Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing: Developing and Implementing a Practical Methodology (Wiley Corporate F&A) - Hardcover

Mainardi, Robert L.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0470637692 ISBN 13: 9780470637692

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2011

Synopsis

Written to help auditors jump start their organization's near real-time financial data monitoring and sharing capabilities, Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing provides step-by-step instruction on how to build, market, implement, and manage a successful continuous auditing program. Taking concept to reality, author and internal audit expert Robert L. Mainardi presents auditors, company executives, business unit managers, practitioners, and consultants with a complete road map to continuous auditing, from start to finish. Beginning with a thorough definition of the subject, Mainardi debunks the various myths surrounding the process?including the most common misperception that the internal audit department must have the corresponding automated technology to support it?and includes numerous documented proven techniques and instructions for more effective SOX work. A vital tool to enhance the auditor's skills and abilities, Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing's exhaustive coverage includes: * The definition of continuous auditing * Where to begin * Methodology development * Preparing for continuous auditing * Root cause analysis * Action plans * Problem-solving tools * Lessons learned * Selling continuous auditing * Conditions and challenges This all-in-one handbook of practical execution provides much-needed, accessible guidance on everything business professionals need to know to conduct and implement a successful continuous audit in their organizations.

About this title

About the Author

ROBERT L. MAINARDI is President of Mainardi & Associates, a firm that creates, develops, facilitates, and administers custom training programs in auditing and risk; evaluates, creates, and implements formal audit methodologies; and consults on critical projects. Prior to forming his own firm, he was a vice president with the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. He has written over thirty-five courses focused on continuing education for professionals in the audit, operational risk and control, and accounting fields. He is also a Distinguished Faculty Member for the Institute of Internal Auditors and a featured speaker for the MIS Training Institute.

From the Back Cover

Written to help auditors jump-start their organization's near-real-time financial data monitoring and sharing capabilities, Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing provides step-by-step instruction on how to build, market, implement, and manage a successful continuous auditing program.

Taking concept to reality, author and internal audit expert Robert L. Mainardi presents auditors, company executives, business unit managers, practitioners, and consultants with a complete road map to continuous auditing, from start to finish. Beginning with a thorough definition of the subject, Mainardi debunks the various myths surrounding the process—including the most common misperception that the internal audit department must have the corresponding automated technology to support it—and includes numerous documented proven techniques and instructions for more effective SOX work.

A vital tool to enhance the auditor's skills and abilities, Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing's exhaustive coverage includes:

• The definition of continuous auditing

• Where to begin

• Methodology development

• Preparing for continuous auditing

• Root cause analysis

• Action plans

• Problem-solving tools

• Lessons learned

• Selling continuous auditing

• Conditions and challenges

This all-in-one handbook of practical execution provides much-needed, accessible guidance on everything business professionals need to know to conduct and implement a successful continuous audit in their organizations.

From the Inside Flap

Continuous auditing is one of the many tools utilized within the internal audit profession to provide reasonable assurance that the control structure surrounding the operational environment is suitably designed, established, and operating as intended. It uses a set of tools to check whether a company's financial information is handled correctly and if internal controls are functioning to prevent errors and fraud. However, there has always been an active discussion as to how to effectively incorporate the targeted testing methodology into an existing audit department. In Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing, author Robert L. Mainardi distills his decades of auditing experience to provide step-by-step guidance on how to create, implement, and manage continuous auditing in any organization.

Providing a lucid definition of the continuous auditing methodology as well as practical guidelines for successfully defining, developing, communicating, implementing, managing, and maintaining the approach, Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing is designed to help auditors, company executives, business unit managers, practitioners, and consultants enhance corporate governance in their organizations.

Encompassing concept, strategy, and implementation, Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing skillfully addresses:

• The significant differences between continuous auditing and continuous monitoring

• Potential need and fit considerations

• Identifying existing technology

• The three phases of continuous auditing: foundation, approach, and execution

• Reporting

• Addressing root cause and action plans

• Internal audit conditions

• Selling continuous auditing to the business unit management, audit team, and external clients

• Uses and users

• Myths and truths about the methodology

• Risks and challenges

• Tools to evaluate and record the successes

• Opportunities for improvements

A vital tool for all business professionals interested in a target approach to evaluating the effectiveness of critical controls, Harnessing the Power of Continuous Auditing provides a practical how-to guide to help define, develop, communicate, create, implement, manage, and maintain continuous auditing with triumphant results.

Edition details

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0470637692
• ISBN 13: 9780470637692
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 304