How to prepare an effective audit manual for an internal audit department

This webinar will instruct attendees on how to develop an internal audit manual and offer start to finish instructions and templates on how to perform different types of audits given the project description. Audit fieldwork, audit reporting, and follow-up, work-paper filing, and project closure are some of the other areas the webinar will cover.

• Identify and collect essential pre-audit background information
• A basic understanding of the most popular types of internal audit projects
• The areas included in an audit manual
• Planning audit objectives, scope, and developing an audit work program – audit planning
• Audit fieldwork
• Audit reporting and follow-up, work-paper filing, and project closure
• The audit manual for a consulting engagement and confidential investigation
• Real-life examples from the instructor’s extensive background in this area

An audit manual is essential for adequate documentation and to ensure that the necessary steps to take during an audit are adhered to in keeping with the internal audit standards as promulgated by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA). There are several areas that can be covered in an audit manual, including:

• Engagement letters
• Planning documents
• Effective audit programs
• Progress update templates, and
• Final reports

This course will touch on all areas of an audit manual and discuss how to efficiently present it in case of an internal audit, a consulting engagement, or an internal confidential investigation. Having an effective audit manual will make the difference between having a tool that assists in effective audits, consulting engagements, and internal confidential investigations and not having the proper guidance required to ensure your audit department is equipped to be successful. A proactive stance on authoring an audit manual can result in cost savings for organizations and invaluable assurance to management that auditors are performing in accordance with the IIA standards. To ensure all the above, this course will:

• Provide you with a basic understanding of different elements that should be included in an effective audit manual
• Detailed ways to present different types of audits and what the standards dictate
• Elaborate on how to plan, perform and report results of an internal audit, consulting engagement, or confidential investigation audit
• Provide templates to illustrate every step in the audit process

• Internal audit personnel who perform audits and develop audit manuals
• Internal audit management is interested in developing an audit manual for different types of audits
• Professionals responsible for developing manuals for performing audits
• Management concerned with the efficiency and effectiveness of the audit department

Marna Steuart has been in the audit industry for over twenty years. Ms. Steuart began her career with a big four firm as an external auditor, then as an internal auditor in different capacities in various industries. Ms. Steuart has performed collective bargaining contracts, and construction contract audits of several third-party contracts. She has also performed vendor contract audits of purchase power contracts and third-party vendor contracts for services throughout her career as an internal auditor. She has firsthand knowledge of where to look in a contract for possible risks and of case studies that would save thousands of dollars’ for organizations.