This section describes how firms can use the information gleaned from internal or external audits to provide management with a full overview of all operational risk and governance, risk and compliance (GRC) - relevant information in a single system.
Too often, audit findings are delivered to business managers in a document which is filed and then difficult to locate and action. Instead, findings need to be readily and securely available to all interested and affected parties online, so that they can be updated on a regular basis with status and supporting information.The action tracking capabilities described in module 1 also apply to the Audit Module.
Why Audit
The prime purpose of recording audits, findings and agreed actions is to ensure transparency and clarity of the resolution of issues identified during audits. Optial supports all kinds of audits, including internal, external, business reviews, ad hoc, risk-based or checklist based audits.
Audits, Findings and Agreed Actions
Optial provides the pre-configured Audit module as part of its SmartStart suite, covering:
- Recording key information about the audit plan, including proposed audits as well as audits which have already taken place
- Allocation of auditors to audits and distribution of audits around the organisation structure
- Release of audit findings to managers
- Multiple findings per audit and multiple actions per finding
- Ability to audit across the organisation structure
- Ability to use checklists for regularly recurring audits
- Workflow based due date processing for findings and agreed actions
- Highly granular and strict access control processing to ensure the security and confidentiality of the audit.
- Audits and Reporting
Reporting capabilities within the Audit module include simple-to-use list and grid reports, complemented by charts and analysis using the Optial Business Intelligence module. Reports include a lists of audits, findings and agreed actions, which the auditor or manager can sort, filter, export or print, Statistics on audits such as the number and severity of audits and findings across the organisation structure Slice/Dice style analysis of audits and findings by risk categorisations.
If you would like further information on Optial Products or services email: request@optial.com or telephone: +44 (0) 207 247 7673.