Tip of the Month: 3 Simple Steps to Using Audit Steps with Pre-populated Data
October 18, 2024
Did You Know?
BarnOwl version 11.3.0 (and above) enables custom fields to be configured with pre-populated information for Audit Steps. Pre-populated Audit Steps allow you to build an audit knowledge base, which helps to guide the auditor during an audit and simplifies the audit process.
Three (3) simple steps to configuring and using pre-populated Audit Steps
Step 1: Configure custom fields for Audit Steps (System Administrator in SMC (Server Management Console))
Step 2: Pre-populate Audit Step custom fields per Project Type (System Administrator in SMC)
Step 3: Use the pre-populated Audit Steps in your audit projects (Auditor)
Step 1: Configure custom fields on Audit Steps (System Administrator SMC)
Custom fields can be created for Audit Steps (from version 11.3.0 and above), using BarnOwl’s standard custom field functionality:
FIG1.1: Custom fields on Audit Steps
FIG1.2: Standard BarnOwl custom field types
Step 2 – Pre-populate Audit Step custom fields per Project Type (System Administrator in SMC)
FIG2.1: Pre-populated Audit Step #1 for Project Type ‘Risk Based IA – simple’
FIG2.2: Pre-populated Audit Step #2 for Project Type ‘Risk Based IA – simple’
You will notice (when you compare FIG2.1 and FIG2.2 above) that each Audit Step is unique with its own pre-populated content. Even though the custom field names are generic across all Audit Steps, every Audit Step can be pre-populated with its own content, even within the same Project Type.
In addition, conditional formatting can be used to make certain fields visible or invisible in the Audit Step.
FIG2.3: Pre-populated Audit Step for Project Type ‘Forensic’
Step 3: Use the pre-populated Audit Steps in your audit projects (Auditor)
FIG3.1: Pre-populated Audit Step is pulled into the audit project (specific to the Project Type)
FIG3.2: You can edit an Audit Step in the audit project without it affecting the default settings in SMC or affecting any other audit projects
Any edits to the data in the Audit Step are specific to this project and won’t affect the default data in SMC or affect any other audit projects using these audit steps.
FIG3.3: You can capture a new Audit Step specific to this audit project
FIG3.4 and insert the Audit Step into the PFO where required:
Conclusion
Pre-populated Audit Steps allow you to build an audit knowledge base, which helps to guide the auditor during an audit and simplifies the audit process. This further enables you to streamline and standardise your audit processes.
Useful links
https://barnowl.co.za/knowledge-base/tip-of-the-month/the-power-of-barnowl-audit-registers/
BarnOwl Online help on Custom Fields
About BarnOwl
BarnOwl is a fully integrated governance, risk management, compliance and audit software solution used by over 150 blue-chip organisations. BarnOwl is a locally developed software solution and is the preferred risk management solution for the South African public sector supporting the National Treasury risk framework.
Please see www.barnowl.co.za for more information.
