Marketing Manager, AudITech
Table of Contents
Switching to Automated ITGC Audits offers significant benefits. While many industries have already embraced automation software to automate their operations, it’s time for IT Audits to follow suit. But what exactly are the benefits, and is the switch truly worthwhile? Below, we explore the key differences between automated and manual auditing processes, underscoring the advantages of automation.
| Automated | Manual | |
| Monitoring | 365 Times a Year | 2 Times a Year |
| Population Coverage | 100% of Population | Statistic Sample Size (25-40) |
| Data Extraction | Automated | Manual |
| Data Consolidation | Automated | Manual |
| Working Papers | Automated | Manual |
| Findings Identify | Automated | Manual |
| Review | via Platform | via Email Approval |
Monitoring
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- Automated: 365 times a year (Daily)
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- Manual: 2 times a year
Automated systems allow for daily monitoring, ensuring that deficiencies are picked up on a constant basis and attended to. This frequent auditing significantly reduces the risk of deficiencies being left unattended and allows for faster responses to issues. Controls shift from sampling to full population review changing the auditing landscape from a reactive to proactive one. In contrast, manual processes typically involve only biannual ITGC Audits, which can lead to outdated information and slower response times to potential issues.
Population Coverage
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- Automated: 100% of the population
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- Manual: Statistical sample size (25-40)
ITGC audit automation enables comprehensive coverage, examining the entire population. This thorough approach ensures no deficiencies are missed and gives a holistic understanding of what is going on in all your IT controls, providing valuable insights into the state of ones IT controls. Manual audits, however, rely on a statistical sample size, which may not capture all deficiencies, potentially overlooking critical insights.
Data Extraction
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- Automated: Automated
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- Manual: Manual
Data extraction in AudITech’s automated systems is performed without the need for human interaction. Our self-auditing software conducts the ITGC Audit for you, allowing you to focus on more valuable and important tasks such as remediating any deficiencies found by our software to actually improve one’s internal controls and gain confidence in passing the external audit. This automation should considerably reduce the possibility of deficiencies being missed by manual sampling while also accelerating the process. In contrast, manual extraction is labor-intensive and prone to mistakes, increasing the risk of not picking up on deficiencies.
Data Consolidation
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- Automated: Automated
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- Manual: Manual
Automated data consolidation quickly streamlines data ensuring that it is ready for the ITGC Audit. This seamless process contrasts with the manual approach, which can be time-consuming and complex, often requiring extensive cross-referencing and validation.
Working Papers
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- Automated: Automated
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- Manual: Manual
The documentation of working papers is another area where automation shines. Automated systems generate working papers automatically, ensuring fast download capabilities. Manual preparation of working papers, however, is often slow and inconsistent, leading to potential delays and deficiencies.
Findings Identification
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- Automated: Automated
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- Manual: Manual
Automated identification of findings ensures swift detection of deficiencies, leveraging advanced algorithms and analytics. This proactive approach contrasts sharply with the manual method, which can be slow and less reliable, often depending on repetitive manual tasks.
Review Process
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- Automated: via Platform
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- Manual: via Email Approval
The review process in automated systems is conducted through dedicated platforms, facilitating real-time collaboration and streamlined approval workflows. Manual reviews typically rely on email exchanges, which can be inefficient and harder to track, potentially leading to miscommunications and delays.
Conclusion
The comparison clearly illustrates the superior efficiency and reliability of automated auditing processes. Automation offers continuous monitoring, comprehensive coverage, and automated data handling, significantly enhancing the accuracy and speed of audits. While manual methods have their place, the future of auditing undoubtedly lies in automation, driving more effective and insightful decision-making.
