Thanks to cloud-based technology and virtual conferencing, the work of a remote auditor has accelerated over the past few years, offering unprecedented benefits to both auditing firms and their clients. These technological tools streamline the auditing process, leading to cost savings, increased efficiency, and the ability to deliver audit and assurance services securely from anywhere in the world. Let’s dive into what remote auditing is and why working with a remote auditor might be a good fit for your company.
What is Remote Auditing?
Remote auditing is when the auditor does their work using technology without needing to be physically present at your company’s office for the entire audit. Today, many assets being audited are digital and can be accessed virtually anywhere. A remote auditor will use secure cloud technology to gather the documentation and communicate with you. Keep in mind that remote auditing doesn’t mean that your audit is 100% virtual. Nor does it mean there’s no client contact or in-person inspection of goods or internal controls. It means that portions of the audit, or all of it,
do not require the physical presence of the audit team at your business location.
What Does a Remote Auditor Do?
A remote auditor performs the same audit services and procedures as an auditor who comes to your office. Their process includes reviewing financial records, assessing your financial statements, and evaluating internal controls. From this process, they issue an audit report. The difference is that portions of the audit are completed using fully secure digital tools to virtually access and analyze documents and communicate with you.
Benefits of Hiring a Remote Auditor
Overall, remote audits can create more efficient experiences for staff and clients, which is why more CPA firms are offering virtual audit services. Here are a few benefits of working with a remote auditor, like our experienced team at Assurance Dimensions:
- Cost savings: A significant cost factor for many audits is the fieldwork and travel for audit teams. However, remote auditing eliminates the need for frequent on-site visits, reducing time and costs for traveling between off-site and on-site client locations.
- Build relationships with the audit team: It’s hard to interact with your team when they’re on-site pressed for time. Instead, you can have conversations with them virtually without any pressure.
- Reduced disruptions: Because your virtual auditor can mainly work off-site, there is less pressure to find space for them to set up fieldwork and less chance of them disrupting your place of business for long periods.
- Advanced technology: Accounting firms are often well-equipped with the latest audit software and data analytics tools. At Assurance Dimensions, we provide efficient remote audits in a safe and reliable way through our secure cloud-based software and technology, Suralink.
- Timely audit reports: With the combination of careful planning and our secure web portal, the audit process becomes more efficient, leading your audit team to deliver audit reports and updates quickly.
- Increased flexibility: An audit is a collaborative partnership, and information gathering is part of it. But it often can feel like a rigid operation relying on back-and-forth emails or on-site information gathering. However, with a remote auditor, you can have a streamlined approach with a mix of off-site and on-site audit processes. These hybrid audits offer flexibility for clients and a quicker turnaround during the on-site fieldwork steps of the audit because information gathering and communications can be done virtually.
Virtual Auditing Services
At Assurance Dimensions, we are committed to helping you navigate the challenges of the audit process without sacrificing accuracy, compliance, or security. Our CPA auditors provide a seamless and efficient experience by leveraging cutting-edge cloud-based technology and virtual conferencing tools. From initial consultation to the final audit report, you can expect the same high level of expertise and customer service as you would from traditional on-site audits.
Request an audit quote today to learn more about the convenience of our remote audit process.