If you run a small or medium business, you know how challenging it can be to keep tabs on all the hardware and software in your organization. Paglo, which bills itself as "a search engine for IT," offers inventory and network management, software auditing, remote monitoring, and alerts. Here's what...
Word is getting out: Internal audit is a darn good career. So it comes as no surprise that the field is attracting a growing number of students from a variety of backgrounds and interests. The number of students drawn to internal audit at the University of South Florida is "Increasing...
Bill 198, commonly known as the Budget Measures Act, was originally drafted by the Canadian government to buttress investor confidence after high profile cases of corporate management, accounting, and auditing failures. The Budget Measures Act is similar in intent to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act in the U.S. Bill 198 regulations increase...
The rapid pace of business requires prompt identification of, and response to issues. Sarbanes-Oxley Section 409 requires timely disclosure to the public of material changes to financial conditions. This regulation, plus changes in auditing standards and the evolution of audit software, has combined to persuade auditors to adopt new approaches...
Among the many provisions that companies are busy complying with is Section 301, of Sarbanes-Oxley Act, which addresses audit committees. Section 301.4 requires that audit committees establish procedures for the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints regarding accounting, internal controls and other auditing matters. The procedures used must allow for...
Financial institutions have had to face an increasing number of federal and state regulations that require a formalized process for managing and auditing information that is core to their business operations. The paper highlights that companies can achieve successful compliance audits by following a program focused on regulatory requirements. This...
With the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, major stock exchanges, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and investors all demanding greater corporate accountability and transparency, some companies are finding a need for "integrated auditing" to assess and address risks throughout the organization. Many people have viewed integrated auditing as concurrently considering both process and...
Veteran auditors can recall when most American companies followed an auditing cycle based primarily on time. Units within a company were scheduled for audits every so many years and internal audit directors put together three- or five-year auditing plans that encompassed such cycles. For some companies, auditing processes may be...
Thanks to new regulations, Sarbox compliance has become a lot less costly and more efficient. Here’s how to use it to your best advantage. Create a Controls-Friendly Culture From the Top Goal: Lay the...
This paper clears the misconceptions of Cost-Per-Lead CPL marketing. This paper explains few points about CPL marketing: the rates are cheaper in Asia; you can operate on English alone; people are reluctant to share personal information; auditing leads is key; it's good as long as it's free; trust - show...
This webinar provides an overview of the regulatory evolution from 21 CFR Part 11 to include protected health information PHI, the security standards, auditing requirements, IT responsibilities and workforce responsibilities for HIPAA electronic record security regulation. It will cover in detail 45 CFR Parts 160, 162, and 164 of the...
Retaining customer loyalty is vital to the long-term success and profitability of your business. With industry consolidation, increasing competition, and changes in the marketplace, you need to work harder than ever to maintain a strong customer base. Improving customer loyalty is an essential element in customer retention. What You...
Financial reporting, done annually by private enterprises and quarterly by public companies, offers essential information about the financial health of an organization. Interested parties often use this information to support investing and financing decisions. Companies prepare their reports in an agreed format, including a balance sheet, income statement, cash flow...
This paper examines the licensing of intellectual property in exchange for royalties that depend on the self-report of the licensee. The self-reporting aspect of the problem gives rise to demand for auditing by the licensor. We characterize the optimal royalty contract, accounting system choice by the licensee, and audit strategy...
In response to an increased focus on effective governance, the Institute of Internal Auditors IIA issued two key provisions to revise standards for the practice of internal audit in 2002. Of the two provisions, the external Quality Assurance Review QAR is considered to be particularly important, reflecting the enhanced role...
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Congress passed, and the President signed, the E-Government Act, which formally recognized the importance of information security to the United States' economic and national security interests. Title III of that act, the Federal Information Security Management Act FISMA, requires federal agencies to develop,...
Continuous auditing's surprisingly long gestational period is nearing a conclusion. For software vendors, academics, consultants and a handful of practitioners at early-adopter companies, the primary question is: Why has it taken so long for corporations to embrace it? The delay can't be justified by claims of high cost. A $200,000...
The need to assure the timely and ongoing effectiveness of risk management and control systems is critical. Organizations are continually exposed to significant errors, frauds, and inefficiencies that can lead to financial loss and increased risk. These new realities are pressuring organizations to improve their methods of performing ongoing evaluation...
Many employers have historically audited their health care, pharmacy, and dental programs as a matter of fiduciary and cost due diligence. Plan sponsors are increasingly recognizing that auditing disability programs can maximize their effectiveness and yield direct financial benefits. This paper outlines the benefits of auditing Long-Term Disability LTD programs,...
