In today’s fast-paced business environment, disrupting operations for an onsite audit can be both time-consuming and cumbersome. However, there is a solution to this frustration—the virtual audit. Remote audits are an innovative and efficient solution to the challenges of traditional auditing. Read on to learn the benefits of a remote audit and why you should consider partnering with a CPA firm that offers them.
Benefits of a Virtual Audit
Traditionally, during your audit, your audit team would arrive at your office and sift through physical records, conduct face-to-face interviews, and occupy significant on-site resources. Instead of interrupting your workflow processes, a virtual audit is streamlined, allowing for real-time data access, reduced operational disruptions, and enhanced flexibility, all while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy, integrity, and safety of your data.
Not only can remote auditing keep you from disrupting your employees, but it also provides various benefits. Some benefits include:
- Cost-efficiency: Remote auditing can significantly cut down on travel and lodging costs for your audit team. Instead, online audits are completed using video-conferencing technology and secure file shares, making it easy to conduct the audit without auditors needing to come to your office.
- Time-saving: Instead of sitting in your office for weeks, your remote audit team can do the preparation and document review virtually. They can video conference and send records through secure cloud-based file-sharing software—all off-site and only involving your team as needed. This means they can work quickly and efficiently.
- Data Protection: Because online audits are conducted remotely, you can rest assured your data and important documents are protected. The programs you and your auditors use are secure and backed by data encryption.
- Quick and responsive communication: Remember the days of needing to wait until your auditor was onsite and then having to clear your schedule to meet with them? Those days are long gone. Now it’s easy to have strategic conversations at any time with a video call with your remote auditor.
Are Virtual Audits Effective and Reliable?
Virtual audits are as reliable as those performed through traditional methods. Audit firms use secure cloud-based software to keep your data and documentation safe and encrypted. At Assurance Dimensions, we use Suralink, a trusted data transfer software that’s also easy to use. Unlike email attachments or paper files, cloud-based software is secure, regularly backs up data, and offers secure monitoring and logging, making it a safe choice to complete your audit online.
Are the Online Tools Easy to Use?
The technology and tools needed to complete a virtual audit are similar to those you already use for your business, like email, video-conferencing, and file-sharing. If you have an issue during the audit, your accounting firm can walk you through any tech problem.
Hire Assurance Dimensions for Your Virtual Audit
At Assurance Dimensions, we offer remote audit services for all audits we complete. With over 75 years of experience in the accounting industry, we are ready to come alongside your company to ensure regulatory compliance. Whether your audit is done on-site, virtually, or a mix of both, we strive to achieve the highest quality auditing standards to meet your company’s needs.
Contact us today to learn more about how we provide remote auditing for private company audits and all our auditing services.