Audit North

Welcome to Audit North – a leading not-for-profit provider of internal audit, IS assurance and counter fraud services to the public sector in the North of England.

Our Services

• Fraud & Security Services
• Forensic Computing Service
• Information Systems Assurance
• Governance & Risk Management
• Consulting Services
• Internal Audit and Assurance

What's New

Welcome to Audit North
14/10/2010

 

These days, end to end transaction processing can be deceptively complex. Even for something as simple, on the surface, as a purchase to pay cycle. Most of our clients rely on at least two application systems provided by third parties to process requisitions through to approved invoices and supplier payments. As a result, successful end to end processing depends not only on controls operated by our clients but on third party controls, including both controls within the application and general computer controls designed to ensure that the systems remain available and secure. In addition, successful processing depends on the interaction between our clients and these third parties, for example in ensuring that access rights are properly defined and set up. Both third party applications are administered by a host organisation but housed on servers under the control of software providers. In short, successful end to end processing depends on controls in several organisations, operating across several sites. Being able to identify critical processing controls, including who is responsible for them, and to obtain assurance on their effectiveness can therefore be challenging, unless you are able to get the full picture in a readily digestible format. Audit North has developed a systematic, low cost approach to mapping end to end processes, assessing controls and evaluating assurance available to management in respect of key controls. It also considers whether controls are configured efficiently. The approach has been piloted successfully. On 23rd and 24th September we presented it to over 20 organisations at the annual conference of North East Patches, who provide an Oracle Financials system to many NHS organisations. Feedback received was that the approach was relevant and potentially beneficial. Download our summary card to find out more.