Introduction to Agile Auditing
Agile auditing is a flexible, iterative audit technique that emphasizes collaboration, responsiveness, and speed. Borrowed from software development methodologies, it breaks audit work into short sprints and fosters continuous feedback. Unlike traditional audits with rigid schedules, agile auditing allows Internal Auditors like Auren at ACME Corporation to adapt quickly to changes, uncover insights early, and engage stakeholders such as Project Manager Aven and CEO Liora more effectively.
Creating a Template and Fictitious Dataset
A practical tool to implement agile auditing is an Agile Audit Tracker. Excel works exceptionally well for this purpose, allowing audit teams to map out sprint activities, monitor task progress, track findings, and record follow-up actions.
Here’s a sample dataset used by ACME’s audit team:
| Sprint No | Sprint Dates | Audit Objective | Tasks / User Stories | Assigned To | Status | Risks/Issues | Findings | Follow-up Action | Completion Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2025-06-01 to 2025-06-07 | Review Procurement Policy | Interview procurement team | Auren | Completed | None | Policy outdated | Update policy draft | 2025-06-07 |
| 1 | 2025-06-01 to 2025-06-07 | Review Procurement Policy | Review purchase order samples | Dana | In Progress | Delayed file access | |||
| 2 | 2025-06-08 to 2025-06-14 | Vendor Compliance Check | Test vendor files against criteria | Carlos | Planned | ||||
| 2 | 2025-06-08 to 2025-06-14 | Vendor Compliance Check | Draft findings summary | Aven | Planned |
Practical Application at ACME
At ACME, Internal Auditor Auren and the team implemented this agile approach when auditing the procurement department. They broke the audit into two sprints, each one week long. During Sprint 1, the team identified outdated policies and limited digital access to procurement records. These insights were documented in real-time, discussed in daily stand-ups, and immediately relayed to Aven (Project Manager), who coordinated with IT to resolve access delays.
Liora, the CEO, appreciated the transparency and was able to act swiftly on early findings—unlike in traditional audits, where issues often surface late. Sprint 2 focused on vendor compliance, and by week’s end, preliminary results were shared in a live session with stakeholders using the Excel tracker. Tasks were updated, and follow-up actions were scheduled with firm dates.
This method fostered continuous engagement, reduced surprises, and ensured accountability at each stage. Excel’s filter and conditional formatting features helped the team quickly spot overdue tasks and unresolved issues.
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Upon reading the Disclaimer, a reader may click the link below to download an example of a relevant tool:
T&Ts Series G, Internal Audit, Collaboration & Engagement, Episode G4 — Agile Auditing