Enhancing Audit Efficiency: The Shift to Paperless Engagements
Explore the transformative benefits of transitioning to paperless audit engagements, presented by Daniel Tirone, CPA. This session covers why firms should adopt paperless systems, focusing on cost savings, increased efficiency, consistency, collaboration, and control mandated by audit standards like SAS 95. Learn who can assist in this transition—companies such as Practitioner’s Publishing Company, CaseWare, and Creative Solutions—and how to integrate these technologies for optimal engagement management. Embrace the essentials of document management and collaboration to enhance audit practices.
Enhancing Audit Efficiency: The Shift to Paperless Engagements
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Presentation Transcript
AUDIT PACKAGES “PAPERLESS” ENGAGEMENTS WHY? WHO? HOW? NOVEMBER 5, 2002 NEW YORK STATE SOCIETY OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS TECHNOLOGY ASSURANCE COMMITTEE PRESENTER – DANIEL TIRONE, CPA D.TIRONE@WORLDNET.ATT.NET
WHY? • COST • EFFICIENCY • CONSISTENCY • COLLABORATION • CONTROL • AUDIT STANDARDS – SAS 95
WHY? - COST • ACCORDING TO A COOPERS & LYBRAND STUDY IT COSTS $20 TO FILE A DOCUMENT, $120 TO FIND A LOST DOCUMENT AND $220 TO REPLACE A LOST OR MISFILED DOCUMENT • 8% OF ALL PAPER DOCUMENTS ARE TOTALLY LOST WHILE 3% OF PAPER DOCUMENTS ARE MISFILED
WHY? - EFFICIENCY • TEMPLATES • ROLL FORWARD CAPABILITIES • INTEGRATION WITH TAX, ACCOUNTING AND OTHER APPLICATIONS • INCREASED COLLABORATION POSSIBILITIES • PORTABILITY • ELIMINATE MANUAL (OOPS!) PROCESSES
WHY? - CONSISTENCY • STANDARDIZATION ACROSS ENGAGEMENT TYPES, OFFICES, PARTNERS AND STAFF • FIRM TEMPLATES • GREATER ASSURANCE OF MEETING STANDARDS
WHY? - COLLABORATION • WORKPAPERS EXIST AT MULTIPLE SITES AT THE SAME TIME • INDIVIDUALS IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS SUCH AS HOME OFFICE, REMOTE OFFICE OR CLIENT LOCATION ALL SEE THE SAME WORKPAPERS AT THE SAME TIME • EASE OF ADDING SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE ENGAGEMENT FOR ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE
WHY? – AUDIT STANDARDS SAS 95 • PROPER PLANNING OF ASSISTANTS • SUFFICIENT COMPETENT EVIDENTIAL MATTER • PROPER SUPERVISION THROUGH THE INTEGRATION OF ENGAGEMENT GUIDANCE
WHY? - CONTROL • CONTROL OVER STORAGE OF WORKPAPERS DURING THE ENGAGEMENT • CONTROL OVER REVIEW PROCESS, INCLUDING DIAGNOSTICS • CONTROL OVER ACCESS TO WORKPAPERS
WHO? • PRACTITIONER’S PUBLISHING COMPANY – ENGAGEMENT MANAGER ES • CREATIVE SOLUTIONS INC. • CASEWARE • PROSYSTEMFX
HOW? • RESEARCH YOUR OPTIONS • TAKE IT SLOWLY • INTEGRATE COMPLETELY • ACCEPT CHANGE
ESSENTIALS OF AN ENGAGEMENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM • FINAL PRODUCT – FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN AN AUDIT ENVIRONMENT • DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT AND COLLABORATION • PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT GUIDANCE AND CONTROL
ELEMENTS OF A PAPERLESS SOLUTION • DOCUMENT MANAGEMENT • DRILL DOWN CAPABLE • ARCHIVAL • TEAM MANAGEMENT • TEMPLATES • FIELD AND OFFICE CAPABLE • INTEGRATION WITH OTHER SOFTWARE • REVIEW TOOLS
IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS • EASE OF USE • PRESENT SYSTEMS AND USE OF EXISTING DOCUMENTS • COST OF CONVERSION • LEARNING CURVE • SUPPORT • TRAINING
ABOUT PPC • PROVIDES CONTENT AND INTERNET BASED STORAGE OF DOCUMENTS • PROVIDES “ADVISOR”. COM TO SET-UP CLIENT PORTALS WHERE TAX RETURNS AND DOCUMENTS CAN BE STORED FOD CLIENTS AND CLIENTS CAN AGGREGATE THEIR FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS • WORKS BEST WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS • IS NOT A TRIAL BALANCE PROGRAM • DOCUMENT MANAGER
ABOUT CASEWARE • STRONG PROGRAM CREATED BY CANADIAN COMPANY • NUMEROUS INTEGRATED PRODUCTS • INTEGRATES WITH EXCEL AND WORD THROUGH A PROPRIETARY PROGRAM CALLED “CONNECTOR”
ABOUT CREATIVE SOLUTIONS, INC. • STRONG IN ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT STORAGE AND INTERNET USE • “FILE CABINET” SOLUTION • STRONG RELATIONSHIP WITH PPC AND EASIEST INTEGRATION WITH THE PPC CONTENT
ABOUT PROSYSTEMFX • FORMERLY CALLED EPACE • EXCEL AND WORD BASED • PROVIDES EITHER MILLER OR MCGLADREY-PULLEN CONTENT • PPC CONTENT CAN BE USED BUT DOES NOT INTEGRATE AS WELL
REALITIES • TECHNOLOGY IS UNDERUTILIZED • TECHNOLOGY PROVIDES BETTER CONTROL AND RESULTS • TECHNOLOGICALLY PROFICIENT WILL WIN THE RACE