and
suggest ways to transform the resume from passable to powerful. 
|
In a mere two decades, the ACFE has produced a grass-roots, anti-fraud
movement that's just getting started.
Joseph Wells and Jim Ratley sat in chairs on the wide porch of the Victorian house that served as their office in Austin, Texas. As they enjoyed the morning breeze in the spring of 1988, they talked about Wells & Associates, their successful financial investigative firm. Then Wells told Ratley he'd like to do something that had never been done. |
This article is from Fraud Magazine, the professional magazine
of the Association of Certified Fraud
Examiners
ACFE FraudInfo Newsletter click here!
What's Ahead?
AuditNet will be changing the subscription rates for individual subscribers and implementing fees for access to the audit programs starting in 2009. You can lock in the current subscription rate for next year by renewing before December 31, 2008. The new rate schedule will be announced by November 1, 2008.
AuditNet continues working on building a benchmarking network of resources for the internal audit community. Watch for new links and resources as well as opportunities to benchmark your audit function against others as well as tap into benchmarking and best practices resources and sites. There is a great deal of interest in this type of tool so stay tuned for updates!
AuditNet is working with professional associations to provide access to the audit program inventory. Stay tuned!
The AuditNet Monograph Series provides useful guides for all levels of auditors from juniors right up to audit directors. As soon as I can make some time I will be working on new guides for Sarbanes-Oxley, internal controls and Internet for auditors and other relevant subjects. These guides will be available to registered subscribers. If you are interested in developing a monograph on a contract basis, contact us.
Watch for new articles on Sarbanes-Oxley, Information Security, Software Auditing, CAATTs, DATTA and more from contributors. Reviews are in the works for more books. Watch the newsletter for more products, services and tools for auditors. Have an idea for a column? Contact us.
AuditNet® continues adding new specialized resources for auditors. Watch the newsletter and keep checking the Library page for updates and new resources.
Recovery Auditing: Reducing Profit Leaks
AuditNet® Vendor News
Check here for the latest news from our AuditNet® sponsors!
Please take this survey. Protiviti has conducted this annual survey to determine whether and how internal audit functions are "rebalancing" their activities in order to address risks overshadowed by the intense focus on financial reporting risks. The purpose of this new survey is to continue to measure the impact of AS5 and the SEC’s Interpretive Guidance on rebalancing activities. How much difference did one year make? Are companies nearing the completion of their rebalancing activities? When the results are tabulated, we will share them with the internal audit community.
Upcoming Webcasts and Webinars for Auditors
Protiviti KnowledgeLeader The Convergence of Enterprise Performance Management and Risk Management
Date: Wednesday December 10th at 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ET Registration Link
IFRS
Webinar: Convergence, beyond the numbers and how to get
started
Date: Thursday, December 11th at 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET Registration Link
Active Directory AuditNet will be hosting a series of Webinars on Auditing Active Directory. Following are the titles, dates and times for these events.
CAN’T MAKE THE LIVE EVENT? Register anyway to receive a link to the recorded Webinar.
|
 Best practices for accelerating performance
In today's climate of extreme market uncertainty, companies need a highly focused measurement system to consistently track performance. A well-implemented measurement system can engineer genuine and lasting improvement --the kind executives want to see.
Now available to you through AuditNet, is PricewaterhouseCoopers' Global Best Practices team's paper, "Accelerating performance improvement" presenting best practices approaches to establishing a disciplined, replicable process for performance improvement. For more information, please contact Global Best Practices
|
Sarbanes-Oxley News and Views
SOX TV Research Alert New Research!
SOX Television is an Internet Television Network that covers every aspect of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and the related areas of governance, risk and compliance. Along with its sister network, Risk Television, it reaches more than 300,000 financial, governance, risk and compliance professionals worldwide.
Case Study: Continuous Auditing at Wells Fargo
International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS)
Auditors need to stay current on trends that affect what they do and how they do it. Nothing could be more in the forefront on the auditor's radar screen then IFRS or global standards for financial reporting. To this end, AuditNet has created a page devoted to the switch from GAAP to IFRS. AuditNet is also building a library of documents related to the new reporting standards.
