Section 5 Audit Process: Audit Planning To Fieldwork
Section 5 documents how the Office of the City Auditor complies with standards related to reasonable assurance, significance, audit risk, and planning. This section provides guidance on the how to apply those standards in conducting audits based on the Citywide Risk Assessment model or requested audits. Specifically, this section will cover the initial planning phase of the audit (preliminary survey) that begins with start the audit, preliminary survey and risk assessment, and development of the audit program. The purpose of audit planning process is to generate information and ideas to better understand the audit subject, determine the audit objective, and to develop the audit field work program. Planning also involves estimating the time and resources necessary to complete the audit. The evidence gathered in background research and later fieldwork is documented in the working papers. Key outputs of audit planning include an audit background memorandum; audit scope statement; risk and vulnerability assessment document; and field work audit program.

AUDIT PLANNING PROCESS The audit planning process can be divided into the following three phases: 1) starting the project, 2) preliminary survey (planning the audit and conducting risk assessment), and 3) developing the audit program. These steps are followed by fieldwork and reporting. Details of each of the steps are noted below. Audit Start City Auditor assigns staff to audit. City Auditor and audit team hold a project initiation and expectation meeting. Job start letter sent to agency or department director. If requested audit, Audit staff research audit topic-program, policy, or agency. Conduct entrance conference with agency.

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 o o o Preliminary Survey & Risk Assessment Obtain and review relevant background documents. Define audit scope.