Internal Audit Handbook（2007）B3-Preparation.pdfVIP

The SAP®-Audit Roadmap as a Working Basis for Internal Audit B | 3 | 3.1 Preparation Audit Announcement 3 Preparation 3.1 Audit Announcement Key Points ••• • Audit announcements give Internal Audit and the unit to be audited the oppor- tunity to come to a common understanding on the actual audit and its contents well in advance of the audit. • Such announcements are advisable within a certain period, depending on the audit or service type. • Although there are many arguments in favor of audit announcements, it should be critically examined whether announcing the audit jeopardizes audit objec- tives. • Whatever the circumstances, announcements have to be in general terms so that the extent of the audit can be supplemented with results from fieldwork or other audits at any time. The audit announcement serves an important function as part of the preparations DefinitionDefinition for an audit. The audit announcement gives the departments to be audited and the managers responsible an understanding of audit objectives and breadth of the audit and outlines further test procedures. This creates both an opportunity and an obli- gation for Internal Audit to announce audits to auditees before the actual audit work commences. The audit announcement is prepared by the audit lead and ap- proved by the Audit Manager. In general it must be accepted that Internal Audit, which is an independent AreasAreas ofof UseUse body, has the right to conduct audits in response to certain risk situations at any time, even without prior announcement. It is advisable not