Click here for the tools and resources we are developing for you.
Audit Work Programs Corner
Share an Audit Program for a 30 Day Trial to the Premium Section!
Access to the audit program section now requires registration. The following audit programs, ICQs, checklists or working papers were added this month. They are available on a 1 for 1 exchange for an original audit work program not currently in the inventory. If you unable to share audit programs then consider subscribing to the premium content which provides you with access free and premium content 24/7/365. Interested in previewing all the programs in the premium content section? Contribute an original audit work program not currently in the inventory and receive a 30 day trial subscription to the premium content. Contribute 5 programs and receive a one year trial subscription. (Offer only available for new programs submitted).
CCH
TeamMate users now have access to all the AuditNet audit programs in
TeamStores format. Access through the TeamStores support site.
E-Book for
Subscribers to the Annual Audit Programs
- IFRS Disclosure Checklists
- SOX Entity Level Control Matrix (Dec 08) (non-subscribers can receive all the following templates by sending 5 original audit work programs)
Sarbanes-Oxley Guidebook for the Templates (Dec 08) (The following templates are licensed for use by AuditNet® subscribers)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template Financial Reporting Control Matrix (Dec 08)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template Fixed Asset Control Matrix (Dec 08)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template Inventory Control Matrix (Dec 08)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template IT Control Matrix (Dec 08)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template Payroll and Human Resources Control Matrix (Dec 08)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template Purchasing and Payables Control Matrix (Dec 08)
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template Revenue and Receivables Control Matrix (Dec 08
- Sarbanes-Oxley Template Treasury Control Matrix (Dec 08)
Ask the Auditor
Each month I select one question submitted to Ask the Auditor and provide an answer using the same digital tools and techniques that I recommend to all auditors.
Audit Planning Strategy
Q;
How do I test fictitious employees in a big company with employees
at various places but get paid from the central office?
A: A "ghost
employee" is a fictitious employee entered into a company's payroll
system. Sometimes the "ghost" is a real person who was once entitled
to be paid, but who was retained on the payroll after being
terminated. These ghosts could also be fictitious people created for
the purpose of defrauding the organization. Rarely does the
perpetrator of this fraud follow all the rules and regulations that
would be followed by actual employees. A standard audit technique is
to examine the payroll data using data extraction software (IDEA
or ACL) to search for anomalies.
Here are some ways that personnel and payroll files can be used to identify possible symptoms of "ghost employees":
- Many employers are using direct deposit as a means of paying employees. Search for duplicate employee addresses and bank account numbers for direct deposits.
- Obtain a listing of all employees with few or no payroll deductions. A "ghost employee" may be receiving a regular pay check without any of the usual deductions for taxes, pension or health insurance. Use IDEA or ACL to calculate, and verify the deductions, or to identify payroll records that have no deductions.
For more tips go to Ask the Auditor Forum for How Do I...
Submit a question for Ask the Auditor!
Looking to Earn Some Extra $$?
AuditNet is interested in developing a series of SOx or industry related audit programs for organizations. If anyone is interested in writing audit programs, ICQs, questionnaires, or control matrices on a work for hire basis please contact me. If you may know of anyone who would be interested in this as well please pass along my contact information.
AuditNet Construction Corner News
Effective Management & Audit of Construction Contracts: Preliminaries
by Gursharan Singh
The pricing of Construction Contracts is generally divided into three categories: r
equirement that need to be provided prior to commencement of any actual work or preliminaries; components that involve actual implementation or main works; and components that involve works supplies that are of special nature that is generally to be undertaken by contractors who have knowledge and facilities that is relevant to the specialized nature of the works to be done or prime cost items.This article will refer to requirements included under the ‘Preliminaries’ category.
For the rest of the story click here!
AuditNet Career Center
Auditors Looking for Jobs!
Companies Looking for Auditors!
The Matching Service for Auditors!
Go to the AuditNet® Career Center now for the latest job opportunities and career-related information and tools. 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.
If your company has any audit job vacancies that you are looking to fill, have your HR people contact AuditNet® to post the job and search for candidates.
This is just another benefit of using AuditNet® as your one stop shop for all your audit and career resources.
AuditNet® Book Reviews
AuditNet® Fraud Auditing Corner
Fraudster Profiles
Looking for a great way to educate employees on how an ethical employee goes to the dark side, and the consequences of poor internal controls?
Check out the following video from one of Gary Zeune's speakers.
Former attorney Fred Shapiro explains the "why" the " how" & the "rush" of committing the largest bank, real estate & title insurance fraud ($8.6M) in the history of the City of Philadelphia. He tells CNBC's Donny Deutsch about the real causes of white-collar crime; the catastrophic personal & professional consequences to Fred and his family; why he turned himself in; and how he laundered drug money for the U.S. Attorney.
Click here for the link to the video.
Gary Zeune has the ONLY speaker's bureau in the country specializing in white-collar criminals — The Pros & The Cons. Mr. Zeune's speakers tell their stories of how and they committed their crimes. Their frauds range from $18,000 to $350 million. Speakers include CPAs, attorneys, and business people.
AuditNet® Software Compliance Audit Corner
|
Don't Be Accused of Font Piracy Defend Yourself by Rob Harmer PCProfile
Font licensing and font piracy issues are bubbling under the surface as another "compliance area" the the poor jaded overworked IT manager, the audit manager and staff have to contend with.
Fonts are intellectual property of the vendor that creates/owns the font and this typically will come with an end user license agreement (EULA) for individual fonts that are downloaded from font foundries. Fonts from font foundries in most cases are licensed for use in the same manner that software is licensed for use via a EULA.
For the rest of the story click here!
Click here for a special offer and late-breaking software compliance news!
Monograph on Software Compliance Auditing: Looking for a Career Change? Registered users can read the complete monograph by clicking here! Registered AuditNet users can send for 20 free software compliance articles. Login to your account and click on the link to receive the articles by email. Also the following articles should interest you! Microsoft has started a program recently in UK that has wide reaching implications for smaller and medium sized organizations, that auditors need to be aware of to minimize risk. More details can be seen by clicking here! |
Your Secret Weapon in the War on Fraud
White-Collar Crime Fighter brings you expert strategies and actionable advice from the most prominent experts in the fraud-fighting business. Each month you’ll learn about the latest frauds, scams and schemes... and the newest and most effective fraud-fighting tools, techniques and technologies you can put to work immediately to protect your organization.
Click here for a link to subscribe to the e-newsletter.
The AuditNet® Audit Bookstore Corner
Looking for books on auditing related topics? We suggest using the AuditNet® bookstore. The bookstore focuses on Internal Audit but includes other related subjects as well. AuditNet® uses Amazon to power the bookstore so each purchase you make through this link helps support AuditNet®.
Then check out the CCSA Study System published by Pleier Corporation.
Using the "McKeever CCSA Study System" will improve
users' probability of successfully passing the IIA CCSA exam
by teaching users to answer the type of questions typically
presented on the CCSA exam. Additionally, this system helps
users identify CCSA domains that require their additional
study and lists references useful for any additional study.
The "McKeever CCSA Study System" is available in 2
versions - a 288-page spiral-bound workbook and CD-ROM (for
those who prefer clicking a mouse to turning pages) - for
details click
here!
DISCOUNTS TO AUDITNET READERS
As a reminder, Pleier Corporation offers 10 % discounts to
AuditNet readers at
www.pleier.com. To take this discount order online and
enter the word AUDITNET in the coupon field at checkout.
Click here for opportunities to share your knowledge and earn royalties
Exceeding Expectations for Internal Auditors
AuditNet® Resource List
Please let us know of links that are not working!
Click here for the latest update!